-- Sydney, Lane Cove River Tourist Park

The road tracklog 
Sydney
from 2010/06/07 to 2010/06/13 

The week started like a fanfare, the sun appeared as of early dawn and I left for the CBD early. I jumped off a train at Milsons Point and I walked on the southern bank to find an exceptional angle of the Opera House with Circular Quay in background. Alas the law of the littoral is unknown and the edges are occupied by buildings of standing. Taken pictures were not published by Geo.

I took again the train for the centre and I visited the Museum of Sydney built on the site of the colonial governor's house dating back to 1788 and destroyed in 1846. The exhibits recall the Sydney's evolution and its relations with Aboriginals. In front of the building totems symbolize the skirt of forest from where Cadigal people observed the 1500 settlers unloading from the First Fleet in 1788 to found a penal settlement.

Further on the Police & Justice Museum installed in the building of origin recalls the criminality in Sydney since its origin until the Sixties with hippies and drug. On Circular Quay Customs House is transformed into library and the covered ground by windows exhibits a model of Sydney.

Finally the paramount of the day was a guided tour of the Opera House, I had taken the previous week a ticket for the French tour at 3pm. I had the pleasant surprise to be alone with Magali my nice guide. During one hour I traversed the basement and the four rooms by listening comments and by visualizing two videos projected on the walls. The choice of the project was made with a view of a draft by a show of hands of external conceived by Jorn Utzon, a Danish architect. Of course time and cost of such a building skidded and Jorn Utzon resigned under the pressure of the policies. The metal structure of the construction of the roof shells is four times heavier than that of Harbour Bridge. Three materials only were imported plat glasses of the canopies from France, wool of the armchair cushions of the from New Zealand and ceramic covering the roofs from Sweden. The wooden essence used in the rooms was particularly studied to obtain the best acoustic. I left my guide of French origin with melancholy.

The target of the day was to visit the east suburbs of Sydney, Kings Cross, Darlinghurst and Paddington which was in the Sixties a high hippy spot, vice during the Vietnam War for the rest of warriors and consequently criminalities. As of the middle of the 19th century the districts were made conspicuous by a Bohemian style with the construction of narrow Victorian houses with cast-iron balconies or Georgian style on the slopes of Surry Hills. Some Art Deco buildings were built in the Twenties. I walked the streets in Paddington become crested suburbs as well as Kings Cross with its frontage and its marina on Elisabeth Bay. I returned in the CBD of Sydney by the coast passing by the wharf of Wooloomooloo. At the Opera House I bought a ticket for a morning concert. It was a pleasant sunny day by strolling in streets, the Old Gaol Darlinghust and by visiting the Jewish Museum.

On Wednesday morning after a telephone meeting with a person of Australian Automobile Association -AAA- I went to the Customs House close to the Sydney International Airport to regularize the new carnet received with correct dates. The intervention of the AAA was effective. I returned in the early afternoon to the camp-site where I met my Australian neighbour who had made a trip round the world with a Toy, we exchanged a lot of information. In particular he misadvised me going to New Zealand with my truck, transport, customs and quarantine.

Thursday June 10 was a long walking day through Sydney to see and see again some monuments, to visit museums and especially to begin the day with a picture of the Opera House under the morning sun seen from Mrs Macquaries Point. If the sun were resplendent on the other hand the strong wind from the sea was icy.

Then by walking up Bourke St and Oxford St I arrived at time for a guided tour of Victoria Barracks by septuagenarian volunteers. This building of Georgian style was built since 1841 out of sandstone. The main building makes 225m long with two storeys with a cast-iron veranda. The military museum exposes costumes and weapons of time.

Strolling down again Oxford St I emerged at the south of Hyde Park of which I traversed to take a pictures of St James Church, Queen Square and to visit the museum of Hyde Park Barracks which was the arriving depot of convicts from England. The archaeological excavations reflect up to date relics hidden in the floors.

By going northwards I crossed the Royal Botanical Garden to make a first stop at the Art Gallery of NSW where I discovered reproductions or drafts of Rodin's statues and a Bourdelle. Several rooms exhibitst European and Australian paintings without forgetting, of course, Aboriginal art. This museum is worth than a stop at the end of the day. All at the end of the Royal Botanic Garden Government House was built in 1837 in Gothic style. The loop being buckled I returned to the camp-site harassed but fully satisfied by this splendid day.

Expecting that my stay in Sydney would be longer than I would like it to solve the problems arising from the carnet -CPD-, I had decided to benefit from it to obtain a new passport; the current one not having than few free pages moreover one needs a biometric passport to enter the USA. The two documents were solved the same day. I took delivery of the new passport this morning June 11 by going to the Opera House to listen to a morning concert.

The building offers architectural discoveries under all angles of view.

In this beautiful morning of mid June the foyer gives a stunning view on Sydney Cove, Harbour Bridge and Denison Fort. The doors of the concert hall were open five minutes before the concert while waiting for a tea with cookies was offered.

This morning concert -Serenade for Strings- programmed the N°7a symphony by W.A. Mozart, the serenade for quartet opus 48 by Tchaikovsky and the concerto N°1 for piano and trumpet by Shostakovich. Acoustics of the room returned perfectly the intimate music by Mozart. It is worthy of the praises made by the international community of the music lovers.

In the early afternoon I returned  to the consulate of Korea to try and obtain additional information to enter it with my truck. Then I went shopping to supplement my wardrobe.

Saturdays was a rest day to prepare the road for the future days to head to Brisbane. After a long stop it is always difficult to take again the road.

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