Saturday morning.
Friday started with a fascinating guided tour of the opera house. From self-cleaning tiles to sloping windows that allow non-reflective views all around the harbour, it really is a feat of architectural brilliance. The original design started in 1956, but it didn’t open until 1973 (officially opened by The Queen).
Our guide for the opera house tour was a sheila called Sheila – literally! She did, of course, acknowledge the irony 🙂
It’s not just a single building – it actually comprises 5 separate performance venues – 4 theatres and a concert hall.
And it’s also a popular wedding venue – especially on Valentines Day. Apparently 40 couples were tying the knot there today!
Other Buildings
I’ve only seen a tiny part of Sydney, but apart from the usual city structures, there are lots of old colonial-style buildings dotted around
And our hotel is right on the edge of Chinatown, so lots of colour, especially red!
Sydney is full of street art, and just along from the hotel is this massive mural of Jenny Munro, who is a Wiradjuri elder and a well-known activist for the rights of Indigenous Australians.
Anything official here, like the opera house tour, begins with an ‘acknowledgement of country’, which goes something like this: “We acknowledge the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the lands on which we work and pay our respects to Indigenous Elders past, present and emerging. Sovereignty has never been ceded. It always was and always will be, Aboriginal land.”
An attempt to right the wrongs of the past or just lip-service? I don’t know, but have my suspicions!
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