It's a Quick Trip for Sydney Vivid 2015; It's All about Food Porn on Day 3 #46, 07/05

[PrincessInOz]

It's a Quick Trip for Sydney Vivid 2015



It started with an invitation from our friends in Sydney to visit them. "Come stay", they said.
The timing worked out well all round. It coincided with the Queen's Birthday long weekend and an extra long weekend for DS' school.

And so....we booked our flights.....





....and jetted on out of cold Melbourne......





......for bluer skies.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Sydney Fish Market



Our friends looked after us very well.


We got picked up at the airport and taken back to their place in Pyrmont. It was a short hop, skip and jump away from the Sydney Fish Market.....








....and the lure of the fishy smell was too much for us.







Touristy as this place is, and expensive as the seafood meals are, it is still a good place to head to on a week day. I don't know if I would come here on a weekend day but I guess it depends on when you are in Sydney.

We were after lunch.







Of the cooked kind.









Snapper fish and chips. Wonderfully fresh.








Flathead fish and chips. DS inhaled this; so I guess it was good.







Calamari. It was a touch overdone for my tastes....but only just. It was still edible.






Teriyaki Salmon. DH said that he wished he'd gone for one of the fish and chips options afterwards.







We managed to find a table outside right by the water. This was our view.







It was an enjoyable way to spend lunch, chatting with friends.







Some of the locals tried to get in on the action.








And I did try and capture the local colour.







But I guess everyone was also having a flying visit, like us.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Around Pyrmont



After lunch, our friends took DS to go pick up their daughter. That left DH and I free to meander around Pyrmont. We were told to take a walk down Harris Street to the waterfront.



This end of Harris Street gives you a decent view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.....







......and the Anzac Bridge.







As we walked, we watched some of the human locals enjoy the afternoon.







Seems like easy Yellow Fin fishing that day.







Our walk took us directly under the Anzac Bridge.












For DH and myself, it was a great way to acclimatise to the Sydney landscape and weather.

 

[franandaj]

Joining in!

 

[YoYoAurora]

I'm here!

Gorgeous photos, PIO!

 

[ACDSNY]

Along for the ride.

 

[DisneyFirefly]

I'm here

 

[PrincessInOz]

Joining in!

Thanks for joining in!!

I'm here!

Gorgeous photos, PIO!

Thanks, YoYoA. Glad you're here.

Along for the ride.

I'm here

 

[Mum from oz]

Great start! The fish and chips look good!

 

[PrincessInOz]

The Vivid Colours Night 1



I have to say that Sydney does itself proud with the Vivid Festival. The festival runs for about 3 weeks and transforms Sydney into a colourful cornucopia of light, music and thought provoking installations - all for free. The installations were set up in various locations across Sydney, including Circular Quay, Campbell's Cove, Chatswood, Darling Harbour/Pyrmont, Martin Place, Central Park and the University of Sydney.


However.....no disrespect intended for those of you living in NSW and Sydney.....

We hit the Vivid Festival for all 3 nights that we were in Sydney and my one complaint about the festival revolves around public transport. For the 3 weeks, the city pretty much shuts down from about 6 pm right through to midnight. There are road closures so driving in to the City was not an option. In fact, Sydneysiders were encouraged to take public transport.
Sadly, the public transport service was not the best for the event.

On the two nights that we headed into the city, one night we tried to catch the bus and train to Circular Quay. Bus services were supposed to run into Circular Quay when we got on the bus. It terminated at Town Hall Station.
We also tried to catch the train from Town Hall Station to CQ Station....only to be told that the trains were NOT stopping at CQ Station.
That left us with a 1.6 km walk to Circular Quay.

The second night, we tried to catch the Ferry from Darling Harbour into Circular Quay. The queues were phenomenal and we came to the realisation that it would be quicker for us to walk from Darling Harbour to Circular Quay (a walk of 2.3 km). We tried to catch the ferry from Circular Quay back to Darling Harbour at 11 pm on the second night. Turns out the ferry service closed down at 11 pm....when installations were still running until midnight!

Walking is not an issue for our friends or my family....but that is not always the case for everyone.


Anyway, public transport aside, there is no denying that this was a wonderful world of colour for Sydney. Here are some of the installations that I captured.


Town Hall was lit up with pinks and purples. I had hoped that the colour would change; but evidently not.







Robotanics, Martin Place. Hit the planks and the installation would light up based on pressure and tempi.







Lest We Forget. The Cenotaph at Martin Place.







Transcendence. Light, music and food. What else could you wish for? There were heaps of people here and every food tent was mobbed. We should have joined the mob for food here.







Instead, we walked to the Rocks and joined the mob here for food!






This was the non-service side of the food tents. And yes.....we did brave the crowds and we all managed to find food. As we were eating on the run and on our feet, there was no way I was able to juggle food, drink and camera at the same time. I definitely needed an extra pair of hands!








It started to rain as we finished eating and the rain just got heavier and heavier. We ended up ducking into this alleyway for cover and spent time enjoying The Dresses at the Rocks. Eeriely lit.













The rain didn't let up; so we made a dash into the Argyle Cut tunnel. The Argyle Cut was hewn by convicts through the sandstone ridge of The Rocks to connect Sydney Cove with Darling Harbour and Millers Point. It was started in 1843 by convicts with hammers and chisels, and completed in 1867 with the help of explosives. For some time until 1900 it was the underground home of thugs, petty gangsters and rats. The site was cleaned up after the plague forced authorities to sanitise the area. I'm glad I didn't know about the rats as I lay down on my back to enjoy the Life Story installation here.








The projections were stunning.


















The rain had turned into a medium drizzle so we walked round to the Campbell's Cove area.






Everyone voted to head into the Sydney Theatre Company cafe for a hot drink......and apple crumble.







One of us decided to buck the trend with the Rum Baba. It definitely wasn't either of the kids! *hic*







When we came out, it was still drizzling. There were a number of walk-through installations and wall projections in this area of the Rocks/Campbell's Cove. I just wished the rain would stop so that I could do justice to them!








There is one spot at Campbell's Cove where you can just about get a semi-decent picture of the Harbour Bridge. My friends pointed out that there were full views of the brightly lit up Bridge along the harbour which we could get to visit later in the trip.

 

[PrincessInOz]

That left us heading back to the Circular Quay area and the Vivid Light Walk.


The projections on the Opera House were wonderful and fast-changing!












I have a TON of these!

















So....let's just keep sailing on by, shall we?







I liked the Arclight Trees.






So much scope for light fun!






Tidal Reed Garden is a bed of artificially produced reeds that float along the line of a harbour wharf. At night the reeds become glowing, sculptural illuminations that cast dancing reflections on the water.






I called these Neptune's Tridents.






Beautiful!






The Dolly installation was another source of amusement. Anyone remember macrame?






By this stage of the night, my DS was incredibly tired. We had to rush by Cadman's Cottage.






Which was a shame, it looked fun. The installation here was a little interactive. As the images were being projected, there was the 'front line' of the crowd where their movements and body shapes were converted to stick figures and projected on the Cottage as the same time.






We walked past the Museum of Contemporary Art and poor DS had to wait for all of the photographers in our group to stop click-click-clicking.























It only took us two sequences to stop.



Our friends urged us past Custom's House as well. Did I mention that he was an avid photographer as well? His wife and daughter had the same look on their faces as DS did at this point in time.





















I have to admit it was getting a little late for the kids. And even us late owls were tired.






Our friends checked their step counter when we finally got home. We'd clocked something like 24,000 steps on this night. Not bad for Day 1!

 

[PrincessInOz]

Great start! The fish and chips look good!

Thanks! :

I had the snapper and chips. It was very very good indeed. Pricier than what I would expect to pay in Melbourne but I guess that's par for getting it at the touristy Fish Market.

 

[jedijill]

Mmmm, fish and chips! Wow, those projections are stunning. Your photographs are always so amazing. What a fun evening!

Jill in CO

 

[Mum from oz]

Looks fabulous! You got some awesome shots. Every year I say I'll trek into the city for Vivid. Every year I fail. You're photos make me want to go now. Maybe next year....

 

[mvf-m11c]

Following along as well.

Very nice start to your trip report and the fish and chips looks great. The Calamari is making me drool as well.

The projections on the building facade are so amazing. It might be even better than during Disneyland Forever fireworks projections on the MS building facade. I would have enjoyed taking a ton of pictures that night.

 

[DisneyFirefly]

Those displays are just gorgeous!

 

[bellanotte10]

Sneaking in to say hello! Love love love the pictures of the lights on the building!

 

[franandaj]

The projections on the buildings are just stunning! Too bad we don't have sonething like that here, but who am I kidding? We would never go see it even if we had it.

 

[Aussie Wendy]

Brilliant pics. We rented an apartment in Glebe once so walked into the city past the fish markets ( and sampled their wares incl.fresh to cook at home), daily. The walks along the waterfront parks with the views were great too.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Mmmm, fish and chips! Wow, those projections are stunning. Your photographs are always so amazing. What a fun evening!

Jill in CO

Thanks! It was a fun trip.

Looks fabulous! You got some awesome shots. Every year I say I'll trek into the city for Vivid. Every year I fail. You're photos make me want to go now. Maybe next year....

You should! You're right there.

Following along as well.

Very nice start to your trip report and the fish and chips looks great. The Calamari is making me drool as well.

The projections on the building facade are so amazing. It might be even better than during Disneyland Forever fireworks projections on the MS building facade. I would have enjoyed taking a ton of pictures that night.

Thanks Bret. Yes, those building projects were amazing. I did take a ton of pictures.

Those displays are just gorgeous!

I really loved the light installations we looked at. I wished we had more time.

Sneaking in to say hello! Love love love the pictures of the lights on the building!

Hey! Glad you snuck in here.

The projections on the buildings are just stunning! Too bad we don't have sonething like that here, but who am I kidding? We would never go see it even if we had it.

If they ever do put some up where you are, let me know in advance. Maybe I'll come on over the pond and go see them with you.

Brilliant pics. We rented an apartment in Glebe once so walked into the city past the fish markets ( and sampled their wares incl.fresh to cook at home), daily. The walks along the waterfront parks with the views were great too.

Thanks Wendy.

Glebe's a great spot too.