Go-Karts Go

This Go-Kart must have been the subject of one attack too many.

Bread and Circuses

The circus has been in my suburb, at one of my local parks. It's been winter school holidays and families were flocking there on Sunday morning when I was out and about. Christians and Lions - that's what was keeping Sydney interested this week, and having both arrived together, it's time for both to depart as school goes back for third term.

I do like circuses - ones without animals, like Cirque du Soleil, or Circus Oz - and would never go to this one. My mother refused to take me to the Moscow Circus when it toured in the 1960s, because of the treatment of bears. I whinged to her for ages, but she patiently explained her position, and stayed resolute. I guess her values stuck with me. These lions in that small cage make me feel quite sad.

What do you think about the circus? Do you go?

Billy Elliott

Off to see this production tonight.
Do you like musical theatre? What is your favourite form of the performing arts?

Como

“Como”, said the station sign. And they ran on bridges over two arms of water from the sea, and they saw what looked like a long lake with wooded shores and bungalows: a bit like Lake Como, but oh, so unlike. That curious sombreness of Australia, the sense of oldness, with the forms all worn down low and blunt, squat. The squat–seeming earth. "

- DH Lawrence, Kangaroo, 1923.

Yesterday I saw a wonderful new play, called Toy Symphony, by Australian playwright, Michael Gow. Gow grew up in southern Sydney at Como, which was indeed named after Lake Como in northern Italy. As the play was based in parts on Gow's life, we travelled to Como in several scenes of the play.

So, today, we did something I've been meaning to do for a long time - we hopped on the train and travelled the 25 minutes from our place to Como and had breakfast at the Como Marina Cafe. Then we wandered around, and walked across the old railway bridge. It's now a footbridge and cycleway, joining Oatley and Como, across the Georges River.
The railway bridge was completed in 1885

Below: Photo of railway bridge taken by Robert Hunt, 1885. Macleay Museum, Sydney.

Above: Cafe, marina and pool, taken from the bridge

After all that strenuous exercise, I cooled off with a dip in the free pool.

More pool pics here.

Belly dancer

Yes, we all had to get up and dance!