Abstraction and Aroma

Saturday was a lovely day, which began with a gym session at 8 followed by brunch with coffee. I then took the bus into the city. I first went for a wander through Hyde Park to the Archibald Fountain before arriving at St Mary’s Catholic Cathedral. The cathedral was oddly reminiscent of Durham, although very modern by comparison. It was really strange to be in a religious building where the history only began in the 1800s. I did not stay for Mass, but would like to on another occasion when time permits.

I made my way through the Botanical Gardens to the Art Gallery of New South Wales. The building itself is stunning. The current building was built in stages, and has a beautiful aspect out over the Botanical Gardens and the waterfront. It has free entry and lots of seating areas, so it is a good place to sit and read. I enjoyed the Aboriginal art gallery and the Degas statues. I even managed to find a painting of Diogenes in his barrel just for Sarah! The real reason I went, however, was to relive my year nine art days with the Abstraction exhibition, which involved quite a bit of Cubism. It was a collection of 150 paintings from around the world by Monet, Cezanne, Matisse, Picasso etc. It was a good exhibition, although very busy, so it was a bit difficult to really appreciate the art. After the exhibition, I had afternoon tea in tea museum café, with many pitying looks from the waitresses who didn’t seem to understand why I was so content to eat my scones and drink my tea alone.

After the gallery, I went on a shopping trip. The primary reason for this was that I need a scrapbook to put all my tickets and programs into, as I have a rather spectacular collection of tickets growing in my bedroom. Sydney, however seems bereft of such an item. I therefore gave up and instead searched for the second item on my list- mascara. This item proved far easier to find than the first, although prices in Australia are much higher. After an incredibly busy bus journey home, I taught my flatmate Matt how to make Delia’s Minestrone soup and had an early night.

On Sunday, Matt and I went to the Aroma coffee festival at The Rocks. I have never tasted such an amazing cappuccino, nor seen so many people queuing for coffees. There was a really lovely atmosphere, with live street entertainment and a bit of a party feel. The weather could have been slightly more festival like, but it was still a brilliant day.

This week in ICU should be very practical. I am looking forward to some hands-on work. I can’t believe how quickly the time has gone- I’m really going to miss it when I leave. I am looking forward to G being here and showing him why I think Sydney is amazing!