When the Sun starts its journey from directly overhead towards its setting in the west it is a challenge to find shade walking from Circular Quay to Bennelong Point, Sydney, NSW, Australia. The light was so bright on this day that I hadn’t realised that I’d chopped the front of the Carnival Spirit cruise ship off until I got home. Even so I achieved my objective of capturing the cool water bound shadow of the ship.
The appearance of the jet boat in the photograph is a pleasant accident.
As the years sail by the New Year’s Eve celebrations and more importantly the fireworks over Sydney Harbour evolve, adapt and change. We have been fortunate to experience the show from a yacht in the Harbour in 1998 and from the roof of the old casino on one of the Welsh Bay wharves in 1999. Since then we have seen them up close next to the Opera House and in the distance from apartments in Kings Cross.
Over the last few years we have opted for an inner west dinner followed by viewing from about 5km away, a deliberate choice to avoid the crowds. We usually record the televised coverage of the event to watch on New Year’s Day.
This year we popped over to the Opera House after lunch on Monday 30 December. The pictures capture a glimpse of the pre-Eve excitement and some of the crowd control measures being used.
The fireworks shows have increased from two to three this year, the following information is from the official website City of Sydney information
9 pm Family Fireworks Display
10:30 pm Telstra Design-A-Firework Show
12 Midnight Fireworks Display
Happy New Year!
While enjoying the sunshine on the deck yesterday I noticed the way the light illuminated the various leaf colours of the Sabre or long leaf Ficus. I eagerly collected my camera so that I could capture the moment.
After a couple of close up shots I realised that the camera angle was all wrong. I returned to where I had been sitting on the day bed and took the picture from there.
Hey presto I am able to share the dark green to salmon pink scene with you.
A tree is a tree, with light the Olive is distinguishable from the Jasmina in the background. Similarly peace needs to be showcased, front of mind, normal and mainstream.
For the final month of the 2013 Bloggers for Peace challenge we are charged with writing about how we would throw a party for peace. I find it notable that there are bloggers like myself who are not especially fond of parties. With this in mind I would like to arrange an inaugural annual week long People for Peace festival.
The whole World is invited, people can choose how they will join in, be it physically or virtually. The guiding principle is that peace is the responsibility of all. Activities and contributions are voluntary by one or many. A website will be available for contributors to promote their events. Participants will have the opportunity of being recorded on a People for Peace roll.
More information about Bloggers for Peace is available at Bloggers4Peace
Check out other December posts for peace below:
December Blog for Peace Party Down People
Peace Party a Bloggers for Peace Post
Dreaming Big for December Peace Challenge Celebrating a World United by Love
Party on Garth December Peace Challenge
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December Peace
I often see these sturdy flowers in parks, next to foot paths and in gardens.
Even when the skies are grey the flowers appear bright.
Like so many tiny suns I find them cheerful as if they light up the Earth.
This building in Dulwich Hill, Sydney, NSW, is in the process of being demolished to make way for a development of apartments.
I can imagine a corrugated metal bull nosed roof providing shade for the occupants of a balcony that is adorned with iron lace work.You can see how the former roof has protected the paint from the sun’s bleaching rays, marked by shading of the painted surfaces.
I particularly like the blue French doors contrasted against the yellow wall, it reminds me of the heat of a European Summer. It is a shame that the whole building wasn’t painted with the same colours.
I couldn’t resist taking a picture of this pneumatic balcony scene.
600 lights later
A southerly front has cooled Sydney by ten degrees to a comfortable 23oC. Friends from Brisbane arrive tomorrow to join us for the festivities, Christmas lunch at Catalina Restaurant, Rose Bay.
It is too warm to light the fire, we will pretend with candles.
I hope that you have an enjoyable holiday, thank you for reading my blog,
Robert
I took this picture in February 2013 between showers from the balcony of our room at the Crowne Plaza Hotel facing newcastle Harbour. A cool, wet Summer’s day by Australian standards.
theINFP 