Sydney Festival

Aboriginal Ceremony

A decision made late on a Friday night had Marty & I on the train to Sydney Saturday morning. It is a long trip from our home in Nelson Bay to Sydney. It takes just under an hour to drive to the Newcastle train station & then it's a 3 hour ride on the train. By the time we reached The Domain in Sydney it was after lunch, so our first port of call was to find food.
Having fed our faces we wandered around checking out the huge mixture of talented performers (we even stumbled on a wedding), until we found the main stage. As we had arrived well before the concert was due to start we were able to get a good spot close to the main stage.
 

Gurrumul

The concert was opened with an Aboriginal welcome to the country ceremony..... I just love all that cultural stuff.

And then the blind, enigmatic, indigenous musician, Gurrumul Yunupingu -- who hails from ElkIsland off northern Australia and who has just performed for Barack Obama and Queen Elizabeth II was lead on to the stage.  Gurrumul's songs are a hybrid of indigenous tongue, birdsong and English.

 
Young Aussie singer songwriter Megan Washington then performed tracks from"I Believe You Liar" (2010) and "Insomnia" (2011). She wontwo 2010 ARIAMusic Awards, Best Female Artist and Breakthrough Artist, and received afurther three nominations: Album of the Year, Best Adult Alternative Album for I Believe You Liar and Single of the Year ("How to Tame Lions").

Then there was a short break while we waited for the headline act to play. Nobody seemed to have heard of them before...!!!?....... Manu Chao La Ventura – a globe trotting,Spanish artist who sang a broad, multicultural blend of rock and reggae, sungin Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian and English, and they really got the crowd going.

So that was the first night of the January 3 week Sydney Festival that almost rivals New Year's Eve!

Somewhere to hang ya kids...!!!

 We left justbefore the last act (Manu Chao) finished avoiding the crowds, and had a midnight feed of KFC at my request and then headed to the train station.

Well we had just missed a train (which of course was my fault because I wanted KFC!!!) and it was a 2 hour wait before the next one would leave. As the train was already in we got on board and slept. I have to say there are some ‘dodgy’ people on the train at that hour of the morning!

So 3 hours on the train and another hour in the car, it was 6am by the time we finally got home to the comfort of a bed, but it was all soooo worth it – would we do it again -          HELL YES!!!

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First Visit back to Brissy - Gotta do this more often?!!!

My work buddies, Engaged Birthday Girl, 2nd from the left

 

I really didn't want to leave after this visit & I truly believe that if it wasn't for the fact that I was going back to be with my Marty I probably would have stayed......

My  flight to Brisbane was delayed 45 minutes while they changed our planes Tyre. When we finally got to taxi out a little boy somewhere up in front of us turns to his Father & says" Daddy, what happens if we die" I did not get to hear Dads reply as the whole plane was laughing a nervous light hearted laugh....!!!
We had a turbulent flight & a rough landing.  I think the passengers were all nervous due to the tyre change & everybody on board gasped as we bounced on the runway. I was just happy to be back in Queensland.....

I got picked up from the Brisbane airport by two of my old work buddy's,  I was just delighted to see them. We were off to celebrate a work mates engagement, along her & her partners birthdays.
It was not long before we had reached our destination & were settled in with food & wine in hand. There were some familiar faces so the conversation flowed freely.
Leaving early in the afternoon we drove back to my friends apartment for more food & wine out on the deck in the warm summer air,  before heading into the city in the evening to have dinner & yes of course more wine....!!! I swear I returned to my Marty a couple of kilos heavier!

Aunty EJ in the pool in her Pixie dress with Charlie

After dinner we caught up with more work mates for a couple of drinks at an old haunt 'The Beer House'. I love Brisbane, it is such a friendly, fun, clean city. It was just  like old times & I loved it.

Sunday morning my friend & I headed out for my favourite meal of the day 'Breakfast'. Not sure what was going on at the restaurant but there was a table of retired ladies all wearing purple dresses & big bright red hats, we watched them arrive one by one, they both fascinated & entertained while we ate our meal.

Once finished, I was dropped off to my daughters home to celebrate my Granddaughter Charlie's 2nd birthday. I was just delighted when she came running out with her 

My little Birthday Princess

arms outstretched yelling "Nanaaaaaaa"........  I scooped her up & smothered her in Nana kisses.......
Charlie's little friends all started to arrive early afternoon, she got so many pressies, my daughter EJ is an awesome Aunty for organizing the party, & one of Charlie's teachers made a 'Barbie cake' for her.
Welcome to the terrible twos.......
Naaaa retract that, you can't be a terrible 2 year old when you are sooooo perfect...!!!

It was a very tired Nana that reluctantly got on the plane back to Nelson Bay...!!!

Christmas 2011 at Nelson Bay NSW

The Whale the greets you arriving.....

 

Large Sand Dunes

How excited was I for Christmas this year?
Jo, EJ & my granddaughter Charlie flew to Nelson Bay for Christmas Eve & Christmas Day.

My Dad & his wife celebrated 25 years of marriage this year, quite at feat & worth a mention......they  came to visit Christmas eve in the morning & 'Charlie' got to meet 'Charlie' & I got a photo of them both together which I was fairly stoked about!

Christmas morning I was in the bathroom brushing my hair when Charlie came to the door , looking up at me  she says.....
"Nanaaaa, inge". " I look down at her, " what are you trying to tell me?"
 " Inge".... "what's that Charlie" (I'm still not getting it?!!!)
 "Nanaaaaa, shut up...! Inge, inge" she says sternly pointing to her forehead.
"Ahhhhhh, FRINGE" I finally get it....!!! Charlie's Mum Jo, (a hairdresser) had cut Charlie a Fringe - 'just like Nana'!!!

What a pleasure it was to see Charlie's little face as she opened her presents.

 She got soooooo frigin spoilt & it was all sooooo worth it. Funny thing when are shopping for Christmas it just didn't seem like that much when i was buying??!!!!!!!!!

My daughter EJ was exhausted & slept a lot of the time, so Marty & I took Jo & Charlie sightseeing to the largest sand dunes in the southern hemisphere & we explored the many playgrounds that the Port Stephens area has to offer. EJ joined us later in the day.

All for Meeeeeee!!!!!!

Christmas day we took Charlie to the beach where she enjoyed making sand castles & Aunty EJ braved the cold water & took Charlie for a swim.

Two days went by way too fast. As expected the girl’s luggage was overweight going back to Brissy, thanks Jetstar for your Christmas spirit & over looking it!