Cherysh Does: Walk About

Recently we were very blessed to be able to spend sometime in Sydney, celebrating our wedding anniversary - and also having a much needed rest. Well, that was sort of the plan....., but then we also wanted to make the most of our time and our new Historic Houses Trust cards....

We stayed at The Langham in The Rocks, which was good and bad. Good because it was UN-BE-Lievably Wonderful. Bad, because it was difficult to leave in the morning, let alone get up and have scrummy breakfast, and more scrummy breakfast, and a coffee, or two... or should one even go back to bed and have a little more sleep....? We had stayed at The Langham in Auckland before, so we knew it would be nice - but THIS:

The Langham Pillow Menu :)

- this was very, very cool. And after huge amounts of sightseeing, it was an absolute pleasure to come 'home' and enjoy the pool (which is spectacular), and for those sore muscles, the spa, sauna and steam room. I want a steam room. One other highlight was that the lobby was filled with paintings by Sidney Nolan :D

Sidney Nolan in the lobby :)

So we started walking. I thought this sign gave good advice...

Our first stop was the Customs House, which is very cool. If you click the link it should take you for a virtual tour: a model of the city under the floor. We have taken the kids before and it is good fun.

Yours Truly in front of the Customs House

For the Architect Hubby, there was a (very) small exhibition housing.

From there we went on to the Police and Justice Museum. Sadly I only got some very poor quality photos there. And for the most part we were just too interested in reading. It was fascinating! There was so much information, mostly around the 1940s - a large part of it was gruesome and grisly murders involving the many gangs (Underbelly stuff!); the Archive Gallery is full of the most amazing and bizarre mugshots and evidence photos. The exhibits also including bush rangers, early convicts and later notable crimes that shocked the country at the times- but . There was a very interesting section on the use of early forensics to solve cases, including the infamous Pyjama Girl case.

Then onto the Museum of Sydney. This was lovely, and set on the site of the first Government House. It has used that fact to show archaeological methods and discoveries very cleverly and in a beautiful and relevant manner. The wooden columns on closer inspection reveal insights into the Aboriginal culture in the area at the time of the First Fleet.

This was a rebuilt example of that a section of the original Government House wall would have looked like, and on the ground below it the glass floor reveals drainage pipes that had been laid and artifacts that had been found around them.

They had little replica models of the First Fleet ships, explaining which ship was for what purpose. For example, which ships carried male or female prisoners, or supplies. It was very helpful to have such a succinct description of the beginnings of convict/colonial Australia. There was a wealth of information concerning notable Aboriginal individuals and how interactions took place. I thought they were pretty honest about the whole thing, the Governors were certainly not all painted as saints; but then, I still have so much to learn.

The Museum of Sydney also had a lovely theatre that was showing clips of the Harbour Bridge story from inception to completion and the exhibitions also included some interestingly presented information and displays on how the governors lived. I loved reading some of the huge menus written, and letters of advice on how to host dinners etc.

Then we of course, required some sustenance. Thankyou, Max Brenner..... *sigh*

Then hobble back for spa and steam, grateful for delicious, gluten free room service and hotel bath robes :)

The next day we went to the Hyde Park Barracks and The Mint.

We were fortunate to turn up in time for a tour about to start, which was infinitely fantastic! I might be a little overexcited, but I was very impressed with this place. The guide knew his stuff and was very interesting. Essentially the Barracks was built (by convicts) to house convicts. Where they had previously been able to acquire lodging in private homes (such as they were!) social problems, such as men having extra wages and the establishment of pubs, meant that there were some after hours problems and convicts were not always turning up for work the next day. The history of this place was intriguing, and the way they have chosen to make it into a museum is beautiful. To reflect the use of the building, the top floor has been peeled back to what it would have looked like originally, including hundreds of hammocks for visitors to try out, if they choose - great place to take the kids! The second floor has been left mostly in the fashion it was decorated in while it was being used as offices and an asylum while the lower floor has been renovated as respectfully as possible to 'showcase' the history of the Barracks. There is SO much to see and read here - I will post a little later about the Archaeological work done here, uncovering all sorts of details about inmates lives.

One of the most notable displays is a room full of photos and discovered objects from the Irish Orphans; young women who had been orphaned through the Irish Famine and shipped to Australia to help meet th desperate need for women - for work and families. What lives they must have had - we didn't have time to read a quarter of the stories of this place, it was absolutely fascinating.

There is also much information about the immediate local - what the land had been used for, including the racing at Hyde Park. I loved it!

Hyde Park Barracks

Excavations of rat tunnels under the floors produced a wealth of insight into the lives of inhabitants! Apparently, rats are thieves and hoarders - so there were heaps of artifacts 'preserved' by rodents!

Below is a fire place on the bottom floor - they have scraped away the layers - at the top is the original plaster, and as you get lower there are the beige and greens from the government use. All throughout the building are patches where they have restored some areas and exposed the original. I have put these photos in because they intrigued me. I love the aging, the layering, the juxtaposition of the old and the new. Beautiful.

A model of a mobile prison - for convicts doing work out of town!

Toward the centre of the building floors had been removed enabling one to appreciate the height of the Barracks. They included a phantom stair frame, so that floors and scale could be recognised - not that that shows in the photos! Again, added because they were beautiful!

Some of these cut outs were 'identified' as convicts, and had their personal features, crimes and penalties written on them.

Restored patches :) I am thinking I would love to attempt this as a mixed media piece.....

Master in Lunacy's Office! Lovely!

There was a spectacular panorama, showing how the view looked from this site before it was built.

The view from the sit of the Barracks to The Rocks. The Tall Ship on the left is approximately where the Harbour Bridge is today.

Us in Hyde Park :)

The Mint is a lovely place too - the History of the Rum Hospital we found very interesting! Exclusive privileges to import rum in exchange for a (very shoddily built!) hospital...! Again, though, I found the visual history grabbed my attention the most. Unfortunately I wasn't game to take any photos inside the offices - EXACTLY how I want my house done (take note, architect hubby! ;) - thank goodness we share a similar taste!!). But the peeling paint in the shaded areas was sublime. I could have pulled up a deck chair, book, and mojito and happily passed the afternoon...

Then after many off-side distractions to be touristy at this and that, we made our way down to Circular Quay and back to the hotel. We crawled out to an Indian Restaurant nearby - we hadn't had Indian since we left NZ! Then back to the spa and steam before zzzzzzzzzz....

Checking out our next 'break' - the Cruise ship looked pretty good....!

Fortunately we already had some shots of the Opera House, which was just as well as the sun was pointing right at the camera and we couldn't see a thing! So we decided to go for a scale shot/interest shot instead.

I was really disappointed to discover that Government House is accessible by tour only, and only at the weekends! But here's a photo of it! Can't wait to go back and have a nosey inside!

My next house? Perhaps not...

Circular Quay with MCA in the background - there was a ferry in the shot but it slipped out as we waited for another tourist to move! How rude ;)

And I'm very sorry to say that the Museum of Contemporary Art was a bit of a let down. I was hoping to be inspired, but I wasn't. Sadly, we didn't have time for any other art galleries. But I am glad we went all the same!

I thought these were nice, but I think maybe I wanted to be wowed?

And I did love this - but I kid you not, someone had paid and donated this - and it was a Permanent Marker Pen drawn straight onto the wall. I'd do that in my house for sure. I guess I prefer art that can be relocated to a different wall - or even house!!

This was by far the most inspiring piece I saw at MCA - a tea towel in the gift shop!

The Man

The Manly Latte and the Girly Beer

Ah yes!

On our final night on the way back to the hotel Hubby showed me this gem he had discovered earlier in the year, before the kids and I had come over. It is in The Rocks (where there is also a fascinating place called The Big Dig, which was closed by the time we got back, but you can still have a wander). But this place was next to the Argyle Stairs, about where you go for the (unbelievably priced!) Bridge Climb. Essentially, these are floor plans of 'houses' that people built into The Rocks. It was fascinating to see the steep stairs, with tiny steps (note- not the new concrete ones, the ones in the bottom photo, to the right); imagining kids running up and down them! All of these homes on such a small area, probably with plenty of people living in them too. It was a lovely place to discover. We will have to take the kids back.