The Changing Seasons – Sydney: April

Overflowing gutters on my apartment building.

All my other shots for April have blue skies and sunshine, so I thought I’d start off with some rain to be sure you didn’t get the wrong idea. No cruise ship for you this month: the season is winding down but they are still visiting, but I didn’t get down to Circular Quay when a new one was in. In fact, I was very lazy this month, so have only two things to highlight for the April Monthly Challenge.

Biennale

Biennale

The Biennale of Sydney is an art festival held every two years in several venues around the city. I checked out the displays on Cockatoo Island. This small selection gives an idea of the art and also the buildings. (You can see more of my photos about this island here.)

“Willing to be vulnerable”, by Lee Bul

“Windows on the world (part 2)”, by Ming Wong

“Conscious sleep”, by Chiharu Shiota

“Nowhere and Everywhere at the Same Time”, by William Forsythe

Anzac Day

25 April is Anzac Day, when Australians and New Zealanders remember the hardships of WWI and honour their military service people. The day begins with a dawn service — “pre dawn”, actually, as it’s held at 4am, long before the sun rises! It is wildly unlikely that you will ever see photos by me of that service. 😉

The highlight is a three-hour parade with marching veterans and current serving personnel.

Eyes left! There’s another man just ahead, with a sign saying “Eyes front”.

Marching in step (2)

Marching in step (1)

A be-medalled veteran with a big smile.

Current navy personnel — with one army woman in their midst.

Former members of the women’s army auxiliary.

The small children marching with their grandparents, or in place of a relative, look uncharacteristically solemn.

Young boy with medals (2)

Young boy with medals (1)

And what’s a parade without marching bands?

This is the ‘massed bands’ — about 100 bagpipers, plus drummers.

Rat-a-tat-tat!

Drummers

A piper’s outfit

In the thick of the massed pipers

Bagpipes resting on a drum

Two Up

Anzac Day is one of the few days in the year when “two up” can be legally played in pubs. The rules are simple: three coins are tossed into the air, and the winner is the person who has bet on which face (heads or tails) lands UP on TWO of the coins. In the image below left, the man in the background is holding $50 and $20 bills — more than I would bet on coins!

Heads or tails?

Heads or tails?

Season Markers

There’s not even a hint of sun now in Martin Place at 5:30pm, and look how long the shadows are now at 1pm in Sandringham Garden.

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