Australia travelogue: part 1
OK! So, as promised, pics and storytelling to follow.
So, after going through customs and immigration and all that, and finding my way downtown and checking into the hostel, I set out to explore Sydney. Which seemed like any other big city at first, until I got to the park and saw this:

The GIANT BATS in the Botanical Gardens the next day were another surprise:

I saw Faustus at Sydney Opera House, which was, unfortunately, rather odd. It was billed as an "adaptation" of Marlowe's play, and the first hour was fine: basically, a really stripped-down and heavily cut version, with some nice staging moments (Faustus first appears as a paunchy middle-aged man, in a grey wig and spectacles. When he signs his soul over, a curtain drops. In silhouette, you see female demons stripping him down. And then a young, sexy Faustus emerges, with a mirror. And he can't stop looking at himself.)
Then, rather randomly, the adaptor decided to splice in a big chunk of a modern-English translation of Goethe. So all of a sudden, the play turned into this whole soap opera about Faustus's love affair with this girl named Gretchen. In rhymed couplets. It SO did not go together. And then there was a random chunk of Paradise Lost, and some bits from the Bible, and then for some reason Faustus recited "Batter my heart, three-personed God." And then we were back to Marlowe for the last ten minutes. By that time I was totally distracted wondering what they were going to throw in next, which was a shame, because the Marlowe parts were actually quite good.
The next day I took the bus to Canberra, which is a rather confusing city of concentric circles. It was also where I went hiking and saw my first kangaroos:

The parrots were also a highlight.


So then I took the overnight bus to Melbourne, which was enough to convince me that I'm getting too old for overnight buses. I had a seat to myself, so I could sort of curl up, but it was still not at all comfortable, and very cold to boot. We went through Wagga Wagga at midnight, but I didn't see any werewolves.
So, after going through customs and immigration and all that, and finding my way downtown and checking into the hostel, I set out to explore Sydney. Which seemed like any other big city at first, until I got to the park and saw this:

The GIANT BATS in the Botanical Gardens the next day were another surprise:

I saw Faustus at Sydney Opera House, which was, unfortunately, rather odd. It was billed as an "adaptation" of Marlowe's play, and the first hour was fine: basically, a really stripped-down and heavily cut version, with some nice staging moments (Faustus first appears as a paunchy middle-aged man, in a grey wig and spectacles. When he signs his soul over, a curtain drops. In silhouette, you see female demons stripping him down. And then a young, sexy Faustus emerges, with a mirror. And he can't stop looking at himself.)
Then, rather randomly, the adaptor decided to splice in a big chunk of a modern-English translation of Goethe. So all of a sudden, the play turned into this whole soap opera about Faustus's love affair with this girl named Gretchen. In rhymed couplets. It SO did not go together. And then there was a random chunk of Paradise Lost, and some bits from the Bible, and then for some reason Faustus recited "Batter my heart, three-personed God." And then we were back to Marlowe for the last ten minutes. By that time I was totally distracted wondering what they were going to throw in next, which was a shame, because the Marlowe parts were actually quite good.
The next day I took the bus to Canberra, which is a rather confusing city of concentric circles. It was also where I went hiking and saw my first kangaroos:

The parrots were also a highlight.


So then I took the overnight bus to Melbourne, which was enough to convince me that I'm getting too old for overnight buses. I had a seat to myself, so I could sort of curl up, but it was still not at all comfortable, and very cold to boot. We went through Wagga Wagga at midnight, but I didn't see any werewolves.
no subject
no subject
Well, duh, Gilderoy Lockhart got rid of them all! These are lovely pictures, now I want to go to Australia too!
no subject
I saw Faustus at Sydney Opera House, which was, unfortunately, rather odd. It was billed as an "adaptation" of Marlowe's play, and the first hour was fine: basically, a really stripped-down and heavily cut version, with some nice staging moments (Faustus first appears as a paunchy middle-aged man, in a grey wig and spectacles. When he signs his soul over, a curtain drops. In silhouette, you see female demons stripping him down. And then a young, sexy Faustus emerges, with a mirror. And he can't stop looking at himself.)
At first I thought you meant it was one of those awful modern versions! It's a fascinating play though. I think it's especially interesting if you're like me and fascinated with how hero/antihero storylines have changed so much. I feel like in a modern play, there might be a bit more moral ambiguity. But that's a whole other topic of discussion - if you'd like me to get a bit more tl;dr, please let me know because I DO have a bazillion thoughts on the matter, but I don't know too many people who are interested in the whole "from Beowulf to LOTR to Harry Potter" thing.
Then, rather randomly, the adaptor decided to splice in a big chunk of a modern-English translation of Goethe. So all of a sudden, the play turned into this whole soap opera about Faustus's love affair with this girl named Gretchen. In rhymed couplets. It SO did not go together. And then there was a random chunk of Paradise Lost, and some bits from the Bible, and then for some reason Faustus recited "Batter my heart, three-personed God."
"...um, o... kay..." is about all I can muster. O_o
I love your pictures! What did you think of Canberra overall? One of my friends is from there.
no subject
no subject
Those are fantastic photos and make me want to go to Australia (I went when I was five so I only remember vivid snatches of it). I don't think I could do an overnight bus either, for what it's worth. Not anymore.
no subject
no subject
no subject
The birds, for you, must be what squirrels are like for me. So endlessly interesting and entertaining.
Also, I like Canberra, too, though I haven't been there since I became an adult. I remember it being fun, though, when we went on a family holiday there. I think there are lots of things for kids to do, but not much night life for adults. It's very pretty, especially in Autumn - lots of trees all over the place, which isn't like inner Sydney at all.
no subject