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August 21, 2004

Sydney: Coogee

It was the first really warm day since I arrived in Australia, and I took a bus through Newtown to Coogee, in the Eastern suburbs. I walked along the beach and up to the headland. There was a swimming area carved out of the rocks, and a view out to sea. I sat in the sun and read a magazine and enjoyed being in Australia. I forget where I am sometimes, when Sydney feels like any other big city and the weather is grey, but I get a kick out of remembering that I'm on the other side of the world to where I'm used to being. Although I know that there's no top or bottom to the universe, and that maps are drawn from a certain perspective out of convention, I still picture the Southern Hemisphere as being the wrong way up. Logically, I know gravity keeps me here, but secretly, I'm always relieved not to find myself falling off the bottom of the planet.

The following day, there was a special Fifties Fair at the Rose Seidler Historic House in Turramurra, an hour or so north of Sydney CBD. I was interested in seeing the house, so I took the train and then a shuttle bus. The fair consisted of lots of stalls selling all kinds of stuff from - and inspired by - the 1950s, a band and some dancers. Loads of people had got into the spirit of it and dressed up, some in outfits I'm pretty sure no one would have worn in any decade. There were a fair few visitors who'd clearly been alive in the '50s, and I wasn't sure why they were interested in buying other people's old junk when they probably had some stashed away in their own attics. The house itself was very open and glassy, with furniture and products that were innovative at the time. It was built by an architect for his parents, and was very famous at the time - people used to stand in the driveway and gawk at it. I did my share of gawking and bought a small purse with a chocolate eclair pattern on it as a souvenir, then headed back to the city.

Posted by Rowena on August 21, 2004 07:25 AM
Category: Australia
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