My memories of Sydney in winter are clear crisp days, a sparkling harbour, offshore winds, cobalt blue seas with pulsing waves, and the sun just strong enough to warm you after a surf as you close your eyes and soak up the rays.
Just as architect Jørn Utzon noted when he first toured the site that was to become home to his dream project, the Sydney Opera House, Sydney has extraordinary light. While I’m perhaps the least jingoistic of Australians you’ll ever meet, the only other city I know well that has the same clarity of light is Perth.
My plan, on returning to document Sydney in winter was to display Sydney in all its wintery glory. But of course, you know what they say about making plans…
The weather, it has to be said, has been uncooperative in meeting my memories so far this winter. But here, shot over a week spent with my old flame, during the city’s Vivid festival, are some snapshots of Sydney in winter.
Sydney in Winter, Timelapse of a City We Love
Featuring (in order of appearance): Hyde Park and St Mary’s Cathedral; Otto Ristorante and Chef Richard Ptacnik and owner John Fink; Royal Botanic Gardens Aboriginal Heritage Tour and guide Clarence Slockee; Our Sydney bar crawl, including Hinky Dinks, The Roosevelt and Shady Pines Saloon; the famous Eggs Benedict at Le Petit Creme, Darlinghurst; Sydney Seaplanes flight to Berowra Waters Inn and Chef Dietmar Sawyere; Sydney Opera House and Sydney ferries; The Lord Nelson Brewery Hotel, The Rocks; The Apollo restaurant, Potts Point, and Chef Jonathan Barthelmess; a montage of the Bondi to Bronte Walk, Bondi Beach, and Manly; Campsie Food Festival; Chinatown, Paddy’s Markets, and East Ocean; Queen Victoria Building and Strand Arcade; The Bridge Room; the spectacular light installations on the MCA, Customs House and around Circular Quay at Vivid Sydney Festival.
Our Sydney trip was sponsored by Destination NSW as part of the Sydney in Winter campaign.
These shots of our beautiful city are amazing!! You captured our home so well! My hubby took a few lovely shots of Vivid too: http://curiouslookingglass.blogspot.com.au/2012/06/vivid-sydney.html
~ Clare x
Beautiful shots, Terence, what you say about the quality of light… absolutely. And the weather hasn’t been playing along, but you managed to get it all in the in-between times (I assume) and get that other bit of Sydney… the beautiful food. I do love your food shots! Vivid is right!
Thanks Sandy. The bad weather days have made us appreciate those lovely cool crisp ones when we’ve had them!
Thanks, Clare! Much appreciated. And thanks for your link – we’ll go and check them out. Thanks for dropping by!