Watson's Gap

No comments about Frank thank you!

Perhaps the most spectacular harbour side walk is one that starts at The Gap, a spectacular ocean cliff at Watsons Bay, near South Head, winds its way down through Vaucluse, meanders through Watsons Bay and takes you all the way up to the lighthouse at South Head. The Gap is famous not so much for its natural scenic beauty, but for more bizarre reasons: a reported 20-30 people suicide each year by leaping from The Gaps on to the rocks below. Dozens slip from the rocks, which makes it a dangerous place to be if you don't keep to the paths and stay behind the barriers.

Robin recounted a walk one August day with a friend who happened to be a medic, and finding a teenager at the bottom of the cliffs, something which had an impact on me, reflecting the Choose Life research work we had done at the Fife Men Project. While the others had a wander and look in the views I sat at the point where the young guy had taken his fall and had some special quality time.

However what makes this walk so good is that you gain a great perspective on the positioning of Sydney Harbour in relation to the ocean. One you reach South Head, you can see the entrance to the harbour, North and Middle Heads and the main harbour channel leading up towards the city.

Work of Peter Skirrow

I know you are wanting more about our visit and Andy's near encounter with is reflection!
Now & Then at the TAP Gallery.

The exhibition provided an intimate retrospective of the bear community and also enables art buyers to pluck out a piece of fur for their collection. There were more than 75 drawings to exhibit, but every work is special for this budding artist. Skirrow said the art describes his emotional relationship with men and is a projection of himself. “I relate to being a bear myself and I like the fact they tend to be more natural about the way they look,” he said. “I portray men in a moving and realistic way. I try to capture moments that are intimate and personal.” Skirrow’s art is bother super sexy and revealing. His favourite piece, an intimate portrait, was created specifically for his partner.“It’s a piece I did of a man sitting in a toilet at a beat and there’s lot of dick action,” Skirrow said.“It’s a talking point because I think a lot of gays can relate to it and put their finger on the point as it’s a place of great intimate pleasure.Some of the work is only appropriate for a personal space. I normally find that if I put a penis in a work it tends to prevent it from being sold.”

As I said the TAP Gallery is a good venue with interesting folk, lovely atmosphere and smooching nooks!

Sydney art gallary!

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

That musical

http://www.billyelliotthemusical.com.au/

So after the walk of a lifetime off we went, met up with our host, Robin, and in for a night to remember! Andy will remeber it as he was bored big time, but I think the remaining 3 of the theatre goers were able to relate to the times and basis of the musical .
Opening Number - The Stars Look Down

Through the dark, and through the hunger, through the night and through the fear.
Through the fight and years of hardship,through the stalls and through the tears.
And although, your feet are weary, and although your soul is worn, and although they'll try to break you, and although you'll feel alone.
We will always, stand together, in the dark, right through the stall, we will stand shoulder to shoulder, to keep us warm.
Men and Women -And the stars look down on the mean and hungry and the stars look down and show the way. And the stars look down and will stand together, to see a day when then stars look down and know our history, when the stars look down upon our past, and the stars look down and see our future, bright at last.
When we stand as one, beneath the stall.
And though our hands are bruised and bleedin', and our lungs are full with dust, and our hearts are near to breakin' we will never, forgo the trust.
We will fight through pain and hunger, every arrow, every knife.
We will never give the hope up of a proud and honest life.
So we will always stand together, through the frost, the hail, the snow, the stars are our redemption,and so we know.
The stars look down when we're abandoned, look down in the heart of night.And the stars look down and give us vision, to see the light.
The stars look down upon our struggle, the stars look down and know the past, the stars look down and see our future bright at last. When we stand as one, beneath the stall.
All out together, all out as one, all out for victory, til' we've won, all out together, all out as one, all out for victory, all out til' we've won.
Billy -Take me up, and hold me gently. Raise me up, and hold me high.
Through the night, under darkness.
Will come a day, when we will fly.
And although, we've been rejected.
And although, we've been outcast.
We will find a new tomorrow, when we come to rest at last. And we will stand there proudly, and we will never, walk alone. And we, will be returned back to our home.And the stars look down at their reflection, and the stars look down and their's a light, when the stars look down and see the justice, and the right. And the stars look down and see the struggle, and the stars look down at all the pain. And the stars will lead to where light shines again.
When we stand as one, beneath the stall.
One, beneath the stall.Male Voices -
When we stand as one
All out together
When we stand as one.
All out as one.
When we stand as one.
All out for victory
When we stand as one.
Til' we've won.
When we stand as one
All out together
When we stand as one.
All out as one.
When we stand as one.
All out for victory
When we stand as one.
Til' we've won.
When we stand as one
All out together
When we stand as one.
All out as one.
When we stand as one.
All out for victory
When we stand as one.
All until we've won!

The massive erection

Well we had to do it! Sydney Harbour Bridge - what can I say! The words are just inadequate, the only thing is to do it and feel the achievement and appreciate the brilliant views! Again the website if full of the essential information and a really easy way of getting rid of the best £85.00 you will ever spend! http://www.bridgeclimb.com/ This link has the best information and a panoramic view from the walk itself!
How did we top this? A visit to the theatre of course to see "Billy Elliot the Musical" but that needs a whole blog to itself!

In the BLUE MOUNTAIN

I know I am moving about a bit and so we did but just wanted to mention a great place to stay and eat, especially when a very engaging waiter is on duty - his colleague not so much and thankfully Andre is terminally straight! So where is this oasis of luxury? The four of us, Robin, Andy, Frank and I were transported in lovely "Gertie" ti the Jamison Guest House and Rooster Restaurant! Check it out on www.jamisonhouse.com
on the outskirts of Katoomba it has brilliant views of the Blue Mountains and Three Sisters. Again more of this in later postings

Thai in Sydney

http://www.thaipothong.com.au/

This has it all, a friendly and rather camp staff with authentic Thai excellent food. This is just the place that our friends Tom and Kye are looking to establish in Fife. We wish them well and can see them achieving their dream after being to this restaurant. We ate here before going off to see the "Corpus Christie" play by Terrence McNally, seek more information in this blog.
So many yummy memories of great eating, except the night we went out with Marie and Grieg and I could manage my first fish course of mussels but the main course lovely as it looked proved too much for me and I had to excuse myself and take to my bed for that night and the next day! The chest infection struck again!

Spring has sprung!

Well, sort of! As you can see as I left Yorkshire yesterday what the weather is doing to us! Everyone is so miserable and can only focus of the weather! I know I have loads to update on here - so its my tomorrow task!

Oz reading & viewing

A night in after a fabby meal viewing "Home at the End of the World" Bobby and Jonathan have been inseparable since they were teenagers in suburban Ohio. Bobby has suffered many losses for someone so young, and is starved for love and affection. Awkward teen Jonathan has a nice family, and a particularly wonderful mother (Sissy Spacek). The boys not only become as close as brothers, but they also experiment sexually. The two lose touch, but find each other again in their mid-20s in the early 1980s, when Bobby (Colin Farrell) moves to New York and joins Jonathan (Dallas Roberts) at the apartment he shares with Clare (Robin Wright Penn), an ageing hippie. Bobby and Clare become lovers, however, Clare had planned to have a child with Jonathan, who is now openly gay and who is still interested in Bobby, and to whom Clare used to be attracted. The trio becomes its own unique entity, questioning the traditional definitions of family and love, and dealing with the complications of their love triangle. Based on the novel of the same name by Michael Cunningham, who also wrote the screenplay and who was the recipient of the Pulitzer prize, this film marks the debut of director Michael Mayer. Erik Smith plays Bobby as a teenager, and Harris Allen plays the teenage Jonathan!
So the best read for ages with "Hold the Man" by Timothy Conigrave. One of the most poignant and moving books I've ever read. If there was ever a (true) story that exemplified the wastage of life brought about by the HI virus, this is it. These are such good, talented people, struck down. However, this autobiography isn't all doom and gloom; the first years of the relationship are told with great joy and to the very end of the book the huge love exchanged between John and Tim comes shining through. Told with great lucidity, Tim's insightful and relaxed writing style makes this a very accessible read. Despite one or two minor reservations (mainly around personal arousal), I give it full marks for the way it approaches the subject. Be warned; the final chapters are emotionally quite draining, another reason for reading it! I found it impossible to read more than a few passages at a time without welling up with tears! Thanks again Robin for giving us the opportunity for this brilliant reading!

Sydney's pubs: liquor, larrikins & the law

We did so much visiting while downunder, from chauffeured tours of the city and Blue Mountains to visiting the Justice & Police Museum, obviously linked with a wee dram!

Sydney’s pubs: vibrant, noisy, democratic, character-filled, sometimes controversial, always handy for a celebration or a quiet drink at the end of the day – the landscape of the city is unthinkable without them. More than mere commercial purveyors of alcohol, pubs define the pulse, personality and tempo of a city. Over the years pubs have generated fierce partisan loyalties from various classes, professions and trades, temperance debates, Royal Commissions, a sly grog industry, underworld patronage, legal scrutiny, policing and regulation. The exhibition takes visitors on a rich journey through Sydney’s pubs past and present and includes historic photography, pub paraphernalia, material relating to the sly grog era, historic film and an interactive map of the city and its pubs in 1910 and today. Somewhat missing out on the gay based businesses but gave a great overview of development over the centuries. Perhaps Roberts can get some DAPL funding to do it here!

So much to say - but welcome home

Yes, here we are back safe and sound with jet lag, something to boast about and memories of three weeks with great mates! We have seen sights and done activities many people only get to dream about! So much to come and catch up on! Even the Sydney Bridge walk on Friday - I'll post the evidence as we are certified and Andy is a Master (well for that erection anyway)!

Turtle Cove - Oz's premier gay resort - NOT!

Well I admit we were unwell but things did not bode well from the beginning. Invited to arrange transfer from Cairns airport to the resort we were greeted by the driver in some state of agitation and someone who was destined to have a bad day! If anyone expects a gay greeter forget it! Having to wait an hour for another passenger then a tour of Cairns looking for people booked but not showing, perhaps because the other passenger was an hour later, set the scene for more dramatic events. Perhaps the 96% humidity did it but Frank was taken ill with a fainting bout. It may also have been a blood sugar problem as we had a long flight from Sydney without anything to eat or drink. I was really concerned and still am, so a health check is required when we return to the UK. Although I shouted about his fainting the driver ignored my pleas and continued along the long - very long and uncomfortable journey. We had the dollars ready to had over but because of the confusion Frank could not recollect if we had paid as some did, when they got onto the bus! Later we found the A$120 fee on the resort account.
Well this could only get better - but it did not - reception staff were off hand and uninterested in either of us or our state of health. We were shown to our room and told to come down to reception for the guided tour of the resort. Frank was still unwell and went to bed I attended as instructed. The cleaner was told to show us around! A really friendly guy but with some interesting takes on the internal workings of the place we were staying for a few days! More later - riveted yet? More disasters in customer care to come!