2017 Christmas Lights at the Cathedral of Sydney
Hot, hot, hot! Temperatures are supposed to get up to 105 on Tuesday, but thankfully the forecast for Christmas is a high of 76! God is good to me—either that or God just doesn't want to hear me whine!
It has been another exhausting week with 2 graduations (there are two primary schools attached to the parish) and two awards ceremonies and two end of the year liturgies. Remember that this is summer coming up, so kids get off for their long break during the Christmas season. they start back up in February in a new grade level with new teachers. Last week one school hired a gelato truck for the day who came and gave free cones to the kiddies…I got to ride in the front (for a photo, 1)!
On Friday, after the last kid's liturgy, I headed into the city of Sydney to see the Christmas light show at the Cathedral of St. Mary. I won't describe it as it's all here (9-37), including a video at the bottom of the the whole thing. (You won't need to fly down to see it now!) I planned to meet up with my friend Andrew who lawyers in the city. On the way to his office, I came across this ladnmark (2,3)…can you read it? It's a pub called "Fonzarelli's" after the Fonze! I forgot that Happy Days and all its spin offs were popular here, too! (Of course I remembered Milwaukee, home of the bronze Fonz!)
The show at the Cathedral begins at 8:30 pm. Before hand, I wandered and took photos of their outdoor nativity (4-5) and of their christmas tree (6) with blooming petunias (7)! (Aren't petunias blooming in your neck of the woods at Christmas? I guess Christmas is a bit different Down Under!) Here's a selfie of Andrew and myself with a neat, unintended special effect of a passing woman (8).
Before the show, different choirs come and sing carols for an hour on the steps. Unfortunately I think the weather (hot and humid with sprinkles thrown in) might have scared the choir away as we had nothing to do but sit and wait. However, the show started right on time.
Overall, I was a bit disappointed. Last year's seemed more Christmasy. I don't really understand the part entitled "the Gift of Time" and what that has to do with Christmas, other than the word "gift." It's ironic that something that is anti-technology was all done on a computer! I also don't like the way they cropped the images of Mary and Jesus. They should take into account the interesting shape of the canvas of the Cathedral and how best to use it, especially the rose window, with regards to the images. Anyway, scroll down to the video that was posted on You Tube and it will play it all out for you in it's full 10 minute length or so.
On the way home, I stopped and marveled at other Christmas lights up in the city as I headed to the bus stop (38-39).
Finally, Antonio turned 21! (Who is Antonio? Pina's cousin from Italy!) He's here about a year or so, getting skilled as a brick layer. (Aussies call it a "paver" here.) Pina threw him a big party at her home. I imagine there were about 75 guests! Here's a selfie of myself wih Pina and the birthday boy…er, man (40); a photo of Antonio with his cake, made by Juanita in the shape of a car (41); a detail of the car's plates (42); Antonio with his Great Auntie, who's his closest relative in Australia (43); and a photo of the hit and run with the party goers after we ate (44)!