Sydney Cockatoo island part 2 of 3

As we were near the arches on the right we saw that there was some canvas painted to make it look like brick. Bit weird but no conclusions drawn ,as we were busy with other 'locking up' plans

as we went round still hardly anyone apart from a few workers doing random things

then it was refreshment lotion and rest time at the shiny silver cafe

it turned out that the film "unbroken" was being filmed there until yesterday and the random people around were clearing up after that. Aparently Angelina was directing. False snow was there and the island was supposed to be a japanese prisoner of camp in wwII. so this explained the canvas wall we found earlier

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Sydney - Cockatoo island part 1 of 3

Another ferry ride across the beautiful Sydn3y bay and we arrived.

as sarah and the kids looked at this

iwatched a short video. When i got back to them sarah was using the numbers to teach the kids to recognise numbers whilst at the same time they were mini pretzel and humus dipping. Off we set going round the small island seemingly on our own ie all the others walked in a different direction.  It had been recommended to us and wassmall green and fewer buildings than pictured above.

it was informal not overly managed and great for exploring

bomb shelter

slowly revealing its history

at this point i thought about how my father would have been when confronted  with a lathe with me in tow as a child. He would have explained in detail -that would have lost me- about how it worked. he was an engineer who apprenticed on a lathe anyway. So when i heard the phrase "this bit of metal moves into that bit of metal" come out of my mouth with Rowan standing there and me trying to turn long rusted bits of metal that wouldnt move, i was glad when Rowan said "perhaps we shouldnt play with that daddy as its not ours". Instead i moved to safer ground talking about overhead gantries and cranes.

as ww left a pair of safety glasses presented themselves

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Sydney the waterfront

We have an all types of transport unlimited 7 day pass and so we got on the nearest ferry

later on we spotted some wildlife

Sydney Darling harbour nautical slangs

Found these ofn a boat. Built in Sunderland in 18?? thwereat carried coal until 1930,s great depression caused the mine to close. Ship then rotted until 70s when it was refitted. Originally sail only, current laws would not let the ship sail unless engine was fitted

We then found the "immigration wall"

Its a wall with details of boats and names of folk on them. There were groups of people searching, looking and nodding as they told stories , found names and gained context on family histories.

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Sydney-Waterloo -the 'hood

As I came back from the shop clutching sour cream and rice ( I successfully managed to get brown rice as an agreed option from cook Michelle-thanks- when she initially assumed white) and was about to negotiate the two locks to get into lexs apartment system when in front of me two swarthy (ie ancestors of whom would probably predate the first ever recorded convict ship....sorry planned migration arrival by a few thousand years) locals walking along the road...

"Yeah..y'know I just dont get it. Just dont f##kin' understand why or how"

'Yeah'

"How are all these people being done for dealing and only getting fines when I get caught and I get two f@@kin' months! I've just got out and I am sick of it. There's no rhyme nor reason to it"

I know that aboriginals are supposed to have had the rough end of the stick in the past and here were some disadvantaged ladies in shorts plimsoles and white t shirts going about their day.

Lexs place is an island of advantage in a surrounding area of post war social housing that is apparently going to be pulled down at some point

there is a small playground half way up this hill however with some high calorie Robinia growing

and some Interesting hardware lying around

Rowan suggested this picture. Normally he turns away! He is oblivious to the surroundings and says he loves going there.

later off for a walk