Vivid Sydney

Sydney is full of fun and exciting events - one of the perks of being in such a massive city. On a Friday night we bundled up and headed out after sunset to check out Vivid Sydney's "Smart Light," "A festival of music, light & ideas." We joined hundreds of spectators who were out that night at the outdoor event, which focuses on alternative energy and light conservation. Artists from Australia as well as a few other places such as Germany, Denmark, UK and Portugal, created fabulous massive art displays made of lights or projected on some Sydney's famous monuments. 

The whole route took us a leisurely hour, winding through the old buildings in "The Rocks", heading up the pier to the Opera House, and exploring the Sydney Observatory where some of the displays were. Of course I had to stop in at Starbucks in Circular Quay (pronounced "key" by locals for whatever reason), as it is a rare treat here in Sydney. This may be the only major city in the world that Starbucks has not infiltrated... and surprisingly I actually don't mind! If there is one thing Australia does really well, it's coffee...mmmmm... But I digress...

Our camera captured some of the beautiful displays, but does not do justice to the larger light artwork on the Sydney Modern Museum ("Facade") or the Opera House ("Lighting the Sails"). 

I loved the light and music show, "Hammerhaus" put on by a German artists, and thought that the "Cycle!" exhibit was particularly neat. This piece was powered by a set of stationary bicycles, so in order to see the hoola-hoop-like blue lights shine around the trees, viewers had to do some work! The faster the people rode the bikes, the more the lights shone! The bats were cool to see - both the real ones, and the fake ones.

It was a lovely (free!) evening out and about in Sydney, and certainly not something you get to see every day! I am so impressed at the culture in this city. It is refreshing to be in a city that places so much value on the arts... and I intend to take advantage of it as much as possible while I am here!