Best busk in Australia so far.

 Danny, after taking us to uniquely called "New Town" Sydney's version of London's Earls court 40 years ago, and buying me a huge ice-cream, suggested that tomorrow we try Martin Place to busk. It's the white collar area of Sydney and apparently has educated people.

So we eventually got to busk after some technical hitches'

We meet Danny, a lovable, well meaning, crazy guy.

Danny has become Sydney's street mascot and is very well respected by many people through out the city. He does a lot of good work and also makes people smile.

Check him out on facebook... 

https://www.facebook.com/dannyandsmarty/

Marty is the dog.

Recycled inverter into "cool" fan hat.

On Monday we got all set up in the city for our first busk in Sydney, We were really looking forward to it. We switched on the power ....and nothing. The red light came on and the inverter fan whirlled signalling power but nothing, no sound at all.

We got a replacement from a very helpful Jay Carr, electrical supplies 2 blocks away.

When we got home I took the old inverter to bits and found that the fan still worked when we put a battery to it. I decided to invent a "cool" hat.

 John, our host in Sydney, a friend of a friend, is also a master builder so does not approve of Dads recommendations of gaffer tap and blue tack

Bed time but watch this space...

we have the fan in place but need to secure the battery and switch.

Room with a view.

Visitor

Sydney Contemporary Art Gallery????

Uhh!

Well, I just have a problem with this.

 

not too sure about this either...

 

then there's this

May be I am just not ready for contemporary art.

they "paid" for this...

I could sell my bedroom.

This started off more better but is in a loop?

I like TV and the thought of watching loads

 at once seemed like a great idea but........

 

Uh?

This is art. 

                                                       

No honest, 

 it's got a label.

I sympathise but is this art??

I actually like this

The following is her other stuff...

Hyde Park Sydney, can't Ozzys. think of their own names?

Even the same tune on the bb... bells.

                                                     This amazing "slit drum" made of Pacific Teak was originally used for beating dance rhythms, sending messages and calling villagers to meeting. Sadly superseded by the mobile phone.

Our first day in Sydney equipped with a buskers licence and it's pp. pouring down. I shelter in a Ficus Macrophylla, ( or a Fig tree for the uneducated)

OK, Sydney, watch out I am here.

Australia is so respectful and encouraging to artists young and old.

Sydney at last.

We got here, bit of a trek,  3 hour time difference and big contrast to sleepy Perth City.

I thought The Sydney Opera House was going to be a bit bigger.

It was made by a danish architect, Joern Utzon. The original price was estimated at 7 million dollars but the final building cost was 102 million dollars. Utzon tired of all the criticism and complaints resigned and left Australia in 1966 .

 After it became a global success, in 1999 Australia begged him back to help with renovations.       

Fields of Athenry, Perth (better version)

 

My new favourite song to sing.

Perth, an awesome place to busk.

We are sad to leave Perth and the lovely family we have been with. We are travelling so we move....

Annual game of "see who used our old furniture".

Once a year the "nouveau riche" of the Australian suburbs have a secret furniture swap. The games of this national festival occur mainly in the shadow of darkness.

Three, four and five piece suites are a favourite

Garden and "barbie" furniture would be a second favourite.

Once annually the council will remove unwanted house hold items (free of charge) So inhabitants put out their used furniture into the streets.

 This marks the start of The Great Australian Furniture swap. Any player wanting to up grade their furniture from last years frenzy can deposit their Suite, table, washing machine or in fact any item they feel can be upgraded.

During the hours of darkness any item can be removed and installed in it's new temporary home for a minimum of a year.

If items have been removed from a near by neighbour in the previous year the player may want to, and can do so within the rules, deposit them outside any neighbours house within a distance covered under the cover of darkness.

This strategy gives a 3 fold advantage in the game.

1. The neighbour the player obtained the furniture from 1 year ago will not suspect that the players furniture is in a worse state than the furniture discarded by that neighbour.

2. If the furniture has deteriorated further and may have embarrassing stains or damage, the immediate neighbours of that player will not suspect them of being anything but respectable  householders.

3. If a player has had a falling out with a neighbour (noisy barbies being a popular contributor) a player may or may not urinate on bed mattress before depositing outside that neighbours home.

Although frowned upon by purists, it is within the rules to cruise in daylight and "case"desirable replacements.

In blistering heat woollen hats may be used as disguise.

Have a great Furniture Fest.

Small world when your an international busker.

This is Jimmy from California.

He now lives somewhere south of Perth. He is a friend of Giovanni, our Italian friend from Switzerland who you will have met earlier in our blog.
Jimmy does that little dance, not because he needs the toilet,  he has string screwed to the heals of his shoes which operate his drums as he moves.

How easy it is to misjudge people because of their appearance.

Dad was aware of an Aboriginal guy lurking in the doorway behind us. TV 

As I finished my set he walked over towards the busking money, he stood next to it, looked Dad in the face and said, "Well done Dad you taught the boy good,"

He dropped a 5 dollar note in to the pot and stretched out his hand to Dad.

He shuck it but was" speechless with guilt and embarrassment" and said nothing.

Although only just over 2 % of Australians are Aboriginal,

45% of the prison population are Aboriginals.

As recently as  200 years ago they were free tribal people hunting and fishing in the wet lands that have been drained and become Perth City.

They are a displaced people. Many have succumbed to "white mans medicine". A small percentage of them are not good people. Some Aboriginals who have white blood carry particularly large chips on their shoulders.

Who would not if they and their ancestors had suffered such abuse. 

I 

Sadly we leave Percy and Carol and head back to Perth.

On the roundabout near the centre of Bunbury we see a modern sculpture. I pointed out to Dad that one of the people was Percy. We circled again and Dad was amazed. He stopped and photographed.

They appear to represent Surfers, fishermen, whalers and strangely, a "house mover".

Percy made his money as house mover, literally. He use to jack up houses, split them up into manageable sizes, back his lorries under them and transport them hundreds of miles. Particularly when towns grew up quickly and often died quickly it was more cost effective to "move" a house rather than build another.