Today started off pretty awesome as I got to video chat with my
dad finally. It was nice to finally see him and just get to talk. Two weeks is
a long time to go without talking to your parents so this is a reminder to
anyone who hasn’t talked to theirs recently: give them a call! Afterwards,
Terri picked us up and made our way over the bridge into downtown to the Old
Bus Depot Market, which is exactly what it sounds like.
It’s a giant
warehouse-type building that used to be a bus depot and now, every Sunday, a
bunch of street fair/booth vendors come in and sell, well, everything: jams,
peanuts, meat, paintings, crafts, books, jewelry, baked goods, candles,
anything! I, of course, bought way more than I should have. But I couldn’t
resist! I swear I could spend all my money there. I forced myself to leave
after my third or fourth purchase (who can keep track?). I met up with the
group at Brodburger where I literally had the best burger of my entire life.
I
mean I want these served at my wedding; I want to eat them every day for the
rest of my life. Of course, then my life would be quite short but it’d be so
delicious. They’re also huge, like bigger than my hand. I could feel my
arteries clogging but it was well worth it.
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| "Floating Figure" by Gaston Lachaise |
After lunch a small
group of us went to the Australian National Gallery. Emily’s teacher’s husband
works there and offered to give us a free tour. The gallery itself is free but
doesn’t offer guides. We went through the sculpture garden, the Aboriginal
section, and the contemporary corner.
 |
| "Ik Ook" by Mark Di Suvero |
 |
| In the reflection of "Ik Ook" |
There is so much influence from the
Aboriginal culture and the desire for equality; it’s amazing to see. David (our
guide) explained how the missionaries saw the work the Aboriginals were doing
in the sand and encouraged them to record them, some even on bark.
 |
| Me with an Aboriginal slit drum |
 |
| Aboriginal story vases |
 |
| By Australian artist Daniel Boyd |
Our
final stop was the James Turrell exhibit (which David got us special passes
into). It was incredible. Turrell is an American artist that works mainly with
light and space and how they work together. He uses light projection to create
a heavy affect and is known for creating a room as his work in order to control
his viewer’s perception. He once cut holes into walls of his hotel to learn
more about the different times of day and how it affects the light in the room.
 |
| My favorite piece we saw, "Barmah Forest" by Lin Onus |
One of his major works is called Roden Crater, which is an old volcano that he
is turning into a naked eye observatory. He also is known for creating
Skyscapes, where he creates a hole in the ceiling and uses the light and
shaping to change the way the viewer sees the shape and colors in the room. We weren’t allowed to take pictures in
the exhibit and it’s so hard to describe the full effect of it but it was truly
amazing. Once we returned home the rest of the day was all planning: trip planning, lesson
planning, dinner planning. I was happy to call it a night when the time came.
It’s a giant
warehouse-type building that used to be a bus depot and now, every Sunday, a
bunch of street fair/booth vendors come in and sell, well, everything: jams,
peanuts, meat, paintings, crafts, books, jewelry, baked goods, candles,
anything! I, of course, bought way more than I should have. But I couldn’t
resist! I swear I could spend all my money there. I forced myself to leave
after my third or fourth purchase (who can keep track?). I met up with the
group at Brodburger where I literally had the best burger of my entire life. 
I
mean I want these served at my wedding; I want to eat them every day for the
rest of my life. Of course, then my life would be quite short but it’d be so
delicious. They’re also huge, like bigger than my hand. I could feel my
arteries clogging but it was well worth it.