Cycling in Sydney

I take my life in my own hands, no doubt, each time I make it home, I am shaking, having survived the obstacle course that risks life and limb. I think Tokyo would have been just as bad, but was too frightened to mount a bike there. Phew, I'm alive!
This weekend was a blast, Tiny Stadiums, a festival in Erskineville, was proffered on Saturday. I was given a player, which was co-ordinated with other audience members, and we danced the Dance of Death, which should really have been the Dance of Life, but why quibble? It was super fun maneuvering around the main street in tandem, doing particular moves and then resting with our faces in the cool green hedge. There was free tea, and cupcakes in the Town Hall where the best project on earth was on display. It was a cardboard rendition of the village with customised changes cleverly crafted, based on community feedback of what their dream village would entail. I hope the Town planners take note and do everything, because there were some really really good ideas. What a gas! There was a group of women singing their hearts out in a booth, and a judge in another booth, so strange and funny, as they blew air freshener and sandwiches down a tube for the judge's pleasure.
Later on that night we went to The Performance Space Clubhouse and listened to some very loud bands in a programme co-ordinated by the famous Lucas Abela...Auraltered 2. Naked on the Vague played last and it was well worth waiting for their terrific show, matched by the most horrific footage of Iraq's war torn land: like hell. So disturbing and moving, I was lost for words, just fuck fuck fuck fuck fucking hell. War is hell. All that effort put into building structures, all that effort in bombing them, and then all the mess that needs to be put back together or cleaned up...the futility...
Sunday we got up early and went to Addison Road markets, where we met with some good old friends to eat dumplings and roti and bacon and eggs (at least that's what I had!). Then I went to the Art Gallery for their season of free Japanese films to accompany the show Hymn to Beauty. I watched Shinoda's Sharaku, set in 18th Century Edo. It was really great to watch on a big screen, and I loved the kabuki scenes, and the sad story. It made me hungry for sushi, so when I got home I made some rice, cut up some tuna and made some nori rolls, with sashimi on the side. Miso with long mushrooms and tofu, and a cucumber salad. Fantastic. But I was depressed to see I have no appropriate dishes, and have to wait till December when I am back on Nippon soil to shop for what I want.