This past weekend we trekked into the city for what used to be an annual event for our family. The Santos Symphony under the stars.
What's that?
Well, basically, as part of the (many) festivals that run parallel to each other in Adelaide at this time of the year, the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, together with South Australian based company, Santos, put a free concert on in the park. We used to go every year as kids, and since then things such as the Big Day Out (think hangover), hot weather, torrential rain and other, unforeseen circumstances have stopped either the event occurring at all, or us attending.
This year however, everything aligned and we were once again spread out on the lawns of Elder park a mere 8 hours before the concert was due to start. We were well equipped with rugs, low back chairs, eskys and of course, Saturday's paper.
Adam, being trooper of the year, volunteered to bring all four children (kids + niece + nephew) later on the bus so that they wouldn't deliberately drown themselves in the river as a better option to the bordem that would no doubt encroach on the 8 hours of waiting. They got there 2 hours before the start of the show, and - well - that was enough really!
We talked to this swan, also known as "Swanny" for awhile. And then we decided to go on the Pop-Eye, a cute little boat that cruises up and down the river for a fairly reasonable price. Only after we had waited at the boat stop, and the Pop-Eye pulled up and docked itself, and the kids attempted to get on board. The driver said:
"Sorry, last ride for the day".
And Tilly cried, a lot.
Isn't disappointment the worst feeling?
So, the only option was these little babies. Yep - paddle boats. Which I can safely say I had never been on as an adult.
One word.
YEOUCH!
I had to rope my dad onto riding on to one of them, as there were four kids to entertain. Somehow we ended up with all the girls on one, and all the boys on the other. And boys, being boys, decided that of course it was a big giant race from one bridge to the other.
Great.
Which sucked balls because, well, my girls let me down with their short legs..and I had to stare at this for half an hour, watching the lactic acid building up and promising me achy legs the next day.
Stupid acid.
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| The losers. |
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| My poor calves. |
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| The winners. |
But despite the world of pain I entered as a result of paddling this shit for half an hour (yes I have fitness issues.) for which the Pop Eye and it's failing entertainment will pay for, it wasn't so bad when this was the view. We really do live in a pretty city.
Then it was time to head back to the camp and eat our picnic dinner. And it was at this point my brother entered a world of pain when I, awesomely, discovered his first grey hair.
And then Ash totally cracked the sads. And looked like this for the rest of the night. It was funny, for me - who has dyed and coloured my hair since I was fifteen and will NEVER see a grey hair, unless I want to.
So there.
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| Sad face. |
And the paddle boat loser succumbed to the physical excursion that only the challenge of totally awesome chicks, and losing, can bring. They might have won if Darcy wasn't steering - he's a bit like a puppy really who just travels in the direction his head happens to turn. Lots of zigzagging in that boat!
Once the orchestra came out, we settled back and enjoyed the magnificence that is the ASO. We enjoyed it with all walks of town, the snobs from the east, the bogans from the north, and the mutts from the south. And we were all united by a love of music, no matter what kind of music it might be. It's one of my favourite parts of this event, you really can't judge a book by it's cover - or it's tattooed, leathered up, bearded faces.
And to top the night off, fireworks in the last part of the 1812 Overture. One word - Magic! And the perfect end to a perfect night.
If you haven't done it before, I highly recommend it. Even if you think classical music isn't your thing - branch out! You never know.
xx
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