SERIOUS REFELECTION

 Tonight‘s blog has a more serious tone, as I reflect on my notes made of our last night in Sydney.

Sydney is a beautiful city and one that I have enjoyed visiting. I don’t mean to preach or judge, but just want to write down my observations of the sights and scenes that I have witnessed here.

Monday 19th February.
 A mixed day weather wise; a cloudy yet warm morning with hot sunshine this afternoon and now in the evening at dusk; still cloudy and windy yet with a feeling of oppressive heat.

Circular Quay is looking a little bit worse for wear tonight, with litter strewn around; left behind as a reminder of the busy day already now passed. There is an unkempt feeling about the area, which is sad.

It is a terrible sign of our times that no matter, which country I have visited, there is the plight of homeless people sleeping on streets and Sydney is no exception.
​
(I mentioned this subject when I wrote about Vancouver and just recently in a writing exercise about Manchester!)

Lots of homeless appear round the Quay tonight. They hover on the corners, intact with mattresses, cool boxes and signs, which explain why they are sitting in the streets.
 For example, a woman‘s notice board reads;

‘I am 35 years of age. I have breast cancer and my marriage broke up. I had to leave home due to an abusive husband and I am forced to live on the streets as I am too ill to work. I can’t afford the medicine that I need to combat my cancer; if you could help in any way.’

Or there is a man who has a sign which says;

‘I don’t want to be here. I am ashamed to be here in this situation. All I need is $15 for a bed tonight plus anything you could spare to help me out, I’d appreciate it.’
As we leave Circular Quay and make our way back to our hotel, we pass many other similar people with similar stories.
​
I found a quote by Linda Lingle, a republican politician who said,

---