Vivid

Last night we took the children to Sydney to see the Vivid festival. It's an annual evant that runs for several weeks and involves amazing displays of lights, images and illusions. The sails of the Sydney Opera House become a gigantic screen where moving images are projected. Some look like colourful snakes gliding across the sails, then it turns into a rainbow, then to geometric patterns, then it seems to open like a Japanese fan. On another old building (the Customs House) images projected make it look like the front of the building is being swallowed by rising water, then the water drains away and the whole building looks like it is crumbling before your eyes. Next minute the sandstone is a rich red, then a psychadelic mix of colours, then birght yellow. Down at one of the little coves they had a fire show. Jets of flames shot up into the sky in time to music. Sometimes the flame jets met another one and become a spinning ball of fire for a few seconds before dissolving into the air.

It was packed with people of course, as the weather had turned fine and clear. We met my parents for dinner at Circular Quay and then all wandered around the foreshore looking at everything. There was also a shadow wall where the kids could project their shadows onto a backdrop, like a photograph, crazy jelly fish shaped laterns, a tree full of moving, robotic fireflies, entire skyscrapers lit up with designs that made it look like a waterfall was flowing down the exterior.

I love stuff like this, it kind of gives me faith in people, you know? That we can all come together- all ages, races, religions- and stand together watching flames and lights dancing in the night. I glanced up at Ruby's face, as she sat perched on Brett's shoulders, and her little face was so open with delight, watching the flames and the people and the dark water that reflected it all.