Reading and contemplation

I'm currently reading up on Australia. Queensland, Brisbane, Sydney, New South Wales, etc.

I have found out 2 things:

Jørn Utzon died in the same month that we went to see the Sydney Opera House. We got to see the Sydney Opera House, which he never got to see despite having designed and built (most of) it. Somehow, it's touching... makes me feel weird. I know LOADS of people go to the Opera House every day, but *our* visit happened to be that particular month. Hectic though, he was 90!

The second thing I found out is this: the area in Redfern that we walked around (lost) trying to find our hotel, is a block or 2 away from The Block.

Wikipedia has the following to say about The Block:

The Block is a colloquial but universally applied name given to a block of housing in Redfern Sydney. The block was purchased over a period of 30 years by the Aboriginal Housing Company (AHC) for use as a project in Aboriginal-managed housing.

The Block is probably the most famous feature of the suburb of Redfern, although in point of fact it is located on the western border of that suburb, on the edge of Darlington. The focus of life in the Block has always been Eveleigh Street, which is its eastern border, with railway lines on the other side of that street.

This area and surrounds has a high street crime rate and is "no go area" for Sydney Taxi Drivers. This is exacerbating the racism experienced by the diverse members of the community, who are being refused taxi service.

The area around The Block is now reportedly the subject of plans for massive redevelopment by private developers at the instigation of the New South Wales state government - see Redfern-Eveleigh-Darlington.

Seriously, a dangerous area, which the hotel front-desk guy warned us about, saying 'never, never go there'. We walked through there, as touristy as could be (save for a Hawaiian shirt or 2), dragging luggage and suitcase, lost, at about 7pm. We are still alive. Nothing happened! I'm not saying it isn't a dangerous area, just that it's evidently NOT AS BAD AS CAPE TOWN CITY ANYWHERE!!!

I'm so looking forward to living in Aus!!! Where to choose to live?! Probably Brisbane, with lots of holidays to the other cities :D Can't wait!