At Luna Park there were queues for tickets for the rides, roving street performers, stilt walking people , weiredly dressed costumed people and cartoon characters. Plenty of food drinks and souvenirs were for sale along with the usual carousel haunted house pirate ship dodgem cars giant ferris wheel and roller coasters. Not to forget Coney Island which has a viewing area opened up.
I had a quick look at the souvenirs shop and took a few quick photos of the cartoon characters and Coney Island viewing area before continuing my search for the outdoor ice skating rink.
At the back of the Coney Island building, as you walk down a set of stairs, there is the other half of Luna Park which is catered for younger kids. This is where the outdoor ice skating rink was located and the sessions were full and queues long.
Rating 7/10 Luna Park is a great day out for families in general when the sun is out and the crowds are around the atmosphere is electric and reminds me of when I was growing up as a kid. If you don't want to go on the rides it is just nice to sit by the wharf with a picnic or packed lunch even a purchase of fish & chip but mind the seagulls who like to swoop and steal your lunch and watch the harbour with its view of the passing ferries Harbour Bridge and Opera House in the background or go for a swim at the local Oympic Pool. Draw back entrance fees to the pool and price of ride tickets at Luna Park. Entry into Luna Park is free though if you just want to have a look around. Nearby Bradfield Park also nice to to walk through or kick a ball around.
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The penguins may be present but the ice is melting!
Next stop a ferry from Milsons Point Ferry Wharf to Circular Quay and into the crowds of the BBR Festival on its last day.
First stop BBR East Circular Quay Village - here was a chance to purchase a cup of mulled wine, a wood fire oven pizza, some regional French wines, Champagne, a variety of sweet or savoury canneles ( no sweet ones left by the time I arrived - I should have purchased a savoury one as I have tasted a chocolate one before but not a savoury one) or an eclair or two from Choux Patisserie with a very colourful le menu including salted caramel, candied peanuts and gold ; apple & rhubarb with spiced vanilla; pistachio chiboust, rasberries & hibiscus; chocolate, pecans & brownie; lemon, ricotta cheesecake; guava, lychee & coconut and strawberry, white chocolate & basil ( by the time I arrived the chocolate and salted caramel ones had all sold out therefore, yet again, I didn't purchase one) . This village was not just about French food but food from all over Europe such as a variety of German sausages, mini Dutch pancakes or syrup waffles, large icecream sandwiches even Spanish paella just to name a few culinary delights on offer to purchase.
There was suppose to be a Beer Garden but I couldn't find it. Was it part of East Circular Quay Village?
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Photos below
Onto First Fleet Park Village where the centre stage is located. I had a second walk through of this village but came back to it as I wanted to view the Cheese Dome and Outdoor Cinema ( complete with pop corn concession) both sold out for all sessions. The cheese Dome was a big white enclosed temporary Igloo like structure with tables and chairs set up inside. Very dark and mysterious looking from the outside peeping in. The outdoor cinema was exactly what it was a large outdoor screen and a series of deck chairs set up on the grass area outside the MCA.
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Outdoor Cinema
Cheese Dome
I had briefly visited the pop up stall on Saturday on my way to from my dance class however decided to return today. I had my eye on the pear on offer and thought there would be plenty left on Sunday at the festival - how wrong I was. All sold out therefore I had to settle for an apple or an orange or go for a matcha or chocolate or hazelnut so I settled for the orange after umming and arring about purchasing 1 cake or 2. At $12 a cake and not knowing if I could pay by card or if it was cash only I settled on just 1 - the orange. I can always go to the actual dessert bar in Chippendale to purchase some another time.
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I decided to get away from the crowds for a while so snuck into the MCA not to see any of the free exhibitions on but to head for the members lounge to continue blogging and have a cup of tea however I ended up eating my orange shaped Koi Dessert Bar cake I had just purchased - oh so pretty I don't really want to smash it up and eat it but I am curious about what is inside and how it tastes so here I go. Not good for my lactose intolerance but you only live once!
So what did I think? - the stalk is a real stalk of an orange placed back into a waffer thin layer of orange coloured and dimpled textured white chocolate to cover whats inside and is a realistic resemblance of an orange. I crack it open with a tap of my plastic spoon to reveal a light moussy filling but as I delve deeper I start to reveal a small layer of cake topped with a custardy centre. Did I taste any orange or other flavours? not really but the whole dessert was very light and pleasant to eat. Not bad. Maybe a little pricey at $12 a pop though. At Adriano Zumbo you probably get more bang for your buck in terms of flavour and size of his cakes however his desserts are a little more dense which to some people is not a bad thing at all. Rating 8/10 all gone no complaints.
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It was 4.30 pm and there were still people in the members lounge after I left at 4.45 pm. I did not hear a closing announcement whilst in the members lounge but knew the MCA usually closes at 5 pm a d once outside in the foyer area I heard the MCA was closing in 15 minutes announcement along with a mass exit.
Before exiting I took a quick toliet break upstairs on level 2 and took some photos from a viewing platform of the part of the Sun Xun exhibition below which was full of people. Although I am not really interested in this artist and have not viewed his full exhibition at the MCA I will rate his art an 7/10.
Photos below
Final stop of the day @ 5 pm was The Off Piste Experience. It just happened that there was a spot available when I arrived. I can tell you that this was a strange experience. For me definitely not a substitute for the real experience. Skiing and snowboarding should stay on REAL snow in REAL ski resorts!!! A 10 minute session was exhausting for me and I just could not get the hang of it and my balance on real snow is pretty good yet I just could not balance myself upright. My calves were just aching too. Although the simulator can only allow you to tilt a maximum on each side to 70 degrees hence it it almost impossible to fall over, I felt as if I was falling over all the time as your legs are strapped into the ski boots which are fixed to a set of skiis in a fixed parallel position. you can't turn your skiis naturally as you would on the slopes and to compensate the skiis have a little bit of forward movement each. At $32.50 per 10 minutes I am undecided as to whether I would do it again for a longer session on a full sized simulator at the HQ at EQ. May feel a little more comfortable with BYO boots and trusting the machine which I just could not do and remembering that it is all in the knees.
Kids loved it and adapted to it quite quickly. Skiing was recommended first before trying snowboarding. Note the bar in front of you - I just would not let go of this!! I was told to "trust the machine" - I will never trust a machine!
A train from Circular Quay via not the City Circle but just St James then Museum finally terminating at Central Station to change onto another train to travel back to Town Hall or Wynyard - the City Circle route is in 1 direction only therefore there is no longer a City Circle route. Changed at Central to Town Hall a quick stop at Woolworths for sushi for my father's dinner before heading home on the M40 bus which was a 17 minute wait.
End of another weekend and another Festival for 2018.
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