We sleep in, enjoying our Mardi Gras Recovery.

After Tuesday’s intense heat, the rest of the week is turning out to be what is known in Sydney as cool, fall weather – mid-to-high 20s in the days, high teens in the evenings. (Some, not knowing better, might call this perfect followsummer weather. This may include us.) Perfect weather for a museum day!

There are 2 museums we have been intending to go to but have not yet hit, so today is our museum day. We head off first to the Art Gallery of New South Wales,  overlooking Woolloomooloo  and the Finger Wharf, perfectly located in the Domain.  On Eric’s instructions, we ring him at work just as we walk by Parliament House, and he comes out with a picnic hamper full of lunch goodies for us. What a guy.

The Art Gallery proves disappointing – although many of the pieces are quite wonderful, the place is full of school children, and they are unruly. We are surprised that there aren’t proctors in each room – we see many close calls as they run and scream and pretend to deface the art. We beat a quick retreat.

We head to the Australian Museum of Natural History, located about 1 block from our apartment. In particular there is a special exhibit we have been looking forward to – the 2003 Wildlife Photographer of the Year winning photographs, a competition sponsored by BBC Wildlife Magazine and the Natural History Museum, in London. There are over 100 photographs, including both winners and runners up, and we spend an enraptured 2 hours studying them. One in particular fascinates me – a Dalmatian pelican, staring out over outstretched wing, its eye looking so human that you would swear it was a photo of a person in a feathered mask.

A perfect Mardi Gras museum image.