Quote:
Originally Posted by polyesco
thank you Sun Lion for all your up todate reporting 
Hopefully you get to see them.
M&F usually get a nice reception |
Hi polyesco - yes, just got back home.
It's just gone 3.00pm here - and I not ony saw the CP Couple at the Opera House, but also sailing around the Harbour and arriving and leaving lunch at Admiralty House here in Kiribilli.
(In fact, if I hadn't told a passerby what was happening at Admiralty House, I would have been the only one there, because the security officer would not let her know who was in the area - that's how tight the protection was. I just happended to see the Royal party arriving at the Admiralty House jetty as I was walking home across the Harbour Bridge and realised what was going on.)
This morning I just got to the bottom of the Opera House as the cars and motocycle out-riders arrived, and as they parked under the lower open part of the building I went up the stairs they were under, to the podium level.
Lots of Danish people were there, and the school group in their blue uniforms with their Danish flags. Lots of excitment and laughing and calling out etc.
There was a media area cordoned off with fencing for the TV and photographers and another area cordoned off with a red velvet rope where the school group were, and where CP Mary was presented with flowers.
There must have been a friend there, as CP Mary hugged a woman and they spoke together.
The Royal party then went up higher on the Opera House steps and everyone got a good chance to get some nice photos of the Royal couple together with the Opera House sails and sky behind them.
Saw CP Mary's LIW Tanya there, and later her LIW Caroline as well - after they had all changed into jeans and sneekers for the boat trip.
After the official public part - and people applauded them as the couple waved goodbye - a lot of the media spread out.
Jorn Utzon's son was surrounded by a lot of Danish media and did an interview.
I stayed there, as did a lot of others - the whole podium area was a mass of people by then - and got another half hour or more to photograph CP Mary - the official party had just gone to the top of that set of stairs, and the media were busy filing their official photos by then I guess.
CP Mary looked wonderful - immaculate make-up and the Aussie sunshine bringing out the red highlights in her hair.
Lots of smiles from CP Frederick. Everyone was having a great time.
Their tour of the Opera House then started outside in this area - that's why we got such a long time to watch them - and as the party moved on inside I realised they would probably exit down the bottom.
The school children also went inside, and they came out on the lower level some time later -maybe photos inside with the Royals?
I sat down outside for a while - media and security everywhere, reporting in. I thought I would get a bit of a view of them getting back into their cars, but fortunately someone spoke to an officer there, and then passed onto me that the Royal party were actually leaving from the other side - from the Man O' War steps.
Realised then that they were going on the Harbour.
This part of the day hadn't been announced as far I as know, so those few of us who found out, got a real ringside seat to see M and F again - and up close.
It was now 11.15am, and everyone had changed out of their formal clothes and CP Mary had tied her hair back in a pony-tail. She had her sunnies on her head so we could see her properly- and boy was the sun bright today, I got burnt a bit even with 30+ on!. She didn't lower her glasses until she was about to climb aboard.
It was a little sailing yacht called "Xpress", and was flying what I took to be the Danish Naval flag. (Had blue in with the white cross.)
I asked a security guy there if they were coming back to this wharf and he said no, so I went along that side of the Opera House - the Botanical Gardens side - and took photos as they sailed off.
The Harbour side of the Opera House has seating and the breeze was great there, so I sat down again and thought, I'll just see where they go.
Wasn't hard to watch them as that part of the Harbour is very narrow, and they just sailed back and forth in front of me - between Lavender Bay and Garden Island, going out of view only when they went around the Admiralty House headland into either Careening Cove, or more likely- not as narrow or full of boats - into Neutral Bay.
At first they sailed about by engine, but after coming back out of Careening Cove/Neutral Bay the sails went up.
(The yacht was in this area for quite some time, so it's possible CP Mary and the other ladies disembarked at the yacht club there and changed again for lunch - and CP Frederick put the sails up to enjoy the wind which was quite strong by then.)
They were on the Harbour for about an hour or a bit more, before disappearing back around behind the headland for the final time.
Saw the sails being put down as they went from view and realised they were making for the yacht club to berth the boat as it was about 12.20pm and time for lunch.
(This is the yacht club M and F sailed against each other from, a few years ago.)
I thought they may be having lunch at the yacht club, so thought I might be able to catch them leaving that, on my way home.
Luckily though, as I was crossing the Harbour Bridge, I saw the two large black military "rubber duckies" and the very large white police launch making for the Admiralty House wharf.
These vessels, plus a smaller grey "rubber duckie", followed the Royal yacht around the Harbour when they were sailing. Also, there were masses of security people on the wharf.
I think the Royal party left their yacht at the yacht club in Careening Cove and then were taken in these vessels around to Admiralty House for lunch.
Everybody left the wharf and went up the stairs and through the gardens.
(This is were M and F ,and the twins, spent a night during the Nov 2011 tour.)
Very obvious they were there - even though an officer in the street wouldn't disclose it to the lady as mentioned above.
Waited there with the well-dressed security guys and motorcycle police, and a, (maybe), lady PET officer I'd seen at the Man O' War steps earlier, until 2.35pm.
(They must have been enjoying it, as I was told they were due to leave at 2.00pm.)
Got some snaps as they drove off, and plenty at the Opera House and of the sailing.
( I may go into see the store opening tomorrow. If so, I'll post a message about that.)
Well it's 4.40pm here, and M and F's engagement with the NSW Govenor must be happening.
I'm off to get tea going so I can sit down and watch the news reports later this evening.
Sydney couldn't have turned on a better day for everyone. There was even another beautiful big cruise ship berthed opposite the Opera House - "Radiance of the Seas".
The breeze blew away the smokey smell we woke up to this morning, and the sun shone all day.
Cheers Everyone, Sun Lion.
P.S. Just seen the evening news reports here - close up footage on CP Mary dangling her legs over the yacht side as the sails are going down, so she didn't leave the boat early, as I speculated above.
All channels also showing footage of M and F with Marie Bashir - this afternoon's event - and lots of footage of CP Mary speaking about the bushfires and the fire-fighters.
Or maybe they just have fall into a deep sleep at their hotel room after their long flight... ready for tomorrow and next days programme.
Linear Mode
