Sydney Opera House

Sydney's famous opera house

Sydney used to have one icon - the Sydney Harbour Bridge - that made the city instantly identifiable. In recent years it has gained another, the famous Opera House.

Highly controversial, not least because it cost far more than the original estimates, Sydney people have become very proud of their distinctive opera house. Of course, that doesn't mean that they go to it: given a choice between beer and barbie or a dose of culture, there's no question where the majority of Australians go. However the opera house keeps its head above water - not least by charging an arm and a leg for tours of the place! However, as they don't allow photography or filming inside, I made do with the exterior.

I particularly liked the young kinds who had found a use for the building that didn't rely upon fat tenors or massed violins.