La plus ca change...

Visiting Sydney this past and very rainy weekend I was looking for a place indoors to pass the time. Coming upon The Art Gallery of New South Wales I wandered in.

Three things struck me.

The first thing that struck me was in the US we would call this edifice an art museum. But not being the pedantic type, I let that go in the face of the second thing: it appeared half of Sydney was also looking for a place to go, anywhere to go, just as long as it was out of the rain. Ducking out of this madhouse of humanity and into the first empty-looking exhibit hall I found myself immersed in Chinese artifacts dating back to the 1600's. Graceful pottery, exquisite statuary, and rich textiles abounded. Then the third thing struck me: what happened to any semblance of this ancient culture? From having just come from Paddy's Market, I did know what it had turned into.

All I could do was sigh.

On the train to the airport a bedraggled woman shepherding some very bored youngsters was in a seat nearby. One of her brood, seeing a sign for the Museum of Sydney on the wall, asked "What's a museum?" to which the mother replied "It's a very interesting place."

And I thought, "Interesting? Talk about the kiss of death as far as THAT kid ever stepping foot into one."

I'm just sayin...

- Farmer Ted