Grace Jones
When you think of the city of Sydney, you instantly think of the Sydney Opera House, the bridge, Bondi Beach and an enviable lifestyle. Another highlight is the annual Sydney Festival.
The opening night of the 2009 festival took place over the weekend with 300,000 people making their way into the city centre for an epic, outdoor celebration.
With the streets again cleared of cars, over 600 major local and international musicians, dancers and artists from around the globe exploded onto open-air stages across the city centre – and all for free.
The theme for 2009 is ‘Sydney Dances’ and the city took the whole thing very seriously, turning the streets into massive dance floor! They put on a short dance work, specially choreographed for Festival First Night, called The Sydney.
But that wasn’t the only highlight – megastar model, singer and actress Grace Jones also wowed the crowds, serenading them with hits such as ‘Slave to the Rhythm’.
Of course, Sydney’s laid-back outdoor lifestyle and physical allure make it one of the world’s easiest and most pleasant cities to visit. The people who live here are a friendly, energetic bunch with a tell-it-like-it-is approach to life as visitors to the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games found out for themselves.
All of its attributes lie within easy reach of the city centre. Sydney’s harbour is its natural playground, the dominant factor in so much of what the city has to offer. The city has a wide-ranging cultural life, dynamic food scene and vibrant cityscape of outstanding contemporary and colonial architecture. Iconic beaches and five major national parks deliver unforgettable experiences.
When it comes to which city is Australia’s true global city, there’s no argument. It’s Sydney.