A Day at the Beach and Hawk Sightings
Today was another early Friday morning, waking up at 9:30 am. I headed down to the Mac Centre (shopping center) to meet Mona, grabbing a kebab on the way. We hopped in her car, and headed towards Bondi Beach!
She hates this picture of her, but I think its a good one! We're headed to BONDI! Oh, and she is driving. Trippy, isn't it?!
It was a fantastic day, and such a fun time. It was kinda sketchy at some points, as Mona just got her driving license last week. We got lost a few times, went through toll bridges when we shouldn’t have, but I manned the maps and got us there properly. The suburb of Bondi (pronounced BOND-EYE) is just wonderful . I really just saw the beach front area that was full of surf shops, tourist places and food. But it was really cool seein’ all the beach bums hang around there.
We headed down to the beach itself, wonderful white, powdery sand and a deep-blue ocean with a blue sky. So incredible. It was probably about 80 degrees or so.
The beach. Ah, image compression ruins another shot!
It suprised me how small the beach actually was, maybe 300 yards long, 400 tops. And so many people crammed in. And on a Friday! Imagine what its like during the weekends and holidays! Mona and I laid on our beach towels and chatted for a lil bit, then soaked in some rays and relaxed. It was so perfect! Oh, and people-watching was prime! Apparently its a bikini-top optional beach (I think they all are in Oz), so that shocked me, but I got over it quick! I wasn’t offended…
Ha, kinda funny. I was taking a panoramic shot of the beach (below) and as I got to my last few frames a girl who had previously had her top on decided to remove it a few seconds before my shot of her portion of the beach. Hence, I now have a boobie picture. Totally not what I was going for, but…its the beach. I ain’t gonna change it.
Bondi Beach Panorama-Click on the picture to see a large size...
After a little while of soaking in the rays and being lazy, we decided to walk along the water for a little ways…
We then headed up to the grassy area on our way to some shops. Mona pointed out a gathering of people, so I suggested we check it out.
Me in front of the gathering of people, as we were leaving it. Read on to find out what they gathered for!!!
We got over there and saw that the people were all gathered around a drained pool that overlooked Bondi Beach, with skateboarders dropping in. Right away I thought there must be something special going on…usually groups of people don’t watch regular people skate, and this was freakin Bondi Beach, one of the most famous beaches in the world. I got closer and recognized what I thought to be Tony Hawk. I didnt really believe it until I snapped a few shots and saw him skate.
Tony Hawk (yeah...it was bright)
I think they were shooting a new skate video or something. Photogs everywhere, with cameramen.
Man it was incredible. Obviously I had never witnessed skating like that before…Tony Hawk is one of the best in the world (or used to be–no offense…well, at least he’s the biggest skating celebrity), and seeing the huge air that he got along with the crazy tricks he threw, it was crazy. I know nothing about skating, and I’m not gonna try to sound like I do, but…wow. The pool was probably twenty-feet deep with near-vertical sides, and the wipeouts were gnarly. I didn’t get to totally see the ending of the wipeouts, as I was maybe four rows of people back, but wow.
The Hawk-meister.
Hawk bailing on a trick.
What a setting! As you can see from the pictures the backdrop to the pool was the beach. The skaters (mostly just Hawk) would rise above the bowl, and as it was on somewhat of a dropoff, the looked like they were flying. I have no idea what kind of tricks they threw, but Hawk was doing stuff like dropping in, shooting out of the pool, doing a backflip or twists or both, and landing it back on the near-vertical side of the pool, staying on his board. Also, tricks where the skaters would ride with momentum up the side of the pool, flip up to a handstand position, one hand on the lip, one hand on the board, then back into the pool. Oh, and of course some grinding as well. (and a few kids, maybe 10 and even less…wondering if one of them was Tony Hawks kid. They didn’t do the huge tricks, obvoiusly!)
I was so lucky to have brought my d80 with me. Oh man! Moved around a bit to get shots, almost fell off a railing, but it was worth it!
We left after about a half hour or so. Later I heard that it lasted about 45 minutes. Apparently it was just a random drop by, I think Tony Hawk announced it on his twitter, but that was it. Just in the right place at the right time. What luck! Man this place is amazing! Always stuff goin on!
Hawk’s Twitter Post…
tonyhawk Birdhouse crew, Bondi, 2:30… you heard it here first.
Well, after that we checked out a few shops, got a gift for somebody back home (??), then headed back. It was the Iranian new year, I think, so Mona had to be back by 530 to help with dinner. What a great awesome day! Another one in OZ!
More pix of Tony Hawk here and more pix of Bondi here.
Oh, lastly, got home to see that Obama had recorded a video directly to Iran. Thought it was pretty cool, so I sent it to Mona (who was born in Iran). Pretty ironic. I’m so proud of Obama for doing that, and am becoming happy for and proud of this country again!
Sarah said,
March 21, 2009 at 2:44 am
It is the Persian New Year. My boss is Iranian and every year they go down to LA to celebrate it. It falls on the first day of Spring, at least in this hemisphere.
Peter said,
March 21, 2009 at 10:37 am
ah, right. soo close! haha.
Mona said,
March 21, 2009 at 7:32 pm
AWWW
that was very good of him to make that video
and share that message
esp. about the whole achieving things with peace i strongly believe that thats the only way
and also in the end when he goes ‘edieh shoma mobarak’
that was beyond great to hear!
Peter said,
March 21, 2009 at 9:34 pm
did he say it right?!