So, Sydney's much-maligned monorail is to be bought by the government, and torn down.
Good.
Except for one thing
You see, there is one, single, lonely, solitary useful thing about Sydney's monorail. One gleaming upside to the pointlessness of its circuitous route around the Darling Harbour tourist black hole. That one good thing, ladies and gentlemen, is this:
Pyrmont Bridge (Wikipedia image)
Yes, that one good thing can be seen in this picture. If you're a true Sydneysider, you'll know it.
It's the strip of shade provided by the monorail line, which gives pedestrians a welcome respite from the bastard sun. This line of reduced radiation is an old friend to those of us who walk to or from the CBD via Pyrmont Bridge. I lived in Pyrmont for four years, and that strip of shade was my ally, my shield and my saviour, especially after a hard night out carousing.
You see, I've always started work late, so by the time I'm crossing the bridge the sun is already well into its murderous rampage across the fire-fretted sky. Without a replacement for the life-giving shade provided by the monorail line, walking across Pyrmont bridge is doomed, doomed to become the pastime of mad dogs, Englishmen and tourists who don't know any better.
So my rallying cry is this: Tear down the monorail, PLEASE, tear down the monorail. But put up some sunshades. For pity's sake, put up some sunshades.
By the way: BEST. PHOTOSHOP. EVAR.