Our Australian Adventure: Brisbane - I Could Live There & Be Happy!!!

Brisbane – Day 1

We were so surprised on how up beat this wonderful city is? I would say it is a cross between Chicago & Seattle. Cultural events, fabulous shopping areas and life that is surrounded around the Brisbane River. All that has caused us to fall in love with Brisbane. On Saturday we took a Hop & Ride Bus around the entire city to figure out the lay of the land and we enjoyed every moment of it. Brisbane is a very young and a very rich city. It was built via Coal Mining (how appropriate) and in the 70’s became the retirement state of Australia because it did not have an inheritance tax. Located in the state of Queensland, Australia, the weather is mild, arid and sunny most of the year – hence it is known as the “Sunshine State”. It has great colleges that the Europeans and the Asians flock to and many parents of the wealthy buy the expensive condos on the river so that their children can attend school here. Social life takes place around the River with bike paths (and they have bike rentals all over the City), walking paths, great bus transportation and connecting boat transportation. There are parks, outdoor markets and every ethnic restaurant imaginable. After the bus tour, Monty & I shopped the South Bank markets, had beers in a pub, took a cateraman boat tour down the River at night and then we had a Turkish meal of lamb chops. With such a full first day, there were still many things to see so we decided to stay another day.

Brisbane Day

Aren't We a Cute Couple?

Just Like Florida!

The Wheel was built for the World Expo

Victoria Bridge - Strictly A Pedistrian Bridge

Brisbane – Day 2

We found the Broadway Shopping Area and the Public Bus to The Brisbane Planetarium & Botanical Gardens. What strikes us second to the beauty here are the sounds. The voices are different and somewhat higher pitched than I am used to but it is the birds that make an incredible impact on your hearing senses. There are birds that I have never heard of or seen before and their presence and their chattering is so very different than what we are used to hearing in the US. The Botanical Gardens were serene and beautifully landscaped. The pictures speak for themselves. There were weddings eing performed, baby christenings, family picnics and children & families just having a great day out.

Monty & I did a little window shopping after such a simple but special Sunday afternoon. The Broadway Mall had many of the same US shops & names. I saw Nine West, Victoria Secret, Uggs, Hush Puppies, Crocs, Pandora, & etc. All were double the price of what we would ever pay in the US.

One last thing before I close the Blog on Brisbane. A month ago the city was flooded. You can see how bad it was in risbane by going to YouTube and typing in Brisbane Floods. What is truly amazing is that in less than a month the City is back and totally up and running because of volunteers. One restaurant owner in Brisbane said that volunteers saved him $170K in clean up costs. How amazing!!!!!!!