2 weeks in Brisbane
 

Earlier this year I went with my wife to Australia again where she had a work project. We spent a 10 days in Brisbane, then went to Emerald for 2 weeks and back to Brisbane for another 4 days. Then we spent 9 days in Sydney and the Hunter Valley before flying home.

I liked Brisbane, we had an apartment right in the heart of the business district. My wife and the PM from her company could walk to the Rio Tinto office a half block away. I spent my days exploring, dining out, and sight seeing.

Here are a few highlights of our stay.

Lots of art in the downtown area.

We had a great view from our room on the 16 floor. City living seems strange to me, you can see people in the next building going about their daily routines. I felt like Jimmie Stewart in "Rear Window". And I guess they could see us as well, we ate outside on the balcony most evenings.

I'm always struck by how much Australia looks like Texas to me. It must be the trees.

I signed up for the free city bike program and took bike rides a couple of times although riding in city traffic can be challenging. I did a few river trips, they have a free ferry service and also a faster catamaran service that has a fare but isn't really expensive. The river is a big part of this city, it floods every few years and there are lots of nice restaurants along the river's edge.

Queen Street is now just a pedestrian blvd. Lots of shops. There are even tunnels below ground connecting all the buildings and tons of shops and restaurants. I visited the library several times. Great place to rest on a hot day or when a sudden rain shower approached.

They also have great parks and a nice botanical garden park

Or California with the eucalyptus trees.

Tidy looking city.

Yes, clean as a whistle. You found a lot of interesting spots to shoot, I wonder what those silver balls are about?

They had lots of street art. I saw kids climbing on the big balls, the knobs on them are kind of like the ones on rock walls in gyms.

Looks like they're in more than one location. Oh, and being Australia the first picture is looking straight down. :haha:

I was actually lying on my back by the pool when I took that, the buildings around the area were like a big circle. All the shots were done in the central business district area of Brisbane, most within about a 6 block radius. There were several of those big studded balls in the square by the library.

Mud and Snow bearings, writ large

Looks like they have a problem with vermin.