“Travel and change of place impart new vigour to the mind.” - Seneca
Brisbane is a thriving, modern, metropolitan centre and capital of the state of Queensland. It is Australia's third-largest city and although it looks like a big-city there are no pretensions and the locals are down-to-earth and remind one of the smaller town from which it initially arose. The city centre sits within a tropical landscape through which flows the undulating Brisbane River, and it boasts a pleasant climate for most of the year. It has been pleasantly cool (25-27˚C) while I have been here and there is the occasional shower keeping the gardens lush. This is certainly a contrast from the South, with Melbourne and Adelaide roasting in the over 40˚C heatwave.
Although I am here for work, there has been opportunity to visit friends and also do a bit of sightseeing. The restaurants have been largely very good too. Last night we had dinner at the Pier Nine Restaurant right by the Brisbane River. This is an excellent seafood restaurant and somewhat of a Brisbane icon. It offers great views, fantastic service and the food is wonderful, with the freshest of fish, shellfish and steaks served simply but imaginatively. The location right on the Eagle St pier affords great views and it is just the place for celebrating a special occasion.
It was a rather full day today and much was done at work. Tomorrow is my last day here in Brisbane and then I fly home for Easter. Or the first Easter, I should say, because Greek Easter is on the 27th of April. Always an annoying state of affairs, these two Easters. Why the powers that be from all religions don’t get together to agree to have Easter at the same time is beyond me. Much better would be the situation of agreeing to have Easter on the same date every year. Say the third Sunday in April, wouldn’t that be sensible?
I haven’t had much time to read while I’ve been away. Too busy and too tired. At night I manage to have a look at the morning paper and then all I want to do is flop down into bed and sleep. I think being away from home for three days is OK, but anything above that starts to get a bit tiring. Just as well I don’t get to do it for more than three days all that often.
Welcome! and thanks for your comments about Brisbane. Glad to know that you are enjoying your short stay. I moved to Brisbane 3 years ago and love it (have a blog to prove it). Come back soon!
ReplyDeleteI've never been to Brisbane, or to Australia yet at all, and it sounds so exotic to me. I'm glad you were able to escape the heat, that sounds awful! And I'm glad your work travel has gone well.
ReplyDeleteAs for Easter, I'm with you. I find it odd, too, that there are two different dates. And mid-March is entirely too early for Easter. Here in Canada, it's supposed to be a spring holiday, and we have snow drifts over my head. Not good. Ah well, I do hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday!