Brisbane

With unexpected extra time in Brisbane I was able to catch up with things and really get to grips with Brisbane. Tuesday brought good weather and I went into town to just wander around and find out what was what. I am always interested in architecture, and with some of Brisbane's structures dating back to the mid 1800's, and the prevalence of wooden homes in the style known as Queenslander, I had hoped to see some innovative modern designs that linked the various styles and ages. There were also many examples of Art Deco, a style I just adore, but is not so common in UK nowadays. My hopes about modern architecture were dashed. There are some good pieces, some of which could be spectacular in other settings, but there are more than a few examples of the late 60's – 70's style that could be termed 'Fort Lego - disaster of the year', and in my opinion would be best knocked down. I dont think I saw one example of clever linking of adjacent styles, and the whole city felt 'wrong shui' to me.

The sub tropical climate of the area means that life style is very al fresco. Pavement cafes abound and the south bank has a good vibe, providing an excellent arts and cultural centre surrounded by loads of eateries. There is an artificial beach area where children can play and splash in water of a safe depth, and others can find deeper sections for a leisurely swim, all for free.

The transport system is excellent, fully integrated and modern. There are dedicated bus lanes that are sometimes elevated and sometimes underground to bypass city bottle necks. This means that the punctuality is good, although not perfect.

Brisbane is not highly densely populated by UK standards, and although the central area is busy during the day, it is never uncomfortably crowded. In the evenings there never seemed to be enough people around to give it a true city buzz.

One evening I had to wait almost half an hour for a bus, having just missed one. It was funny watching the names of destinations on other buses as they came along. Often I felt like I had sunk through some time warp back to UK, as destinations such as Ipswich, Southport, Warwick and Everton Park flashed by. Then came Tenerife ….. somehow that didnt fit. Some of the names made me conjure fanciful pictures. Jindalee sounded like it should be very Australian with a large aboriginal community, where elders encouraged you to tune in to the heart beat of the earth by keeping you ear to the ground until you could hear it, and then to listen to the whispers of your ancestors on the wind. (I have to say it is not all like that). How did places end up with enigmatic names like Fig Tree Pocket? And is Indooroopily an enclave for those who have a phobia of outdoors?

Brisbane might not have hit the right spot with me on many levels but playing with the place names certainly put a smile on my face.