Brisbane

Impressive!!!


I think Brisbane is a Beautiful City. The Brisbane River winds around the city and is used as an intergrated part of their transportation system.

What really impressed me was the roads built on piles in the river hugging the river edge. It not only enhances the landscape but I imagine helps releave the traffic on land.

Yesterday I took the City Sights Hop On Hop Off bus and ferry tour which gives you a quick way of geting to know the city. From the top of Mt. Coot-Tha it gave me a 360 degree view of the landscape below.

On the way down stopped to see the Mt. coot-Tha Botanical Gardens. I really liked their scent garden of herbs and flowers and the lay out of their cactus and suculents garden. There are many gardens in and around the city. The sidewalks,and malls...areas for walking is spacious. There are many bins for smokers with signs "Use the bins or lose $150.00" It works. I saw many smokers next to them.

The planters are built high and bordered by lots of sitting spaces. This makes it easy to maintain the plants and save spaces. Simple and practical.

I really like their Food Courts. Foods from India,Vietnam,Malaysia,and many healthy food choices.

Perhaps because they hosted the Olympic not too long ago everything has been upgraded,but I am impressed with the walkways along the river,the parks,and it just appears to me Australians are very pratical minded in their of idea of design and use of of building materials. Designs are clean lines,modern,practical and easy on the eye.

The CityCat ferry system seem to be intergrated with the train and bus system. All along the river are places people can get on off and you pay on the ferry or on the bus.
My time on this free computer is almost up. I really appreciate this since it is $2.00 per 30 minutes at the hostel.

I leave to go back to Sydney tomorrow. After a brief rest at Emily's I will go to the Blue Mountains for the weekend. I understand the Blue Mountains are very beautiful. Mary Ellen Powell who invited me said there are many wonderful walking trails.
I will tell you how I liked the Blue Mountains when I have a chance.

Aloha