A Sunday in the markets...

Sunday morning we got up early and went to Carrara Markets on a mission! We were hunting for a laughing Bhudda; a special request from Lee Ann for the second floor landing of her house.

We found a seller of discount pots and homewares and were surprised at what was available for the home gardener, such as the giant elephant in back of the Bhudda on this photo. Also available were statues of Balinese
Godesses as large as my whole backyard!!! Think big!




So, the challenge will be to find a way to pack and transport Mr Bhudda back to Canada and not make him lose his smile!!!

The things available for purchase here in Australia are quite ecclectic, for want of a better word. Who knew they made and actually sold lighter holding Kangaroo Scrotums and that my husband would just be so amazed by them (that's it on top of the printer!) I guess it's for the man who has everything! Kind of nice to see that nothing of the animal is wasted though... I dont know where this prize will end up back in Canada. I suppose there's always EBay!

He really wears his new Aussie hat well!

My most amazing purchase though was this $1.50 celery that will last me a month even if I do decide to make celery soup!

The car races were on this weekend, so we tried to not wander out too far as the traffic was horrendous...but just staying around was great too and we were able to see from our balcony the firework show on Saturday night! It was beautiful!!! How I love fireworks!!!

A Sunday in Brizzie!

Brisbane, warmly referred to by the locals as Brizzie, is the state capital of Queensland.
Brisbane is now the third most important port in Australia for value of goods. The major exports are sugar, coal, grain and container freight.

On Sundays, there are a couple of markets that are set up for the day in the middle of the city and are just great if you can find parking. On a week day, the parking on the street is meetered, but cannot be used on Sundays. Underground parking during the week goes for a premium of $48.00 per day, however we did manage to find an underground parking that accepted "casual" parking for $8.00 per day but you needed to get your car out by 16:00 promptly or be locked in!
Nothing casual about that!


One of the markets that we went to had a ferris wheel permanently set up on location that is used year around and gives riders a great view of the city. As well, this market in the middle of this city has a wading pool (huge!) for the kiddies that is supervised by lifeguards (love those lifeguards!) and a sandy beach! This way mum and dad can go off shopping at the market while the kids enjoy themselves in the water!

After visiting the markets, we toured the shipping district of downtown Brisbane and took time to be entertained by the many Buskers out and about! So much talent lurking on the streets of Brizzie!

The day was crowned with a lovely dinner of steaks and VB (Victoria Bitters) beer!

Needless to say that after all the walking and fresh air, we were exhausted once we returned back to Broadbeach (Brisbane is about 1.5 hours drive from Broadbeach). Regent makes this treck three days a week!

Beautifull flower gardens in the middle of the city!

Market view! So much local talent !

Our AHA moment

We had been seeing people on bikes that had put many inverted tie-wraps on their helmets and we could not figure out why! So, as usual, our kind Guru of everything Aussie, a.k.a . Anthony, sent us the following information:

For most of the year magpies are not aggressive, but for four to six weeks during nesting they will often defend their territory vigorously. People walking past may be seen as 'invaders' of the territory, prompting the magpies to fly low and fast over the person clacking their bills as they pass overhead.

The experience of a magpie attack can be quite alarming, but it is usually only a warning. Only occasionally will a bird actually strike the intruder on the head with its beak or claws. If this unusual behaviour persists, there are ways of reducing the risk of physical injury to humans.

If a magpie swoops at you:
Walk quickly and carefully away from the area, and avoid walking there when magpies are swooping (elementary my dear Watson!).

Make a temporary sign to warn other people (personally, I'm getting myself out of there!).

Magpies are less likely to swoop if you look at them. Try to keep an eye on the magpie, at the same time walking carefully away (ah yes, that true protective armour when it comes to the animal kingdom...eye contact!). Alternatively, you can draw or sew a pair of eyes onto the back of a hat, and wear it when walking through the area. You can also try wearing your sunglasses on the back of your head (o.k., so that one is my favorite!).

Wear a bicycle or skateboard helmet. Any sort of hat, even a hat made from an ice cream container or cardboard box, will help protect you. Or, (this one was not in the article, but was admittedly figured out by a lot of people!) put 2 dozen inverted tie wraps sticking up from your bicycle helmet to confuse the birds!).

Carry an open umbrella, or a stick or small branch, above your head but do not swing it at the magpie, as this will only provoke it to attack (I think this one is a might risky...in my book it's a thin line between holding above your head and giving the impression that you are attacking!).

If you are riding a bicycle when the magpie swoops, get off the bicycle and wheel it quickly through the area. Your bicycle helmet will protect you. Hopefully!

...and this is my suggestion, wear ear plugs because the critters are mighty LOUD!

The markets on the Gold Coast

One of the events this month on the Gold Coast is the 2009 Super GP (formally Gold Coast Indy) which will be held at Surfers Paradise from October 22nd to the 25th). Judging from the preparations occuring since over a month, this promises to be a really big event bringing many racing enthousiasts to the area!

Five minutes drive from our place, one will find the Carrara Markets, Queensland's biggest and best permanent markets open every Saturday and Sunday with free entry and free parking. The markets boast over 500 stalls, so if you dont find it here at a bargain price, then you really dont need it! There are even pony rides and face painting for the kids. Fun for all!

Every first and third Sunday of the month at the Park in Broadbeach, one can find an Art and Craft Market magically set up in the early morning hours to admire and perhaps acquire the work of the local artists and crafters. Here one can find a lovely piece of artwork or jewellerie, can have ones fortune read, buy some locally grown fruits and veggies, bakery items, plants, home or bush remedies. Very interesting.

On Sunday morning, Regent and I drove to Coolangatta which is the most southern Gold Coast suburb, bordering New South Wales and Tweed Heads which is the most northern NSW suburb. The surfing beaches here are stunning and the headland at Coolangatta is truly breathtaking! We parked the car and walked the beach for many kilometres enjoying the scenery and some great people watching as these beaches are widely enjoyed by many locals and tourists alike. Very Zen!

We may have gone ahead and spent some of our kids inheritence, but not all of it... yet! Dont worry, be happy!

Adventure can be an end in itself.

This is a picture of a happy couple on the beach. What cannot be seen however is what makes happyness absolute perfection! This level of nirvana can only be reached when all the elements that give us pleasure are present: the Sun, the sand, the waves, the day free of stress and worries, Veronique, Stephan, Lee Ann, Alicia, Joanie, Gord, Heather, Pascal, Alexandre.

Our fondest wish is that you could all be here sharing this experience with us! Now that picture would be absolutely P-E-R-F-E-C-T happyness!!!Crikey!!!