Riverfire

One of the highlights in the calendar has to be Riverfire, the annual celebration of the River City, which usually kicks off the Brisbane Festival. This year they reversed the plans and closed the three-week art spectacular with the massive firework display. This is now the third largest firework display in Australia and featured more than 100 different types of pyrotechnic effects

With a crowd of 500,000 (and more watching live on TV), 4500 fireworks weighing 11,000 kgs lit up the night sky and the bridges. 

This year, in keeping with the Riverfire theme, they even had fireworks coming out of the river! I wonder how they do that?

Don't Look Into The Laser!

Well, I hope it's OK to look at these lasers which were all part of the nightly laser light shows that 'performed' over the three weeks of the Brisbane Festival. The barge in the middle of the river created the massive curtains of water spray that acted as the screens for the lights, along with huge beams of light that played over the night sky from the tower blocks of the CBD. All of this with a soundtrack which at times was stirring, and other times more like a dirge...I guess you can't have everything. No matter what the music was like, the light show was spectacular.

Lanterns

The cultural forecourt on South Bank hosted a display of Chinese lanterns as part of the Brisbane Festival. I have no idea what is written on the lanterns but I can only hope it was all good! You can just make out the Wheel of Brisbane at the back.   

Night Lights

At night the sphere is illuminated by ever-changing LED lights with ethereal music emanating from somewhere within the stand. It's not hard to see why this has been such a popular art installation, albeit temporary. Personally I'd love to see it here permanently.

Mirror Ball

Not from outer-space, but a sphere covered with various sized mirrors. This is one of the most popular interactive art installations that was here for the Brisbane Festival. Sitting beside the Brisbane River and reflecting everything around it, it has been a massive draw-card. If you think it looks good now, you should see it at night!

War Of The Worlds?

"No one would have believed, in the last years of the nineteenth century, that human affairs were being watched from the timeless worlds of space. No one could have dreamed that we were being scrutinized as someone with a microscope studies creatures that swarm and multiply in a drop of water. Few men even considered the possibility of life on other planets. And yet, across the gulf of space, minds immeasurably superior to ours regarded this earth with envious eyes, and slowly and surely, they drew their plans against us."

"War of the Worlds"  ~ H.G.Wells ~

(I'll show you more over the next few days and tell you what it is).

Blue Dress, Yellow Socks

The Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers is more than gardens and beautiful blooms. As the name suggests there is a great carnival atmosphere with amusements and rides, food, music and dancing. 

But there was no getting away from the floral theme with cheerful flower prints on the dresses.

Reflection

The waning blooms of the azaleas in the Japanese Gardens in Toowoomba oozing peace and calm. Hope your week is calm and peaceful.

Carnival of Flowers (2)

I really wish that there was such a thing as a 'smell-o-blog', because the scent of the flowers was amazing, especially this magnificent tunnel of wisteria. As you can see it was the perfect place to sit a while to enjoy it and to escape the searing heat.

Carnival of Flowers (1)

If you take a 90 min drive west from Brisbane, you come to Toowoomba, nicknamed the 'Garden City'. At this time of year it's not hard to see why it has that accolade. Every September, the city has the Carnival of Flowers, the longest running floral event of its kind in Australia. Sunday turned out to be an absolutely perfect day with wall-to-wall sunshine and temps of 29c. 

Seasonal Protection

Sitting in the southern hemisphere, March 1st ushers in the first day of autumn, not that you'd know it by the late burst of hot dry weather we are having. Whilst walking through the city the other day I noticed this decorated tree in King George Square which needed closer inspection. This is the Martenitza tree, a gift to the city and people of Brisbane from the Bulgarian community and is significant on March 1st, Martenitza's Day. The first of March is a celebration of life, hope and good spirits, and this tradition can be traced back 8000 years to the Balkan region.

Red is the colour of fire, blood and the symbol of life associated with the woman. White is the symbol of purity, the colour of the cold snow, foamy waters, the clouds, and also of man's wisdom. The twisted red and white threads of the Martenitza bring health, happiness and protect from evil according to the ancient tradition.

Hope you all have good health and happiness, wherever you are.