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.

Proof!

"We have no proof, But if we extrapolate, based on the best information we have available to us, we have to come to the conclusion that ... other life probably exists out there and perhaps in many places..."

~ Neil Armstrong, Astronaut ~

Take A Walk On The Wild Side

Reminiscent of something from "War of the Worlds", this metal figure stands harmlessly in the city surveying all that he (or she) observes from it's lofty viewpoint. 

Be Calm.

No matter how much I tell myself that the week ahead will be good, I know that it is going to be hectic. Perhaps some calm reflection and a few moments of 'time out' to relax will be needed. This is in the Japanese Garden at Mt Coot-tha gardens. Hope you all have a great week ahead and manage to keep your stress levels low. Happy Monday!

Arbour (2)

The medusa-like tendrils of the Arbour stretching up towards the Wheel of Brisbane. 

Arbour (1)

With it's snake like structure, the Grand Arbor in South Bank gently winds it's way for about 1km through these hugely popular and lovely parklands. The individually designed steel 'tendrils' form an arch with bougainvillea growing up and along the wires, creating some shade from the harsh summer sun.

Suburban Sky

Friday has rolled around and the weekend looms. Current weather warnings mean that we might not see a clear sky like this for a few days! Have a great weekend everyone.

TSB #1

You may well ask what TSB stands for. This is one of them. A traffic signal box, and they are dotted all over Brisbane and the suburbs controlling the sequence of traffic lights and pedestrian crossings. These drab, grey boxes are often a target for graffiti and in a bid to discourage vandals, the city council set up the initiative to allow artists to apply to paint them. They are a great outlet for artists and certainly cheer up an otherwise boring metal box. I particularly like this one with it's take on a famous Australian poem 'My Country' by Dorothea MacKellar.

I love a sunburnt country,
A land of sweeping plains,
Of ragged mountain ranges,
Of droughts and flooding rains.
I love her far horizons,
I love her jewel-sea,
Her beauty and her terror
The wide brown land for me!



Water Flower

Fountains in the courtyard of the museum taken a while back. There has been a lot of renovation work so I'm not sure if they are still there. I love the way they look like huge dandelions. Time to re-visit.

What Lies Beneath?

Although totally harmless, there is no way I want to be in the water with these blue blubber jellyfish. Despite their name they can be creamy white or brown, and seem to get more blue the further north you go. At least we don't get the deadly jellyfish in our waters. These were pulsating around in great swarms. UGH! 

Seadog

I somehow suspect that he wasn't really an old seadog, but rather wanted to feel a part of the crowds watching the Queen Mary 2. I wonder if his whole experience was seen through a view-finder!

Royal Palaces?

Whilst waiting in the late afternoon sun for the Queen Mary 2 to slip berth,  the Sun Princess gracefully sailed by, setting off on her cruise of the Pacific. Where would you like to be sailing off to?

The Queen is in town!

If you followed the eyes of everyone yesterday, this is what you would have seen. RMS Queen Mary 2 sailed into Brisbane on one of her stops as she circumnavigates Australia. Hundreds and hundreds of people came out to see this magnificent liner, the largest ship to visit the city. This small girl wasn't caught up in the hype and was more intent on playing along the shore.

Oooh! Look, Over There

What am I supposed to be looking at? Come back tomorrow to find out. 

Cabbage Tree Creek

Boondall was formerly known as Cabbage Tree Creek, which is the main waterway of the wetlands. There is a small residential area near the creek and as you can see, mooring for some boats. As nice as it looks, the mosquitoes were just too much for me this day. There is a mosquito spraying programme which keeps everyone safe and apparently still maintains the bio-diversity in the area for the wildlife to survive, and not to upset the food chain significantly.