No post Christmas recovery for us. We walk up to Queen Street Mall again in search of breakfast. The Boxing Day sale crowds were building as the shops began to open.
Brisbane’s city centre feels large and impressive, but also a bit like some of the more modern parts of Singapore. The tropical heat and humidity certainly assists with that impression.
The others eat McDonalds for breakfast, I had a slice of Christmas cake in the hotel.
We buy some clothes from Uniqlo, browse a few other stores, hunt for a Malaysian cafe that turns out to be too fried to eat now. After more shopping and wandering it is now vaguely lunch time, so we try Roti Place.
The roti is crispy and sweet, the curry salty, the har mee spicy, the Hainanese chicken okay. My favourite is the oatmeal chicken.
On the way back to the hotel we stop by bookstores looking for the next book in a series for Alex. On the third try we locate a single copy.
It’s back to the hotel room for an afternoon sleep and a chance to catch up on the Boxing Day cricket test score.
The day is waning when we re-emerge and cross the river to the Southbank. It’s a lovely time to walk, huge tropical clouds framed by the city skyline.
We stroll along the southern riverbank. There is the Nepalese Peace Pavilion, from Expo ’88. Happy memories.
The lagoon pool is busy with kids splashing, adults sunbathing on the sand beside it. Alex regrets that he is too old now for the playgrounds and water play equipment. He would have loved it when he was younger.
It is time to find some dinner as rain spits down from a passing cloud. So many choices! After much wandering and indecision we settle on Olez a Spanish restaurant, choosing tapas and paella. It is quite delicious and a change from our usual cuisines.
Our path back to the hotel takes us further back along the river, past the illuminated MAGOMA museum of modern art and across the Kurilpa Bridge. The top of the bridge looks like the rigging of an old sailing vessel, the walkway could make for a great Star Wars set.
It is with relief and tired feet that we return to our room, having enjoyed both exercise and exploration of this northern capital.