Have been wanting to write about my wonderful time in Brisbane for long but somehow I am just carried away with my busy schedule or maybe I have lost the passion of writting. (Excuse.... :P). So, here it goes ... let me present Brisbane Brisbane - Part 1.
Getting to Brisbane from Gold Coast
If you have followed my previous blog on Gold Coast, you should have known how Queenland's transportation works. Yes, Brisbane is in zone 1 and to travel to Brisbane from Gold Coast, you need travel pass that covers zone 14 to zone 1 (Single = $10.20; Daily = $20.40; Offpeak daily = $15.30). From Surfers Paradise, I boarded Bus 745 in front of the bus station situated next to Cosmopolitan Resort in Surfers Paradise to Nerang train station. Then, took north-bound train towards Brisbane.
Accomodation
Looking for good accomodation deals in Brisbane is challenging as it is commerce centre of Queensland. Luckily, a friend recommended me a great online tool ( http://www.hotelscombined.com/ ) that has helped me in landing on a great deal. In fact this site has served me right so much so that I want to point a cool feature that I really like to see is the "progress bar that increases from 0% to 100%. What I really give thumb-up is this tool looks up all the available accomodation deals on Internet and summarizes all these deals for me!!!
A Glance of Brisbane City
Brisbane is a beautiful river-side city with much to offer. I like the cleanliness of the city and her harmonious coexistence of urban life and greenish gardens. If London has the famous Hyde Park, Brisbane's answer is Roma Street Parkland.
If you have followed my previous blog on Gold Coast, you should have known how Queenland's transportation works. Yes, Brisbane is in zone 1 and to travel to Brisbane from Gold Coast, you need travel pass that covers zone 14 to zone 1 (Single = $10.20; Daily = $20.40; Offpeak daily = $15.30). From Surfers Paradise, I boarded Bus 745 in front of the bus station situated next to Cosmopolitan Resort in Surfers Paradise to Nerang train station. Then, took north-bound train towards Brisbane.
Accomodation
Looking for good accomodation deals in Brisbane is challenging as it is commerce centre of Queensland. Luckily, a friend recommended me a great online tool ( http://www.hotelscombined.com/ ) that has helped me in landing on a great deal. In fact this site has served me right so much so that I want to point a cool feature that I really like to see is the "progress bar that increases from 0% to 100%. What I really give thumb-up is this tool looks up all the available accomodation deals on Internet and summarizes all these deals for me!!!
A Glance of Brisbane City
Brisbane is a beautiful river-side city with much to offer. I like the cleanliness of the city and her harmonious coexistence of urban life and greenish gardens. If London has the famous Hyde Park, Brisbane's answer is Roma Street Parkland.
Roma Street Parkland (Est: 1-2hrs)
First of all, don't be deceived by the name of the park. Ha ha.. The park has nothing to do with Rome... :) However, it has everything to do with sub-tropical garden. In fact, Roma Street Parkland is the world's largest sub-tropical garden in an urban environment. The park is within 5 minutes from Roma Street Station. The picture below outlines how I strolled around the garden. Frankly speaking, I wasn't impressed by this park until I reached Point A & B. These two areas offer vast variety of sub-tropic plants with scientific names for brainy ones. Recently, I found out that I miss an important section of Roma Street Parkland - Spectacle Garden at the centre of the park (Point G). In fact, I would recommend my reader to spend more time in Spectacle Garden. Check out http://www.carlngray.com.au/panorama/rsp_spectacle/index.htm and you will know why I said so.
First of all, don't be deceived by the name of the park. Ha ha.. The park has nothing to do with Rome... :) However, it has everything to do with sub-tropical garden. In fact, Roma Street Parkland is the world's largest sub-tropical garden in an urban environment. The park is within 5 minutes from Roma Street Station. The picture below outlines how I strolled around the garden. Frankly speaking, I wasn't impressed by this park until I reached Point A & B. These two areas offer vast variety of sub-tropic plants with scientific names for brainy ones. Recently, I found out that I miss an important section of Roma Street Parkland - Spectacle Garden at the centre of the park (Point G). In fact, I would recommend my reader to spend more time in Spectacle Garden. Check out http://www.carlngray.com.au/panorama/rsp_spectacle/index.htm and you will know why I said so.
Roma Street Parkland
Brisbane Museum (Est 1hr, Free Entrance)
Next destination is Brisbane Museum at the west side of the Brisbane City and is accessible by using train. Just board on a train from Roma Street Station to South Brisbane Station. Of course, Brisbane Museum is not as famous as Louvre Museum of Paris or Bristish Museum of London, but it is worth a stroll to understand more about the early day and development of Australian both white people and aborgines. At the entrance of Museum is a huge dinosour. The museum lives up to Australia's reputation of having a land blessed with exquiste range of animals by exhibiting animals and creature from various species in evolution manner as proposed by Mr Darwin. Truly it is a just a theory with many flaws if you are too examine it closely. :)
What drew my attention is a small boat called "Acrohc Australis" that circumnavigate the globe starting from Brisbane to Brisbane in 1987. Check it out http://www.acrohc.com/
Next destination is Brisbane Museum at the west side of the Brisbane City and is accessible by using train. Just board on a train from Roma Street Station to South Brisbane Station. Of course, Brisbane Museum is not as famous as Louvre Museum of Paris or Bristish Museum of London, but it is worth a stroll to understand more about the early day and development of Australian both white people and aborgines. At the entrance of Museum is a huge dinosour. The museum lives up to Australia's reputation of having a land blessed with exquiste range of animals by exhibiting animals and creature from various species in evolution manner as proposed by Mr Darwin. Truly it is a just a theory with many flaws if you are too examine it closely. :)
What drew my attention is a small boat called "Acrohc Australis" that circumnavigate the globe starting from Brisbane to Brisbane in 1987. Check it out http://www.acrohc.com/
Strolling Along Brisbane South Bank (2hr)
If London has Thames River then Brisbane has a much cleaner and beautiful Brisbane River. Yes, a stroll along the south bank of Brisbane River is simply splendid and relaxing. Brisbane Skyline is beautiful in the summer with the reflection of the sunshine from the glassy windows of skyscrappers. Next to the museum connecting south bank to north bank is Victoria Bridge. It serves as the main bridge entering the city from the south-west. It is recommended to stroll along the south bank of Brisbane River from Victoria Bridge to Goodwill Bridge. Along this route you will be pleasantly surprised by the greenish and flowery archway near Griffith University. Yes, Brisbane South Bank is home to Griffith University city campus. One can also notices that metro boat makes multiple stops at small piers along the river just like what the motorized boat of Venice does along the Grand Canal. One day I would like to go to Venice with you....
What really impresses me is the man-made South Bank Beach. The pool is nicely maintained with life-guard support. Although I didn't swim in it, I would imagine that swimming in the pool will give the horizon that the pool extends towards the Brisbane River. Cool!!! Being hungry from a day-walk, Juan and I decided to pick up Kebab. We go for South Bank Kebab! Haha..
Victoria Bridge
Griffith University
South Bank Beach & River Bistro Area
South Bank Kebab. Yummmmm...
Be watchful for artistic boxes
The museum is visible from Good Will Bridge that was built in commeration of 2000. Unless you are really a big fan of warcraft, you may just took a pictures of them from the Good Will Bridge.
Goodwill Bridge
Walking across Goodwill Bridge gave a feeling of crossing the Millenium Bridge of Thames River. Yup, both of these bridges were constructed to commerate Y2K. Wow, time really flies and it is already 8 years since then. Beware that the traffic of the bridge is splitted into 2 halves and make sure you are at the right lane. I mean left lane i.e. right=correct. :p Just playing with words here... :p
Chilly and Scenic View of Brisbane Skyline
City Botanic Garden
This garden is something like a miniature garden of London Hyde Park. I guess I shouldn't use miniature. Smaller is more appropriate. Yup, this botanical garden reminds me of Hyde Park because of those monuments there. Wait a minute, the fact that this garden has extensive Mangrove Broadwalk makes it more "botanical" than Hyde Park. Haha... ya, for those who have not seen Mangrove, probably it is worth a walk to look at huge mangrove trees with wide-spread roots plunged vertically onto the ground. Frankly, Mangrove farm in Sepetang, Perak will have much more to offer. :)
This garden is something like a miniature garden of London Hyde Park. I guess I shouldn't use miniature. Smaller is more appropriate. Yup, this botanical garden reminds me of Hyde Park because of those monuments there. Wait a minute, the fact that this garden has extensive Mangrove Broadwalk makes it more "botanical" than Hyde Park. Haha... ya, for those who have not seen Mangrove, probably it is worth a walk to look at huge mangrove trees with wide-spread roots plunged vertically onto the ground. Frankly, Mangrove farm in Sepetang, Perak will have much more to offer. :)
Mangrove Walk & Dragon Tree
Entrance of City Botanic Garden
Brisbane Central Business District
Central Business Districts (CBD) is a collection of Modern Skyscrappers offering business lots and luxurious hotel accomodation for business travellers. The southern most tip of CBD is City Botanic Garden mentioned earlier. If every city has a famous bridge, then, Brisbane has more story to tell because she has Story Bridge. As I was running along the Story Bridge during my stay there, I noticed runners are found along Story Bridge and South Bank which offers excellent runner lane. My running friends, don't forget to bring your gear. The run along South Bank from Story Bridge towards Good Will Bridge offers excellent golden view of Brisbane skyline in the evening. 2008 Valentine's Day, I ran along this route and saw lovey dovey couple laying down on fields along the river bank enjoying wine in laughters with roses. How romantic!!!
Central Business Districts (CBD) is a collection of Modern Skyscrappers offering business lots and luxurious hotel accomodation for business travellers. The southern most tip of CBD is City Botanic Garden mentioned earlier. If every city has a famous bridge, then, Brisbane has more story to tell because she has Story Bridge. As I was running along the Story Bridge during my stay there, I noticed runners are found along Story Bridge and South Bank which offers excellent runner lane. My running friends, don't forget to bring your gear. The run along South Bank from Story Bridge towards Good Will Bridge offers excellent golden view of Brisbane skyline in the evening. 2008 Valentine's Day, I ran along this route and saw lovey dovey couple laying down on fields along the river bank enjoying wine in laughters with roses. How romantic!!!
Places for shopping and souvenirs in Brisbane would be the famous Queen Street. Don't miss the bargain!
Story Bridge
Left: Customs House Right: Eagle Street Pier
Left: City Hall Right: Albert St. Uniting Church
China Town at Brunswick Street
2008 Chinese New Year was something like 2004 Chinese New Year. Yes, I was abroad in London and Brisbane. Celebrating CNY in abroad was always special for me because seriously I think the atmosphere in chinatown is lifelier than what I have in my hometown. Of course, I miss my family back-home. The only consolation I have is the wushu show presented by foreigners in centre of Chinatown. Frankly, the food offered here was really excellent as compared to what I have in London Chinatown. To me, this chinatown is more like oriental town with restaurant spread from Hong Kong to Penangite, Vietnamese to Japanese. Chinatown was a busy place to be during CNY. I am particularly surprised to find that local Australian are fervent of this event. Wow...
Finally, I managed to complete my Brisbane write-up after I have been there 9 months ago. This write-up is not the best that I have ever written but it surely serves a good overview of what this clean business hub has to offer...
