21st July 2012
Waking up late, after a good day of sightseeing Brisbane, I decided to spent a good while in the city’s most peaceful place:
The City Botanic Gardens.
Easily accessible by any form of transport, you are simply transported from the busy humdrum of the city into a tranquil area made solely for your relaxation.
Mounds of grassy fields interspersed with flowerbeds detailing all the exotic plants and trees can be found where the eye can see. As I sprawled out on the grass unknowingly getting my trousers damp (hopefully not by a recent dog wee) I stared up at the blue skies and played cloud shapes, I swear I saw one that looked like the Sydney Opera House, you just could not feel concerned with the stresses of travel. Here I am in winter and it’s sunny, warm and absolutely beeeeeeeautiful.
Don’t forget to check out the garden cafe that makes a mean milkshake. I loved this cafe especially with the hottie serving. I’m surprised the milkshake didn’t fully melt when she was making it. After a good length of eye contact flirting, I went up to her to pay the bill, leant forward and huskily asked with the infamous eyebrow waggling of mine..’do you know where the toilet is?’ laughing she pointed me in my way.
Why not a date? Sometimes it’s better left to the imagination.
After a good afternoon of this and watching a footy game in action in New Farm in which 2 babies confused me with their mothers, I went back to the house. Beech, Smera and I settled down to watch a Kiwi film that you have to watch before entering New Zealand.
It’s called ‘Once Were Warriors’.
It’s a pretty harrowing film about the state of Maori people who have gone from their ancestral homes to settle in ghettos full of domestic abuse and drink. It’s not for the faint hearted and I did find myself literally shell shocked at the emotions pouring out of me. I had to excuse myself for a minute, it was that powerful. But I’m glad I did watch it as not only its a powerful work of fiction but it did give me an insight of Maori culture. Piqued with interest in New Zealand, I downloaded some guides for my time in New Zealand. It’ll be a very cultural experience I hope.
With deep thoughts, I retired to bed hoping the Maoris haven’t destroyed themselves despite the intense tribal wars of the last few hundred of years.