-- From Redcliffe to Brisbane

The road tracklog 
From Redcliffe to Brisbane
from 2010/06/21 to 2010/06/27 

The day of Monday June 26 occurred at Power Protection Solutions -PPS-, importer of Fisher Panda and Mastervolt, to repair the Panda generator. The problem being more complex than envisaged the work continued the following day.

I returned to the camp-site where I have the surprise to have the visit of M & Mrs. Chenus great navigators round the World who invited me to dine in their bungalow at Scarborough Holiday Park. It was a pleasant evening between travellers.

The following day I spent the three quarters of the day at PPS to have the generator repaired. The weather was getting bad and the sky darkened with clouds. I returned to the camp-site around 3h30pm knowing that there is nothing to see in Redcliffe.

On Wednesday June 23 on the way towards Brisbane I was diverted to pay visit to a maker of body of truck and homecar to make repair water leakages in the cell, the recurring problem of the bellows of connection between the cabin and the cell – the accordion, the leakage of water to the window in the shower, the water infiltration between the double panes of a window and other trifles of the same kind. I had appointment next Wednesday  to evaluate the cost of work. Arrived in the late morning at Newmarket Gardens CP I installed my truck then I left for the centre town at approximately 4km as the crow flies. The first day in a new capital of State always begins same manner i.e. the discovery of the means of transport to take my marks. As usual the reception of the camp-site gave me the list of the buses and a map of the CBD. During my peregrinations I took some pictures of the city under a leaded sky. Initially General Post Office where I asked for the exact wording of the address for collection -Poste Restante-, then Tourist Office where I made the harvest of booklets, of lines of bus and train finally walking on I discovered three strange sculptures, not very beautiful, Australian contemporary art.

On Thursday June 24 was the first day of visit of Brisbane whose centre is in a meander Brisbane River with the grid directed streets out of almost North-South of which names are those of queens and princesses and East-West those of kings and princes of course of British Raj. By strolling I paid visit to the consular agency of France in Edward St where I was cordially welcomed. Then it was a trip of the old buildings wedged between modern buildings of glass and steel as in the other capitals. The vehicle traffic is fluid because parkings are expensive thus buses circulate easily. In unloading of that coming from Newmarket the City Hall imposes its Clock Tower of Italian style. The catholic St Stephen's Cathedral has very beautiful stained glasses.

Beside Brisbane Gardens were built official buildings of which Parliament that I visited with a guided turn.

Queensland University of Technology -QUT- gives to see a small museum of the contemporary art as well as works by the architect and professor Tom Heath.

Further on Old Government House of Norman style is funny by its rooms empty of furniture.

On the way towards Adelaide St to take a returned bus I stopped at the Commissariat Store Museum which was built in 1829 by convicts. The pavement of the Mall of Queen St is occupied by travelling acrobats of which a painter with paint sprays.

The following day I went to SDV, the French forwarding agent, to organize the sending of my truck to Japan after having visited New Zealand by leaving it in Australia. It took me one hour by bus from the CBD to the address of SDV. The bus driver indicated the stop to get off ans go there. I was accommodated very courteously by Customer Service who took note of my request and ensured me of the answer the next week. I returned to the city to pay some visits under a black sky of clouds threatening. The widest and most impressive building in Brisbane is the `Old Treasury Building transformed into place of restoration and spectacle.

By walking to King Edward Park I took a photograph of the Palace Hotel Hotel very representative of the architecture during the 19th century, balcony with cast iron veranda.

At the top of King Edward Park a Wind Mill is drawn up in its uselessness without wing.

Going back to Adelaide St to take a bus of return I discovered an electrical box painted to hide its hideous nudity, now it does not pass unperceived

On weekends the State capitals are abandoned to cyclists and to tourists, the first are morning whereas the seconds are later. In addition except some Stakhanovists of the culture the neighbourhoods are deserted, only Queen St Mall is animated. I began my pedestrian tour at Fortitude Valley whose LP promised a Saturday coloured market, it was rather skinny fellow. At side Chinatown was not more attracting, it was feeble. After a trip of the district without much interest in spite of an announced Bohemian character I moved towards the centre town by Ann St.

I made a detour to cross Story Bridge, little brother of Harbour Bridge in Sydney, to take pictures of the Skyline Brisbane River. The luminosity was not good.

I came back to Ann St to lengthily stop at the St John's Anglican Cathedral. It was built in 1888 according to a French Gothic architecture. The nave on cross of warhead is remarkable of smoothness. Modern stained glasses with the sharp colours attract the rays of the sun in the late afternoon such that the commemorating friendships between Australia and the USA which saved it a Japanese invasion. Moreover the alignment of the foreign politics of Australia testifies to the recognition.

Strolling towards City Botanical gardens I discovered a Customs House of traditional style with its dome and its Corinthian columns as well as urban sculptures blade reminiscence of Rodin.

The city Botanical gardens is established within the extreme point of the meander occupied by the CBD giving to see cliffs of Kangaroo Point. In this winter season, although Brisbane has a tropical climate, flora is not at its apogee. I finished this trip in Brisbane by a ride of the Goodwill Footbridge overhanging a little attended Maritime Museum.

This last Sunday from June was devoted to visit Queensland Cultural Centre made up of Queensland Art Gallery, of Queensland Gallery of Modern Art –GoMA– of Queensland Museum and of the State Library of Queensland without forgetting Queensland Performing Arts Centre. I spent several hours in this cultural complex of steel and concrete buildings. The unit is impressive as well by gathering European, Australian & Asiatic works. I noted that the French impressionists were represented with dignity that many sculptures of prolific Rodin occupied a place of choice.

GoMA presented a temporary exhibit of widely famous works by Ron Mueck, sculptures often naked which do not leave indifferent. The other buildings were traversed briefly. I returned to the camp-site under a tired threatening sky but the head full with artistic works. These visits always have a back taste of dissatisfaction by their speed and their superficiality.

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