Brisbane: Enchanted Land of Food Courts

We took it easy today and explored close to home. In the morning we visited the Queensland Museum and Science Centre.
Public Bug outside Queensland Museum The Science Centre is the Australian equivalent of a U.S. children’s museum. Many of the exhibits were similar to those I have seen at other children’s museums, with a focus on weather, physics, etc. But then again, science is science. Bret enjoyed it immensely. I found the exhibits on optical illusions most interesting.

Fruit Platter
Here is Bret decapitated with a side of pineapple and banana.

The main museum featured exhibits on Queensland’s history and natural resources. I’m amazed at the variety of critters in this part of the world.
Red-bellied Black Snake I am keeping a mental list of those animals I would like to see when we visit the Daintree rainforest next week and those I would just as soon remain hidden deep in the jungle (i.e. the taipan and the red-bellied black snake are among the latter).

I’ve noticed food courts are very popular in Brisbane. The larger train stations have them and downtown there were three food courts within a half of block. They are better than U.S. food courts, because while you can still get Subway and Quiznos, they also have sushi, imaginative salads, and Greek cuisine.

Except for a short drive to the Brisbane Forest Park to visit a nature walk, we kept the car in the car park today and used the train. We are staying at the Holiday Inn Brisbane. The best thing about the hotel is it is next to the Roma Street train station.
Roma Street Station This is the view from our room. The hotel staff is pleasant, the room is clean, and the breakfast buffet is overpriced. The Australian national women’s field hockey team is also staying here. Bret didn’t believe me at breakfast when I showed him a picture of one of the players in today’s newspaper and then told him she was standing behind him getting coffee. He wouldn’t even look.

Below is the picture of the day. What a concept. A dog washing service that makes house calls. Now that’s what we needed for Kody-the-dog, before he passed away.
Aussie Pooch