Worlds Colliding
Just sitting down with a cuppa to plan out my arvo. I slept in a bit this morning and left for my
run at around 10:30. I headed the block
to the River and turned left, running along the north shore under the riverside
expressway along the CBD toward the Botanic Gardens. There were tons of people out running (as
well as biking and walking) as the weather was gorgeous. I went to pass a girl in a green hoodie
(which I took note of as being Tulane colored, and figured I would glance back
after passing on the off chance that that would actually happen). As soon as I passed, I didn’t even have a
chance to turn back before she called out to me. I turned around to see that it was in fact a
Tulane hoodie (School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine), and I slowed to
a walk, took out my earbuds, and we chatted a bit.
It turns out she had graduated last year, is from New Orleans, and was travelling a bit before heading back to California to look for a job. After the quick chat, I continued on (she had just finished her run) through the gardens and out along the river walk along the other side of the CBD (the CBD is on a narrow peninsula – the Brisbane River is just as twisted as the Mississippi around New Orleans). I rounded a turn in the River and discovered the Story Bridge (the fanciest, and oldest I believe, of the bridges in Brisbane), spanning between cliffs which had risen on both sides of the River. After snapping a few pictures, I ran up the streets of the city to the top of the cliff, crossing over the River via the bridge. Once on the southern bank, I continued my trip back along the River, getting to the point where we had dinner last night, and continuing all the way down to the State Library.
I went into the library to have a look around. It is a cool building raised above an open air community space which was abuzz with activity. The library spaces are all accessed off the five storey, open atrium (the climate in Queensland is very conducive to outdoor living). After heading to the top, I worked my way down, stopping at an exhibit about music in Queensland, which included some images and information about the 1988 World Expo Marching Band, which my band director at Tulane had helped lead.
From the library I went next door to the Queensland Art Gallery (QAG) and wandered through the galleries, before crossing back through the library to the Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA). The collections there included many indigenous contemporary installations, and I really enjoyed walking through! I left the Museum and took the Kurilpa Bridge back over the River to my hotel.
I think I am going to head out to Town Hall (recommended by some of the conference goers) and grab some lunch, before hopping the RiverCat (their ferry system) to explore until dark.
It turns out she had graduated last year, is from New Orleans, and was travelling a bit before heading back to California to look for a job. After the quick chat, I continued on (she had just finished her run) through the gardens and out along the river walk along the other side of the CBD (the CBD is on a narrow peninsula – the Brisbane River is just as twisted as the Mississippi around New Orleans). I rounded a turn in the River and discovered the Story Bridge (the fanciest, and oldest I believe, of the bridges in Brisbane), spanning between cliffs which had risen on both sides of the River. After snapping a few pictures, I ran up the streets of the city to the top of the cliff, crossing over the River via the bridge. Once on the southern bank, I continued my trip back along the River, getting to the point where we had dinner last night, and continuing all the way down to the State Library.
I went into the library to have a look around. It is a cool building raised above an open air community space which was abuzz with activity. The library spaces are all accessed off the five storey, open atrium (the climate in Queensland is very conducive to outdoor living). After heading to the top, I worked my way down, stopping at an exhibit about music in Queensland, which included some images and information about the 1988 World Expo Marching Band, which my band director at Tulane had helped lead.
From the library I went next door to the Queensland Art Gallery (QAG) and wandered through the galleries, before crossing back through the library to the Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA). The collections there included many indigenous contemporary installations, and I really enjoyed walking through! I left the Museum and took the Kurilpa Bridge back over the River to my hotel.
I think I am going to head out to Town Hall (recommended by some of the conference goers) and grab some lunch, before hopping the RiverCat (their ferry system) to explore until dark.
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