City of Brisbane - Revisited and Reunited

I feel suddenly sentimental and my mind is singing away as I picture myself  faraway in some romantic city with someone I love walking hand in hand on a cold and beautiful winter evening. Such pure bliss... just walking in grateful silence. Nestling close, with Paul Mauriat's interpretation of Bach's Toccata playing non-stop in the background.

Brisbane city where my heart will always be

I also posted my favourite classical composer, Mozart's pieces, Symphony No 40 and Andante to accompany my sentimental walk and that Corazon de Nino by Raul Di Blasio serves as fantastic food for my restless soul. And the sound of that baby whimpering in the background is tagging at my heart strings.

Music so beautiful is mind-calming and soul-appeasing. A world without music is a Sad World. 

 

A 

treasured view

A View of  Anzac Square from Sofitel's Coffee House

Brisbane Sofitel Central where I stayed

My recent visit to Brisbane (fondly referred to by locals as Brissy) and reunion with a dear old friend was a trip down memory lane. The city has been transformed into a vibrant place with creative urban redevelopment. Beautiful architecture and places of recreations and the arts. Casinos are mushrooming mostly patronised by wealthy Asians from Hong Kong and mainland China!



Somehow it is less than the Brisbane I used to know. Many familiar buildings are gone. A Pedestrian Mall has come out right on Queen St with underground tunnel and bus routes... I was kind of lost. Only the majestic Brisbane City Hall looked pleasingly recognisable and served as a landmark for me in the city where I spent nearly 10 years of my life. I studied at UQ ( Queensland University) at St Lucia.

The old City Hall building....  the square is an ice-skating  ring during winter

The new Brisbane Magistrates Court building on George St looked imposing. It wasn't there before. My UQ friend, now a member of Queensland Judiciary, took me to visit the building and I could not help noticing the high-tech security features guarding it. Walking in the transformed city I came to my old favourite departmental stores, Myers and David Jones  on Queen St that have taken on a totally new look upon mega rebuilding and renovation. Bayard, Cubana, McDonald and East have all gone....

New Brisbane Magistrate Court building with state of the art security

The city's landscape has changed as the sleepy south bank  has been redeveloped into an area for public to rest and play. An incredible array of recreation spots and creative designs are on display. There is a big new library, a modern art museum, a theatre complex, a performing arts centre, a gargantuan Ferris wheel like the London Eye and all kinds of restaurants dotting the area connected to the city by an artistic white bridge.


The city awoke to claim its place as another world's capital city following the hosting of the Commonwealth Games in 1982. They suddenly discovered that they could move faster... and as they say, the rest is history.


There were,by the way, no signs of the recent devastating floods of January 2011. The whole South Bank Complex, the City's Pride, was re-opened  just a week before our visit following a massive cleaning up by city folks with the Mayor himself scrubbing the floor of the underground car park by the Brisbane river. Just fancy that! The Lord Mayor, by the way, is celebrating his 100-day in office this week. The office is elected not appointed like in Malaysia.

Sofitel Coffee House.... memorable luncheon

 Lunch and afternoon tea at Sofitel and dinner at Sebel, how can I ever forget the joy of a reunion.

And Paul Mauriat's Toccata continues to play on ceaselessly in my mind.