Up Before the Sun

Hello -how are you today.
We were up bright and early this morning, even before the sun started peeping over the horizon. We went for our normal walk down into the city and along the riverbank walkway.  It looks so pretty in the early morning light.

Then over the Victoria Bridge, where I managed to get a photo of the engine which used to drive the swing mechanism.

It looks like broad daylight, but that is just my camera taking good shots for me. The engine is right underneath the bridge. This photo is looking back under the bridge showing the bearings which were used to swing the bridge when it was working. Many years ago now.

Then we walked back through the city, which has an early morning sense of getting ready for business feel to it. There are still security guards cruising around with spotlights looking for trouble spots, although we have never seen any.  The street cleaner machine is scrubbing the footpaths making them all clean and fresh for a new day. The coffee places are setting out tables and chairs with chatter and a clatter.  The streets are still pretty deserted so I stood in the middle of the road and took a photo along Flinders St.  My camera makes it look like broad daylight, but the street lights are still on.

Now it is time for me to have breakfast and see what adventures I can find today.
I hope you are enjoying my strolls around Townsville.. Not much longer here and we will be home again.  Have a happy day.

Long Sunny Days

Our course went well - quite interesting, but the thing that really amazed us were the people attending the course and some of the stories they told.  Night life in Townsville is probably no different to night life anywhere else, but it is certainly different to when I was young.

We have resumed our normal routines again. R goes off to work in the morning and I potter through the day, taking walks to interesting places.

This was the sun peeping over the hill yesterday morning.  Must still be a lot of smoke in the air.
I went out to get myself some lunch and decided to walk through the gardens on my way home, but they had the sprinklers going, so I wasn't able to go far.  A little panda was sitting on a rock all by himself so I stopped to say hello.

I did some more work on the crochet blanket I am making.  I sit in the unit with the door open listening to the birds and planes.  There is always something to watch around here and I don't get bored at all.

This morning there was so much fog or smoke about that we could hardly see Magnetic Island, but when we returned from our walk, there it was. Still in the same place..

We walked over to South Townsville and along Palmer St with all the restaurants, then back across Victoria Bridge and up the hill to home.  The air was so still and it was calm and peaceful. One or two stragglers on their way home, but quite a few early morning walkers, bikers and joggers too. We came across a huge parking area empty apart from one car and one bicycle.  Obviously gets full of vehicles sometimes, but we were please to saunter through and watch the sunlight filter through the trees

It is hard to believe that we have been here for over 2 weeks now and in another week will be winging our way back to Brisbane.  I am looking forward to seeing Mark. He is flying over from San Diego and will visit with us for a few short days before flying on to Sydney.  I just hope that Quantas can get the baggage handler strike sorted out and that it doesn't stop us from getting home in time to see Mark.

I hope you all have a pleasant weekend. Don't eat too many sugar buns. They are addictive you know and you can't stop at just one. (giggle)

Thanks for joining me in Townsville. I'll see you again soon

Downtown

It was such a beautiful afternoon yesterday I decided to go for a walk downtown. The shops in the central city are not up to much but there were plenty of people out walking.

I strolled along the main street and found my way to The Strand, where there are some lovely old buildings.

The Customs House, on the Strand opposite Anzac Park, was completed in 1902. It is rumoured that several tunnels, used in WWII, emanate from the building, one going to the nearby Queens Hotel

The Queens Hotel, on The Strand, was built in stages between 1903 and 1925 and was for many years the finest hotel in North Queensland.

Wandering happily along I found the Rock Pool, which is a water park and now I know just where to take Kz when she arrives. Lots of people were having barbecues and relaxing with their families and friends.

I went shopping at Bi-Lo and treated myself to a strawberry crush.

A different point of view this morning. The lights are still on if you can spot them.

Still some smoke about this morning and the city was a bit like the remains of a party. Quite a few people seemed to be on their way home from the night before, but all happy enough in their own little world.  The Flinders Markets were just being set up as we walked through. Lots of fruit and vege stalls were already open, but the rest seemd to be taking their own time about opening.  Although it was only just after 6.00 am, so perhaps they don't open that early.

This is the hill we walk down to get into town. Doesn't look very steep, does it? Just wait until you walk up it.

The boat harbour looked stunning with its clear reflections of the boats and sky.

Castle Hill was catching the sun again.

This is taken looking north along the foreshore.It is a very pretty place.

And this is the hill we have to walk up to get home.  Let me tell you "It is quite steep".

There have been helicopters and planes flying around all morning. Quite noisy but sort of in the background so you don't notice after a while.

I hope you had a relaxing Sunday morning too. Thank you for stopping by today. Come back again soon.