A friend's parents who we have met live in the Q1 building, so I immediately took a phone snap and sms'd it to her. "Guess where we are?" I was doubtful about the views until we reached the observation floor. The views were terrific and if it was the last day of our visit I would know more of what we were seeing. Looking north with Nerang River to the left.
Zoomed a bit, still looking north.
A closer view to the immediate north.
Now looking south with the tram line wriggling its way along.
To the west.
Grace, how are you feeling so far? Have I tipped you over the edge now with these mad folk on the outsiide of the building? Pun not meant.
Looks like a horse racing course.
A sign informed us that the Gold Coast has nine times the length of canals in comparison to Venice.
There is our hotel. We needed a cold drink and we were a bit hungry. An iced coffee would have done, but the only close option was a coffee frappe for the outrageous price of $8 each.
A camera or recording of the external lift roof view shows the lift travel while you are within the lift.
Back on the ground, we walked back to our hotel along The Esplanade
The building with the mast to left is Q1, where we had just been. The one in the foreground is called Soul.
Soul is close to the beach front and by 3pm was already shadowing the beach.
I forget what the kiddies were doing, but they were have fun.
Lifesavers had zoomed along the water to a halfway point, left the boat and were having a word with a couple standing on the beach. I don't know why. Maybe something has been stolen.
The late afternoon shadows were lengthening as this old car passed by.
We had decided to visit the casino for dinner and spend a dollar or two in pokie machines. The tram took us there with a helpful announcement where to alight, which I already knew. But once off the tram, there was no indication. I had already checked where the building was, off to the right of this photo. Look, a monorail, but how to catch it? What a useless piece of infrastructure, surely privately owned.
Maybe there are some useful monorails in the world, but I have never come across one.
I wasn't sure about this walk way, or how to get to the beginning of it. Instead we used a footpath which in a way was better as we saw bats and heard strange bird noises. I later overheard that either is the same distance.
The casino, like most, was gaudy and glitzy. We had an ok meal with what I must say was excellent service. I chose nasi goreng, which came not mixed together like I am used to, but in separate parts, piled onto fried rice with condiment on the side. My $5 pokie investment returned $25. R's $20 investment returned -$20.
We caught the tram back to Q1 for a quick circuit of the observation deck.
We walked back to the hotel and strolled along Cavill Avenue mall.
This was outside our hotel. I was not the only one to take a photo. I think we see more of this style of American car in Australian in a week than we did for the whole of our Canada/US visit.
Bicycle rickshaws for hire come out at night, always playing music, often reggae. Our taxi driver for the airport trip disliked them with some vehemence.
The view from Q1 is more interesting than I would have imagined.
ReplyDeleteVictor, I would not recommend such a view in Melbourne and to a lesser extend Sydney, but form Q1 we really saw what the Gold Coast is all about.
DeleteAnd the memories come flooding back. We have those rickshaw here in Cairns too.
ReplyDeleteCarol, not when I was last there. They come and go in Melbourne, but perhaps they are sustainable transport in QLD.
DeleteThat view is something else. What a beautiful place. I don't know if I'd like to watch that screen showing down as you ascend Q1 to the observation deck. Yikes. All those canals, are there ride boats for hire along them, like in Venice? Even if useless, that monorail looks fabulous.
ReplyDeleteStrayer, while the canals and boats are nothing like what you would see in Venice, yes, there are boats and no reason why you could not punt around, following the river travel laws. I am a bit annoyed with myself that I don't know about the monorail. I have a vague recollection that it was shut down for a time. Anyway, we did cruise on the canals, as you will read in a day or two.
DeleteWhat an amazing view, in the day time or at night. It could be incredible to watch a storm from there too.
ReplyDeleteI suspect that lift view would be too much for me though.
For some reason the smaller portion is often given the senior's discount at the fruit market. He isn't entitled to it, and doesn't ask for it, but it appears on the docket...
EC, you have spoilt my surprise. On the last evening there was a storm. Receiving the seniors discount is young people's perception of anyone over 50.
DeleteI qualify most places here now for the senior discount, but I forget to ask for it. It's really nice to get a little discount for making it this far.
DeleteWe've got a bicycle rickshaw here in Adelaide, just the one I think, it has the traditional canopy. That's a lovely area you visited, I liked seeing the ocean in the first few photos. Hooray for a pokies win! but poo on a coffee being $8 just because it has a fancy name. Like EC, I imagine watching a storm from up there would be spectacular.
ReplyDeleteRiver, I may add some extra ocean views in subsequent posts just for you. At home we stand on a beach and look afar to Tasmania. You look to the Antarctica, but there we looked we looked across the Pacific to America.
DeleteGreat view from that tall building. Transport sounds very expensive but then I'm used to free travel. The bicycle rickshaws in London are the biggest rip off going. They charge by the minute and with the dense traffic we have here you can imagine the astronomical amounts they are charging. Am enjoying all the photos look forward to some more. Off to Vienna tomorrow for a few days.
ReplyDeleteMarie, yes cheap travel for you, you being a pensioner and all with a bus pass. The tram was cheap. The taxis cheaper than at home. Rickshaws in London? For goodness sake, use The Tube. Yes, saw elsewhere you are off to Vienna. Vienna, Budapest or Cologne, it is as hard call as to which is my favourite. I guess you have been there already and seen St Stephen's so do try strudel with vanilla sauce outdoors. Err, but how is the pound against the euro now? Don't worry about it.
DeleteI'm drooling here! Strudel with vanilla sauce! my mum used to make it for Sunday Dessert.
DeleteRiver, it is hard to imagine better strudel than we had in Vienna. I would hate to remember how many euro it cost. But Mum's strudel made with her own loving hands must have been pretty good.
DeleteGood view from up there.
ReplyDeleteI haven't been on a tram for years, when I was about 10 in Hobart when I lived there.
Interesting about the canals being longer than Venice's...there sure are a lot up in Surfers..
Margaret, in the kindest manner, that was a long time ago. Photos of Hobart's now dismantled tram system pop up on the net every so often and I guess you know there is a push to have a new light rail, but it is taking a long time to get off the ground.
DeleteI guess canals are quite easy to have when you build on swamp land.
Blimey.. and I just had my Ovaltine and Anzac bikki Andrew, thanks for the tummy lurch :) So many tall buildings along the coastline, not sure if I approve :)
ReplyDeleteGrace, apart from them shadowing the beach, their is little there to be spoilt by highrise and most of the more recent are of high quality.
DeleteAndrew, great photos and the tall buildings are impressive
ReplyDeleteGosia, it is like a forest of buildings.
DeleteOh, the joys of being a junior travelling with a senior!! Sometimes they'll give you the discount anyway, but I always say I'm an adult, although 'one senior and one junior' sounds better!! Makes me realise how long since I went to the GC - Q1 wasn't there when we last visited!
ReplyDeleteRed, even if not a senior, just say you are, in SP. I wonder why this is so? If you can cope with the slight embarrassment of not being able to produce your card if challenged, then why not.
Delete