Three Days in Queensland

Business this week took me to Brisbane and the Gold Coast this weekend. It was actually both business and pleasure by taking out some time to catch up with family members that have left Melbourne for the Gold Coast.

The business part was to visit our customers - we are contracted to supplying the merchandise for the Australian 2013 Scout Jamboree. 10,000 scouts arrive in Queensland in January 2013 for 10 days of activities and memories that should stay with the kids for a lifetime.

Both Friday and Saturday morning consisted of arranged meetings and then time was my own. I have my daughter who joined us in France during May, my 91 year old father and my sister all living on the Gold Coast now. They have all deserted Melbourne for the weather. If Saturday and Sunday are anything to go by, I can't blame them.
The weekend, even though we are in the middle of winter has been sunny, with cloudless blue skies. I even had to remove my pullover as it really was T-shirt weather.

Buildings like this are all along the Gold Coast - It's the glitz of the Gold Coast that seems to draw people here. Its why I would not consider living here however the weather, the hinterland out behind the coast at this time of the year is a great attraction.

The reflection shows main coast road - very Miami...

As luck would have it, the Gold Coast MG Car Club and their annual concours in the parklands overlooking the coast. I'd been reading the local newspaper when I read that the concours was on and so I just had to go.
My daughter Carly and I meandered down to the park and maybe sixty MGs across the many models were parked on the grass. Again the sun was shining, people were in shorts and short sleeve shirts. The sun bounced off the highly polished sports car of another era gone by.

The MGCC Gold Coast celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the release of the first MGB in 1962.

The lady on the microphone had some very unkind things to say about the Melbourne winter weather so I took her to task - I discovered she was ex-Melbourne. It seems that the Gold Coast might be a colony of Melbourne as I me so many people who had migrated from down south.

Later in the afternoon we had an invitation to visit some friends that had migrated from Victoria to the hills at the back of the Gold Coast. They sold their 1880s Melbourne two story Victorian Terrace Home and replaced it with a modern home on a huge block of land overlooking the city.

The husband is one of those engineering magicians that seem to put his hand to most things mechanical. You may remember me posting on my "MAN CAVE" but its nothing compared to his "Man Cave".

Barry and my father Jack stand by Barry's "Best in the World" Ford F100.

Barry's Man Cave - his Man Cave is 100 metres at the bottom end of his property.

The paint work on Barry's F100 is like looking into a mirror.

 His pride and joy is his unbelievably perfectly rebuilt Ford F100 truck. Now as you may know, my interests lean towards MGs and European classic cars however I was amazed at the detail and expertise that went to this restoration.

The weekend is coming to a close as a write this post and my time with family and perfect sunny weather will be replaced with the Melbourne winter and my office desk until my next visit.

This Wednesday's Post

During this week on Wednesday's in France, we go to Vienne - a city rich in Roman Architecture.