ANZAC Day & Kangaroo Point

Please note: Conor prepared blackened salmon, rice, roasted balsamic tomatoes, and steamed vegetables for dinner last Thursday evening. The photo (right) of this fabulous meal was blog-worthy. Delicious! For more photos of our dinner, apartment, and weekend adventures, visit: http://picasaweb.google.com/home

On Saturday, April 25 Australia and New Zealand celebrated ANZAC Day. Similar to Memorial Day or Veterans' Day in the United States, early Saturday morning, Australians set out to honor men and women who fought in battle, especially those who fought 94 years ago on the beaches of Gallipoli. Those men and women were known as ANZACS - their motto, others before self - and thus the name ANZAC Day. Since the holiday fell on a Saturday this year, the Queensland Government decided to commemorate on Saturday. There was a bit of controversy surrounding this decision, however - many Queenslanders were looking forward to another public holiday and additional paid day off.

Conor and I celebrated ANZAC Day by walking the streets of Brisbane in search of an open retailer - most shops were closed for the day though. We spent our morning at the West End market and stocked up on vegetables and home-made pastas. In preparation for our Kangaroo Point BBQ on Sunday, we bought way too much food and now have a refrigerator full of peppers, corn on the cob, and hot dog rolls. I must find a use for all of those rolls...

On Saturday evening we took the CityCat (water ferry) to Bulimba, a suburb of Brisbane located along the Brisbane River. It was a beautiful thirty minute boat ride. We had Mexican for dinner and poked around the shops and restaurants along Oxford Street. It was a great way to end a long day of walking...

On Sunday morning we were up and moving a little later than planned. I made macaroni and cheese, chocolate chip cookies, and cut up peppers and onions for our veggie (and non-veggie) sausage BBQ! Conor made guacamole and we brought along some fresh corn on the cob as well. We met up with a handful of friends around 1:00PM at Kangaroo Point. This particular piece of park is located along the South Bank of the Brisbane River. There is a large cliff (man-made) for rock climbers and picnic tables and gas grills for those who prefer to eat and watch. Kangaroo Point is a thin piece of land between the rock and river. It is an absolutely beautiful place to sit and relax. We ate and played Frisbee (with the help of one very nice kayaker, the Frisbee made it home with us at the end of the day). Conor even brought a rugby ball along and attempted to teach a few of us how to toss it (One Australian commented, "The blind leading the blind.")

It was another fabulous weekend. Next weekend already looks a bit more stressful... Conor and I are dog-sitting for his boss, Miranda. I also have to work the early Saturday shift. We were hoping to head to the coast for some scuba-diving fun, but we might not make it.

It is currently beautiful and sunny in Brisbane. The last 7-10 days have been absolutely perfect weather-wise. Fall in Australia is definitely something I could get used to. I am camped out on the balcony watching the CityCat speed down the river.

This post's recommendations:
Drink: Sangria (with a shot of tequila!)
Television: The West Wing
Activity: Water rugby!