Van Gogh Alive

Well almost - Grande Experience has delivered this show since 2011 and some of you may have already seen it but for those who have not, it has just hit Brisbane and it is worth booking your place. He was a troubled but very sincere soul, a man who craved company and friendship and failed at both, someone who was so in tune with his surroundings and his emotions. A lot of his work is so well known now but of of course he sold agonisingly few paintings when he was alive, despite the fact that he was actually quite prolific producing some 2000 works over his short life. This exhibition has revealed a number of self portraits which perhaps are my favourite now. His ability to express anguish and emotion in his eyes is staggering, as his understanding of his emotional state of being. 

He expressed a love for nature and his surroundings and was always out painting his sunflowers or cherry blossoms, the blue sky and the stars. 

My kind of guy. 

Burleigh Heads

 This is the real thing.

And this is the real thing up-cycled by a very talented artist - this was along one of the walks we did in Currumbin when we were staying down in Burleigh with our friends, Mary and John. Richard Moffatt is the artist who took the real image and up-cycled it in 12 different poses with materials which he found, old pipes, propellers, you name it if it fitted a pelican part he used it. 

Originally there were 12 but two flew off to a different destination and 10 remain. I thought they were exquisite in their poses, their confidence, the accuracy of the representation.

The creek was beautiful and we enjoyed the board walk and watching orange and blue crabs flitting in and out of their holes in the sand. 

We walked in Burleigh Heads National Park and enjoyed the forest, the pandanus groves and the mangroves.

Tallebudgera Creek 

We were wined and dined, treated to the best Coffin bay oysters and had such a fun time. 

The Burleigh Brewery was a cool place and utterly surprised these two Greek women who thoroughly enjoyed their beers. The men, well they were in their element too. 

Binna Burra- The Coomera Falls walk

We went on a 24 kms walk today under threat of rain but we were lucky for most of the morning. This is one of the few instances when the forecast was accurate. We walked the Coomera Falls track down the most scenic trail leading to not just one Waterfall but countless ones - all gushing with clean, cool water. The scenery was truly breathtaking.

A typical cautious Aussie warning by the falls. 

It was early. There were no other people. The birdsong filled the forest. At times deafening, cockatoos screeching, cat birds wailing, doves gurgling and then a sharp rat tat tat - I saw what looked like a boring black bird in silhouette but its call gave it away as something extraordinary - YES, the male Rifle bird was not only in sight, but also in sound. This photo is taken from Wikipedia but you can see why we were excited. 

A little further along sunning itself on a rock we found a red bellied black snake which moved towards us with lightening speed. I muttered some expletives and moved away quickly. 

Another snake further along was fast asleep in the sunshine and I approached it with more courage. 

We crossed raging torrents and little trickles, flowing streams and bubbling brooks. We probably crossed the river about 10 or 15 times and with the water being fast and furious crossing was not always a hop and a skip, even for these old goats. The law of probabilities was stacked against keeping dry !

I fell in with one leg wet through up to my crotch. The other leg and foot was dry. I squelched my way on and after a while found that both soles of my walking books had come unstuck. They did date back to Liverpool days and had a lot of wear and tear in Switzerland and the Himalayas. So the second part of the walk was spent a bit like Jemima Paddle Duck. Splat, splatting my way along. Lightening and thunder soon followed.The canopy kept us dry for a while but not for long and soon we were donning our waterproofs and seeing the mist descend over the Border trail back to Binna Burra. Who cares about a wet sock and foot -  soon we were drenched. 

The forest became dark and eerie and there was no one else there. Just before this great day came to a close we saw a yellow tailed black cockatoo, also given away by its distinctive call. That made three very black, beautiful creatures sighted today.  The following morning we awoke to this sky. 

I have earned new walking boots !

The Beauty of Binna Burra- The Cave Walk

Binna Burra is 800 metres above sea level in the Lamington National Park rainforest. In September of 2019 the Mountain Lodge burnt to the ground as well as countless hectares of forest. It was wonderful to be able to visit it again and although there were signs of those burnt areas the forest is regenerating wonderfully. I am posting some photos nevertheless to remind us of the devastation of that year all around Australia and how much we need to care for the rainforests. 

The Ants are happily making their trails again on the burnt wood while in other stumps we find these delights. A burnt log lovingly enveloped by another while funghi jump all over it. In another they form colonies in the inner sanctum of the tree.  

We stayed in the Sky Lodges, beautiful apartments on the edge of a cliff with views to the valley below, of the lakes and the forests on either side. They were modern and comfy with big windows and balconies to enjoy the views. 

We spent little time in them as we explored the area - starting with the Caves Walk. Some 5kms through lovely paths with clear views over the valley. 

The steps leading to the Cave. 

As we approached we noticed some noise and looked up to see that a large part of the cave's ceiling was buzzing with bees that had formed beehives. Near by a small trickle of water fell on the rock. Needless to say my beekeeper was very excited as was I. 

The path was dotted with flowers and fruit and the occasional shell, signs of other times.  

Wild raspberries. 

We loved this walk, the views were breathtaking, the eucalyptus forest had some stunningly tall trees. The majesty of them is not lost on us as we walk by, dwarfed in their presence, we look skyward and often fail to see their crowns, lost in the canopy.