Two days in Brisbane - no worries!

Our travel guide says about the capital of the state of Queensland: 'In Brisbane, old charm and new style harmonize.' After two days in this really beautiful city, we can only agree: Brisbane is a cool city with modern buildings and shopping streets, with friendly and relaxed people, with many facilities where you can walk and have a picnic. But it is also a city that values its culture and history and has cleverly integrated the older buildings into the cityscape. The City Hall, the old Parliament House, or St. John's Cathedral all have their place and are surrounded by beautiful parks or squares.

One gets the impression that people here are quite relaxed. You don't hear anyone honking in traffic and no one seems stressed. On the bus, we noticed that the drivers greet every passenger, and when you get off, you shout a friendly 'Thank you' to the driver. Almost everywhere, people are served in a friendly and courteous manner, and in restaurants, every request is met with a 'no worries!' - no problem. The city is also clean and beautifully decorated. Well, it's almost Christmas after all. Inescapably, Christmas trees (in 30-degree heat) are standing everywhere, and there is glittering glamour in the clothing stores filled with summer dresses. It's quite special - Christmas in summer, but it's normal here.

We thoroughly explored the city in the two days, explored shops, and also bought a few things. We walked through the entire park on the Southbank, where food and market stalls invite you to linger and you can swim in the pool with a view of the skyline. We took a ride on the City Cat, the ferry taxi, at bus fare and observed photo sessions with newlyweds in the botanical garden. We strolled along the somewhat dried-up Brisbane River and marveled at the roads built on pillars over the river. Last but not least, we attended a Hillsong service that delighted and strengthened us. Finally, a secret tip: We had a good meal at 'Massimo' right on the western riverbank at the Riverside Boat Stop. It wasn't cheap, but I calmed my sighing wallet with a casual 'no worries!'