After the Circus I walked back to Redland Bay and took the ferry back to Russell island. To my delight, it was sunset time and I was treated to a beautiful sunset over the water.
Sunset over the sea
I noticed small boats fishing and realised they were prawning. Often prawns can be caught sitting on the bottom around weedy areas, with sand or muddy bottoms. Another surprise was the prawns often sit in water, between little more than ankle to not much more than thigh deep. This means it is best to seek prawns at low tide in Moreton Bay. But at certain times of the year, like right now, there are patches of prawns in the bay and you can see them jumping out of the water. This is when all the little boats come out into the bay to catch prawns using cast nets.
Catching prawns off Macleay Island at sunset
Cast netting for banana prawns, and as always, there is a lot of people chasing them. They usually turn up in the southern bay at this time of year as well, top spots include the southern end of Macleay Island, western side of Russell Island down to the Power Lines south of the Logan River entrance. the best technique is to move around concentrating on the deeper holes and channels using your sounder to find the schools, hopefully before too many others find them
Moscow Circus…An extreme show. Featuring Australia’s top trial riders, “The Flair Riders”. Extreme High Wire and the worlds best dare devil motorcycle Cage Riders. Breath-taking Aerial performances and much much more. A circus not to be missed.
Moscow Circus at Redland Bay
Russian Circus traditions include clowning, juggling, acrobatics, contortion, and animal acts with six tiny ponies. The show lived up to its advertising with an everchanging, fast moving selection of acts that effortlessly rolled on one after the other delighting the audience who were excited and responsive to the lively performers as they moved in the tiny arena and out interacting with the audience. The lighting was amazing and changed and highlighted the acts creating drama and following the performance.
Moscow Circus Clown includes the audience
Everybody loves a clown and this mock Charlie Chaplain type figure hobbled along silently interacting with members of the audience as he orchestrated his simple dramas in a very visual and tantalising way, leading the audience into responding with hoots of laughter and great enjoyment. I laughed so much I forgot to take photos as he manipulated those he selected from the audience and had them relaxed enough to perform beside him. He was excellent and memorable.
Juggling and Daredevil stunts amazed the audience
No wild animals perform in circuses anymore; domesticated animals, yes. To that end, Moscow Circus has a team of tiny, tiny horses which trot around this way and that and look adorable. Ongoing acts are programmed seamlessly. The show moves swiftly, never dull. The motorcycle Cage of Death is the climactic event. It is loud and fast, daredevil dangerous and as good as it gets. https://www.thebarefootreview.com.au/menu/theatre/119-2014-adelaide-reviews/1728-the-great-moscow-circus.html
High wire acrobats and the contortionist
The trampoline acrobats are a highlight of this circus. The trampoline is beside big wall with open doorways. The acrobats are dressed up like graffiti artists. The music is hip hop. They bounce and somersault higher and higher, in and out of the doors, up and down, faster and faster, clever, funny, inventive and utterly expert.
The Trampoline artists
The final curtain raiser was the dramatic Motor Cycle Dare Devils riding the Globe and to my delight Diego, who I met when I was working at Hudson’s Circus, was one of the riders and I went to take his photo, and they took a photo of me inside the Cage instead. This is a scary and hell raising event, especially when they had 3 motorcycles flashing around this very small globe .It began with an amazing fire Dance bringing in the globe
The show ended after this drama, with a line-up of all the performers that extended to a line up outside the tent as we were leaving, so we could say thank-you to the artists for their amazing show, and it was an amazing show.
Gypsy Band featuring soloist Carole Marco, played at the Brisbane Jazz Club on Sunday afternoon. I was the first to arrive there as I was keen to get a table, as was told it was booked out when I made the booking and I was placed on a waiting list and told to be there at 2.15. To my great disappointment I was seated outside in the hot sun at a one perch table and it was hot and uncomfortable. I saw the band at a table with an umbrella, so went and sat with them and chatted with them. They were friendly and great fun and I looked forward to hearing the music. When I expressed my dismay at being outside in the hot sun alone, the band told me to come inside and ‘hang around the Bar’ and take photos and listen to the Music. There was Eddie from Brazil, Nikki from Italy, John from Australia and Oberta from Italy….and Carole who I did not meet.
Gypsy Band
Inside was dimly lit and photos were not easy. I stood by the bar and took photos. The band is versatile and amazing. They are so alive and full of energy. Carole, the main singer was beautiful. She has personality and charm and fitted the whole scene perfectly. They played for 2 hours without a break and the audience just sat there in that dim room with so little interaction.
Outside there were a few tables located under a small television screen that I only saw later in the afternoon, when the lady at the table I had moved to to be next to a friend, told me to be quiet as she was listening to the music. I am afraid I am slightly deaf and could not hear any music outside at all. I also wondered about the couple I saw where the man was obviously blind. Sitting outside was not successful at all. Most of the attendees were in the Senior age group and even older than I was.
After the break, they open up the blinds and that lets light into the Club as well as making some music outside. Again, the lady sitting at my table told me to be quiet and as I could hardly hear the music, I decided to leave. As I was walking out I saw an empty table opposite the band and sat there to take some photos….It was great seeing the river outside behind the band and I was really enjoying the music, and tapping my feet away when one of the ancient waitresses came and told me to go as someone was going to sit at the table….in the next session as it was now well after 5pm.
The last photo I took before I got told to leave the table…
I was disappointed….and muttering away that my photos are free publicity and should be appreciated, I left. I did purchase a two year membership, so I may give them another chance but I will never sit outside again. It was hopeless and a total waste of time as you can’t hear the music, you can’t see anything and you cannot talk to people and socialize either. The band was great and I wonder where I can hear them again.
Eagle Street Pieris home to over 15 restaurants, bars and casual eateries located in the heart of Brisbane, with the city’s best views of Story Bridge. Eagle Street Pier is an iconic waterfront precinct with world-class dining venues and unrivalled views of the Brisbane River and Story Bridge
Firmly established as one of Brisbane’s favourite food and entertainment destinations, its prestigious culinary stable includes Saké, Pony, ARIA Restaurant, Cha Cha Char and Il Centro. Eagle Street Pier also is the perfect place to meet for drinks or cocktails at the casual riverside bars Mr & Mrs G, Jade Buddha or Bavarian Bier Café. It is also an ideal place to head for lunch.
I booked in at Felix Oaks …Oaks Brisbane Felix Suites is situated to take full advantage of everything Brisbane has to offer. With an onsite swimming pool, Jacuzzi and BBQ facilities, the spacious one, two and three-bedroom apartments include WiFi, TV and private balcony with city or river views.
My 2 bedroom apartment was located on the 19th Floor with views across to the Story Bridge. It was beautiful with a balcony that over looked Felix street below and Eagle Pier across the road. Added to my delight was the Indian Restaurant Mehfi, in Felix Street which made the best Burianyi… I have ever eaten.
Eagle Pier is a hive of activity. The Ferries travel from Eagle pier up and down the river, and last time I took the river Cruise with the Paddle Steamers. The area is well serviced with buses including the free city link that goes around the city and great for a quick tour. St Stephens Cathedral and St Johns Cathedral is walking distance and St Marys Is across at Kangaroo Point.
World Scout Day is celebrated on 22nd February, the birthday of Robert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell (born in 1857), the founder of Scouting.
Scouts’ Day or Guides’ Day is a term for special days, observed by members of the Scouting movement throughout the year. Some of these days have religious significance, while others may be a simple celebration of Scouting. It is a day when all members of Scouting re-affirm the Scout Promise. St Mary’s had a special service where the scouts renewed their promise.
St Mary’s music programme seeks to stir the hearts and minds of all who worship (or attend a concert performance) in our beautiful stone church on the cliffs at Kangaroo Point. Sunday worship is cradled in a rich blend of organ and choral music from many styles and eras, and might be described as traditional, though not rigidly so.
St Mary’s Choir in its present form was established in 1994 as a mixed choir of 12-14 singers from a variety of backgrounds and professions. The Full Choir sings every other Sunday (see: choir schedule) at the 9.00am Eucharist and rehearses on Thursday evening (7.30pm) and Sunday morning (8am). The choir sings a broad repertoire, incorporating all periods of choral music from Gregorian chant through to the 20th century.
St Marys Choir and Choirmaster
St Mary’s is the custodian of Queensland’s oldest pipe organ. As a result of the ‘modernization’ of this instrument in 1961 many important original components were removed. A major project to regain the integrity of the original instrument is planned for the coming years. In order to accommodate St Mary’s significant musical requirements in the interim, a 3-manual Allen Q-300 digital organ was purchased from All Organs Australia in 2008.
The scouts were present at the service, and sat in the first few rows of the Church.
The last February Sunrise on the Southern Moreton Bay Islands was spectacular. I took the 5.20 am Ferry from Russell island to Redland Bay Marina, taking photos as the colors deepened and changed with vivid intensity.
When the sun is low on the horizon during sunrises and sunsets, the sunlight travels through more of the atmosphere. Shorter wavelength colors (blues and violets) get scattered out. This leaves more of the longer wavelength colors like yellow, orange, and red. This is why sunrises often take on such colors
Clouds catch the last red-orange rays of the setting sun and the first light of the dawn like a theatre screen, and reflect this light to the ground.
The best sunrises and sunsets seem to be associated with middle to high clouds rather than lower level clouds. Higher clouds receive sunlight that has not been altered by attenuation at lower levels. Typical pollution droplets such as those found in urban smog or summertime haze are on the order of .5 to 1 um in diameter. Particles this large are not good as they are comparable in size to the wavelength of visible light….pollutants also enhance light modification at low sun angles. This causes a reduction in the total light reaching our eyes and the overall brilliance of the sunrise.
February’s full moon is traditionally known as the Snow Moon in the northern hemisphere and typically symbolises the beginning of spring. The moon will reach its peak at 8.17am GMT on Saturday but will appear full in the sky on both Friday and Saturday night. Some North American tribes named it the Hunger Moon due to the scarce food sources and hard hunting conditions during mid-winter, while others named it the Storm Moon.
In Australia we should call it the Summer Bat Moon because the sunsets and sunrises are particularly vivid this time of the year, and this year has seen the Bats migrating back to the Islands…and its the sunset time that they fly back in great numbers. The full moon was rising as the bats arrived
Victoria Bridge and Brisbane Skyline from Southbank
I went to see the Gala Performance of Queensland Ballet at QPAC at Southbank. The trains were on strike, so I went on the buses and it took 3 hours to get to QPAC for the show. Southbank was very beautiful and I walked down the path to where the Wheel was, and QPAC was opposite the Wheel.
Southbank
Sadly, there was no photography permitted during the performance. They did provide a beautiful catalogue and a free Ballet Magazine, and there was a video of parts of the performance that I was able to view. The performance was beautiful… The afternoon show was mainly seniors and students and the dancers were from the group but the performance was still beautiful and the dancers professional and expressive and the costumes and lighting was magnificent.
Its been raining and flooding everywhere and the islands have been wet and damp and miserable. Today a patch of blue sky smiled tentatively between clouds
Moon set was 6.09 am, and I was meeting the 5.20 am ferry on Russell Island Jetty, and the moon was setting behind the moored ferries. Clouds made the moon not so visible and created reflections in the water
The Moon’s visibility was 99.7% so it was the ending of the last full moon for February and it was beautiful seeing it sinking into the sea as it was obliterated by clouds and the imminent sunrise. The Jetty was coming into being lit by the morning light as I watched the sunrise…
