The Love Boat - Lego Style

A few weeks back, I took our Lego fan (Monet) into Cairns Central to see a display that was on.  Made entirely out of Lego was a 'lego-sized' ship, based on The Love Boat.  It was pretty awesome.

One half was the exterior of the ship.  On the other side was the interior.

Pretty sure if there was no one else around, we could have easily spent a good half an hour looking at all the cabins and discovering all the things which were built inside the ship.

It is amazing at what some people can build out of Lego.  We loved the 'mini-Berlin' we saw last year built out of Lego in Berlin and hopefully one day we get to see the real Lego Land in Denmark.  One day....

Cairns Show

Last week I had the misfortune opportunity to visit the Cairns Show.  This show runs for three days and is the largest regional show in Australia.  Monet's school sent home a letter, saying that if your child was in the Ukulele Club (ahem.  Which Monet is.), then parents could meet with the club at the entrance and gain free access.  You little ripper.  

Even though Monet's school had already entered the Show (me not knowing) I just asked if her school had entered to the gate attendant and was told to go on through.  Bonus.  

I guess the payment was sitting for an hour, listening to another school's choir, then Monet's Ukulele Club play five or six songs (all in the Chord G) on those annoying little guitars...  

Considering Monet's only been playing for a couple of months she did really well.  She did look bored after about two songs but at least she was up there on stage, strumming along.

As soon as we could escape, we went for a stroll around.  Being opening day it was relatively quiet, but I forgot how many bogans and carnie folk there would be.  Belch.  The girls had a couple of rides (rip off) and then I let them pick out a Show Bag each.  (At $26 a pop!!! Heck!!)

I must say, even though the Show Bags cost a small fortune, there were squeals of delight coming from the back seat on the drive home, as they peered in their bags.  That, my friends, was worth it. =)

Mossman Gorge

A lot had changed since the last time I had visited Mossman Gorge.  I looked at MrL and said "hey, this is new" as the road veered into a newly built vast (but busy) car park and visitor centre.  Last time I was here, the road continued ahead, through a narrow road to an extraordinarily tight, busy car park.  Now we were greeted by a brand spanking building.  

Mossman Gorge is part of the Daintree National Park and it looks like someone has thought of the idea to try and make a buck out of it.  There is a visitor shop with tourist items, from rulers to stubby holders and everything in between.  The cafe was a buzz too.  And to actually get to the Gorge you could walk the two kilometres there, along that dangerous road, or catch one of the Shuttle Buses that blared the local radio station 80's hits.  (We thought that perhaps there should be at least a bit of a commentary about the Gorge on repeat.)  The shuttle bus was $12 return for a family - and considering there were at least 50 families there at the time we were, I am sure that the new facilities will be paid off in no time!

Another change we noticed was that there was no more slippery little narrow tracks.  Now in it's place was newly constructed walk bridges.

The Gorge is still beautiful, though on the day we visited it wasn't bright and sunny and the water looked a little murky than what I remember it.

In all honesty, I felt that some of the magic had disappeared from Mossman Gorge.  I'm not sure if it was because of the feeling of being shuttled via bus to the Gorge or the fact that it wasn't like I remembered.  But the girls enjoyed it and I guess if you are a visitor of the area to the first time, you'd be impressed.

Pretty sure MrL and I were more impressed with the construction of the gutters on the visitor centre...

Go West to head North

After last Sunday's drive south to Mission Beach, we decided yesterday to take a different route up north via the tablelands which lie to the west of where we live.  

The tablelands is a very different landscape to the coast, but rest assured there is still masses of sugar cane!  We even spied out of the car window it being slashed.  

The road and landscape, minus the sugar cane, makes you realise that you honestly could be anywhere along the east coast of Australia.

This roads leads up north to Cooktown and also across the 'Top End' of Australia.  There are road signs on the road warning of 'Road Trains' - trucks carrying in excess of two or more trailers.  We were passed on the other side of the road by two B-Double trucks.

The road heading back down the 'Molloy Range', the scenery changes very dramatically.  It is lush and green and the road recently has been blocked off by many landslides.

I think in the photo below, the lush green covering on the hillside is actually a weed.  Still, I thought it looked lovely.

The road leads you to an intersection between Port Douglas and Mossman.  We headed into Mossman, but I'll blog about that next time... ;-P

Tropical Gardens

On the spur of the moment, whilst driving past the Flecker Botanical Gardens, I pulled into a car park so we could go for a wander around the tropical gardens.  It is truly gorgeous in there with so many tropical plants.  It is soooo green and lush and magical with little paths leading here and there and trying to spot (and unsuccessfully trying to photograph) Ulysses butterflies.  

Since we left Cairns in 2008, there has been built a new fan dangled visitor centre and cafe, located just outside the Gardens themselves.  I remember reading that a lot of people were disappointed with the final building which is totally mirrored on the sides, due to the number of 'kamikaze' birds.  I can see now what they mean, but I like the way it reflects all the colours around it.  

And they make a mean milkshake in the cafe.

If you ever find yourself in Cairns I do highly recommend a visit to the Gardens, especially if you are not from the tropics.

The girls entertained themselves for a good twenty minutes on the storm water drain cover.

There are so many species of plants and trees located in the garden of all shapes and sizes.

Lily was thrilled when she collected a handful of seed pods.

Monet got a bit paranoid when I kept pointing out these wonderful Golden Orb spider webs dotted through out the gardens so when a leaf fell on her head she would've sworn it was a spider.  (Poor girl!)

I love the flower below.  It had 'colour blocking' all sorted before it became a fashion trend.  How lovely is the pink and orange together in the same flower?

Only a handful of days left in the school holidays up here in Queensland.  Not sure what we will get up to tomorrow but I know that Lily and I will return to these Gardens again down the track...

The Advantage of Living in FNQ in Winter

MrL and I had decided on Saturday evening to go for a drive the following day, down to Mission Beach, so the girls could have a paddle and a run around.  

We had forgotten that Mission Beach is a good two hour trek south from our home.  

Last year's cyclone Yasi tore through the area and we had noticed a big change in the canopy.  The road leading to the area was no where as shady and overhanging as we remembered.  But green?  Oh it was green....

And the beach was as delightful as I remember...

The girls had a blast, splishing and splashing.  The shallow water was warm and the waves were small. That's Dunk Island in the middle of that photo below.  We had stayed there before but the resort was wiped out last year, (thanks to the cyclone) which is really sad...

After a good hour enjoying themselves we went and treated ourselves to some fish and chips, but all Lily was after was a 'Rainbow' ice-cream.  (To be honest, it was the lure of the ice-cream to get her out of the water!)  All her dreams came true as she enjoyed one...

The drive home seemed quicker than the road down there, but maybe because I snapped images outside my passenger door window and windscreen.  It is sugarcane slashing time around these parts.  (Once the sugarcane flowers it is time to harvest.)  We have visited the foot of the mountain in the photo below - you can read about it here.

Below is Pyramid Rock, just outside of Cairns which stands at 922 metres.  I love how it looks like it is balancing a cloud on it's pointy tip.  ;)

Both girls napped on the way home (no wonder) so Lily and I had a bit of a late evening, but it was worth it.  Think we're going to go on another beach destination drive next weekend!