Redcliffe with Market Hearts

Earlier this year, before my brain aneurysm surgery, I had become involved with Climate Channel, Get Up, Fight for the Reef, March Against Australia, and most of anything that I felt up with and could help with. Just today there was planned on being another march in Brisbane, and I had determined to join it. Unfortunately my day time has slowed right down, and sometimes I find it very difficult to arrange to get a bus then a train to get into CBD. It seems to works some days, but not every day.

So this day made me decide to stay at home, especially getting back into bed if I became extra tired. I chose to visit the Redcliffe day market, and then return home as soon as I’d spent enough time there. It was a lot easier to do, just catch a short bus there and back.

The market certainly got into me. I love markets – I’d previously visited Rocklea quite a few times, visited Wynnum, walked through the Gold Coast market in the evening, hopped around whatever I found on my old holidays. It was lovely. Redcliffe is its own panther, with a huge amount of purring to set the visitor just right. There were a whole lot of market holders and a whole different lot of who held what. From veges to soap stalls, female clothing to wooden ornaments, kids rainbow coloured clothes to takeaway food. I found a lovely women’s clothing stall which had 2 for $10 – oh yes, I could just pay that for something for me! I talked to the stall holder and found out that she was from Woody Point. Perhaps I will meet her another day.

There were still at least a couple of music herds. I’d got pretty wrapped in what I’d heard, but I’d just spent a wee bit for a Futurizms CD from Matt James which is very musical and caught my ear.

Within the stall market there were a few dogs, all different breeds – some special – but simply on their leash, listening to their owner rather than pulling to meet other people. I know my Jordie would have pulled against me, she feels like a pretty popular dog! Some of the stalls sell pet stuff but previously I’d been into the actually pet shop, just around the corner from the new Woolworths. I didn’t really need to buy anything for dogs - mine would just eat!

Redcliffe has a street which is used just for pedestrians at these markets, but there are other things along the side which people can read about and touch. I found a wonderful presentation, described as “Apparatus for Non-destructive Transmission of Biological Visualisation (ANTVB)”. I didn’t look through it as there were a number of people choosing to do so, but the expression says “Miraculously, the machine still contains a projected image of a strange creature captured over 80 years ago. Is this evidence of existence of an underwater world which he believed was populated by mermaids?” Who knows – does it? This large, amazing NTV is something right real out of our own reality.

Still there are plenty of real cafes in the real estate behind the markets, on the street which is only allowed until 2pm for pedestrians, not vehicles. Most of them are pretty full, with food designed slightly more price than the market food stall dealers, but sitting in the shade with a late breakfast and a coffee is just what I needed to do. I found a seat inside, looking outside. So much to just watch and be entertained.

After a meal I walked down to the Redcliffe jetty, which I still remembered from our Ulysses motor bike around this area. It’s 6 or so years since I’ve been here, but it has grown of population, even on the jetty or on the beach or in the adjoining playground. No-one really knows whether or not people will be drawn away if there are no markets, but the basic busy day is certainly a lot different than the overall sleepy populace years ago.

Today was so summer-like, yet spring doesn’t start until tomorrow – and is celebrated next weekend by Redcliffe from Woody Point to the other side of Redcliffe. Next weekend I’ll work in the KiteFest celebration in Clontarf, neighbor to Woody Point. I reckon that will be just about as wonderful as Redcliffe has been today.