Searching for Art.... Finding Firemen

Today, my goal was to find this aboriginal art studio that holds workshops to learn how to paint boomerangs and didgeridoos.  I know you are asking what that is... click on the word and it shall tell you.  Mr. Concierge at the hotel recommended one closer than the Lonely Planet did...so off I go.  This so called place he guided me to no longer existed (closed over 2 years ago, to be exact).  No one wonder he couldn't find anything on the internet about it and the phone number didn't work.  It wasn't too far of a walk though, so no big deal.  A backpacker travel stop recommended another (same as the Lonely Planet did) - but it was at least a 30 min walk.  Off I go...again.  I got turned around a bit due to the roundabouts that are like half-roundabouts with only a few street signs.  Not easy for travelers.  Finally after walking for over an hour - maybe an hour and half (I thought they said 30 mins?) I stop in an art studio.  The place Lonely Planet (tour books) talked about closed....also two years ago.  Basically I walked off my dinner from last night and breakfast from this morning...maybe even burned enough calories for the lunch I ate afterward but still didn't learn how to paint aboriginal art.  I did however come across the Australian Firefighters Union that gave me some goodies and pointed me in the right direction for the largest station in Brisbane.

From my previous posts you know that my family has been involved in the Evansville Fire Department for years so I always look for stations and convince them I need a patch to take back home for my daddy.  It's worked on occasions (and almost got me in trouble in China when they started asking for my passport/visa info and why I would want to know about their department, where I was staying and who sent me there...ekk!) - but this time, I got a tour of the station, got to climb the tower for an awesome view of the city, chatted with the guys for a bit and even got two patches.  Only a few people would get excited about something like that and I'm one of them.   

I also got to learn how to play a didgeridoo.  You will make fun of me for the next comment...but I actually first saw one of these on American Idol when Crystal Bowersox performed and someone played one in the background.  We will bring one home...I just don't know what size.  Basically it depends on how much my hard-working husband will let me spend on one.  The one in the picture below can be about $300 (it was at least a foot longer than what is pictured - the guy taking it must have been new to taking pictures, but this one turned out the best).  Of course I picked that one to play for sake of a picture - we will be buying a smaller, yet original one.

Goal for tomorrow:  Chinatown and possibly the Alma Park Zoo - I'll keep you updated!