Lori's Blog : The Beautiful Jacaranda

Sarah asked me in a previous post, probably tired of seeing the phrase 'purple tree' what they were called. I googled 'purple trees in Brisbane' and sure enough, wiki came through: the Jacaranda tree: explained in depth with photos: here.

That being said - I was sitting in the City Cat yesterday - I had decided to take it to the end, it ending at the University of Queensland, turn around and get off at my stop. At the last stop, a lot of people got on and a lady sat down by me. I prefer the premium seat - outside in the front and there is room for about two people. She turns and says something to me and I reply - which hearing no Aussie accent asked me where I am from - totally confusing her with 'Texas' 'cause I don't talk like a Texan. She was curious why I was there which segued into my husband living here and me over half the time and just bumming - so she started telling me things that I could do around the city. It was very helpful HAD I A PENCIL AND PIECE OF PAPER being basically brainless.

About halfway through our conversation, there was a beautiful tree I had to take a photo of and told her I just loved the tree and aren't they just beautiful? She asked me if I had been to the lake at the University of Queensland to see all the Jacaranda trees? (I heard her say Jacaranda but forgot - thus the google). I told her 'no' and she said I 'had to go'. My feet hurt, I was hot, and tired and wanted to whine to her 'BUT I WAS JUST THERE!' But didn't.

Rolling over this morning I started cursing a perfect stranger and Gary, curious what had me 'possessed' asked me what was going on. I told him of our conversation and that now I felt like I had to go. It is good I didn't just go and try to wing it - would have never found the lake on the huge sprawling campus - but had googled a map and walked right there this morning.

She wasn't kidding. Jacaranda heaven. I am having decision making issues so I just vomited all the photos I liked into this post - didn't even take the time to make them into a slide show. It was a beautiful walk and a beautiful place - I think you had to have been there ....