notes from here and there

1.8.09

Hanging out at the Surfclub and Park at Broadbeach

My little beach bum.
On this day we went into to town for breakfast then headed home via the beach. The tide was still out so the beach was really wide. You can't tell from these pics but Sophia is kind of half-way up the hill. In Australia, most of the dune are covered in tall vegetation. Rarely are there building built on the beach, not like in the states. Also, no roads along the beach. This freaks me out a a bit because being the American I am I like to drive, and I like to drive along the coast, looking at the coast. Think Pacific Coast Highway, or the road along the Outerbanks. Here you can't see the coast for the vegetation. You drive and drive through towns and farmlands, never knowing the coast is but a few kilometers to your west (depending on where you are driving). Until you reach a little pocket park, you can't really see the beach or unless you are in a high rise or up on a cliff (like Byron Bay). I understand the need to preserve the dunes due to erosion, but I really hate this aspect. I have only seen a small part so maybe there are other places where you can see wide expanses of the coast from the road. Another thing that makes it tricky are the multitude of lakes and rivers that follow the coast line in an snake patter. I suppose this would make building roads near the coast next to impossible. Just another example of landscape informing architecture and culture.
She loves the beach.
And her pink pants.
Bicycle train at the Broadbeach esplanade with Carl as the caboose.
This park is between the beach and the road. The beach is to the left, behind the trees. Also, there is a bike/walking path that follows the line of the trees. Everywhere you go, you can be sure you'll find a place to run, walk or bike and many, many parks like this one (not to mention to skate parks).
Enough pedaling for Dad.