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Good happenings on Good Friday

By Bobbi-Jo // 2 April 2010 // Comments: 0 // Related Categories: Best Backpacker Job, markets, Things to do

Me: So everything is closed on Good Friday?
Tour Guide: Everything.
Me: Everything?
Tour Guide: EVERYTHING.
Me: Even gas stations?
Tour Guide: Ev- Well. I don’t know. But everything is closed on Good Friday.

Getting into Brisbane on the eve of Easter weekend seemed like a bit of a mistake as soon as I heard how completely dead the city would be on both Friday and Sunday.

Call us heathens, but in South Florida life pretty much continues as usual on Good Friday. In Australia, it’s a public holiday. While on other public holidays like Australia Day and National Wattle Day (?) all this means is a 15% surcharge on food when you eat out (what is THAT about?) and a day off from work, apparently on Good Friday it means that everyone crawls into their caves and hibernates for the day until the world comes back to life on Saturday.

After being warned over and over that the bustling city life of Brisbane would come to a screeching halt come 12AM on Friday (including the clubs closing in the middle of what would usually be a busy Thursday night out) I found the day to be full of things to do, if you know where to look.

At this time, I’d like to draw your attention to the South Bank.

This area reeks of being the perfect place to stroll, play, eat, read, walk, people watch, and enjoy a beautiful day out. There’s a man-made beach in the middle of a city, which in itself is interesting enough, but there are also tons of restaurants, walking paths and fountains for kids or adults alike to play in.

There are also markets located in the heart of the pedestrian area. There, you can find anything from trinkets to foot massages to works of art. I spoke to Daniel, who helps to run a family business that sells Venetian masks. While I can’t testify as to the strength of the demand for Venetian masks, I had to stop myself from shelling out cash for one on the spot because of how beautifully crafted and unique the ones he had in stock were. Apparently brides are having the same impulse, as he told me that more than a few have decided to shun the tradition of wearing a veil in favor of wearing a mask, having the groom remove it at the end of the aisle.

I also had a chat with Tracey, an artist who has gallery showings in New York and Australia and whose paintings are charming and whimsical, an exact reflection of her personality. Markets are wonderful wherever you are, because you have direct access to the business owners and can chat with them at length about their product and why they do what they do. Finding a market like this in such a built up area, where first instincts would take you to big supermarkets and trendy clothing stores, is more than a bit special.

In all it was a pretty solid day for “everything being closed.” I think if you look for things, on or off the beaten path, you’ll find a way to keep yourself entertained. South Bank is definitely a great area to check out, public holiday or not.