Two French Bulldogs who think they’re humans
We were excited to arrive to Brisbane after four nights of camping for a few reasons, with A/C, a real bed and fewer creepy crawlers at the top of the list. For three nights, we would get some crawlers of a different variety, or more accurately…waddlers. Ah yes, Otis and Daisy, whose Trusted Housesitters* ad promised would be “two spoiled French Bulldogs who think they’re human.”
This was accurate considering they owned equivalent or more toys than most American three-year-olds, mountainously piled in three toy boxes, which Daisy would singly extract at approximately half-hour intervals. They were also served top notch Biologically Appropriate Raw Food, or BARF food daily, and required regular rough-housing and cuddles.
Indeed. The service we needed to provide this royalty was top notch. But, since Mandy actually had “housesit for a frenchie” on her “60 by 60 List,” putting an application in was a no brainer, despite it cutting our camp trip short and we’re very happy we did it.
*If you’re interested in free pet care in exchange for accommodation, or vice versa, consider THS. It’s one of the best decisions we’ve made. Our link will save you 25%!
Things we learned while watching frenchies: they fart, belch and grunt as much as everyone says they do.
They are also just as entertaining and hilarious, and kinda terrible on the lead, having much more charging power than you’d ever think possible.
But there was absolutely nothing this look couldn’t kill and Mandy was soon talking in voices Greg “didn’t even know she had.” Yes…she’s undeniably, unequivocally smitten for the smooshy faced little lovers, as many others also seem to be. Photo: Otis poses using his “Bark Day” cake as a pillow.
In addition to the cuteness overload, we received a gorgeous ninth floor apartment in the hopping neighborhood of Newstead, and the complex was loaded with amenities including a lawn for picnicking and movies, a junior Olympic length pool and a gym. Our only wish was to stay longer!
Especially because we were only 10 minutes to the nearest Aldi and footsteps to the river walk, which we enjoyed by night and day.
Along the river, we were surprised to find a park devoted to one of OUR past presidents…Lyndon B Johnson. Apparently, he was the first sitting U.S. president to visit Australia, and his trip was significant due to the Vietnam War. Australia was a key ally of the U.S. and had committed troops to the war, so Johnson’s visit was aimed at strengthening relations and expressing gratitude for Australia’s support. Fittingly, like in the States, he was also met with anti-war protests.
Another amazing thing about this sit was our hosts, Cheryl and Stuart who even took us at for dinner at the Breakfast Creek Hotel upon their return, let us stay an additional night and finally explained to us why half the bars in Brisbane have X’s adorning them. They are not nearly as scandalous as we Americans wanted to think, but simply refer to one of their beer brands. 🤣
A week after we left the Frenchies, we signed up for another five day sit back in Brisbane’s Nundah neighborhood. This time, we got to watch Toby, who was our first tripod, an adorable Australian Cross with a mostly chill personality other than when it was time for bed when he’d bark at Greg for getting anywhere close to Mandy. Though he only had three legs, this rescue dog was just as fast as any with four. Wut?!!? Are you talking about me?
Exploring Brissie City
To be honest, of the nine total nights we had in Brisbane, or Brissie, as the Aussies affectionately call the capital of Queensland, we didn’t see a lot of it beyond our housesit neighborhoods in Nundah and Newstead. Our engines had simply been running out of steam lately and we needed the downtime while we were there.
That said, our impression of the 2032 Summer Olympic site probably isn’t too well-rounded, but what we saw didn’t captivate us nearly as much as the instant head-over-heels sentiment that Melbourne slammed us with. In comparison, Brisbane merely felt cosmopolitan, trendy, and a bit sterile. (And of course, hot, but that’s expected for summer in the subtropics!) And, aside from the botanic garden, we experienced far less access to greenways and parks.
One big advantage, however, was the river taxis, which were brilliantly integrated into their public transportation, all of which was available for an astounding AUD $.50, or $.32 a ride.
The sparkling skyline along the snaking Brisbane River, which gives the city its unique layout. It was taken from the famous Story Bridge, built in 1940.
The Story Bridge, which lights up spectacularly at night, was locally designed and built by the same engineer behind the Sydney Harbour Bridge, but unlike its famous cousin, it was entirely built by Australians using local materials during the Great Depression. It’s the longest cantilever bridge in Australia at 777 meters (2549 feet) meaning it’s supported from both ends without any supports in the water.
We did appreciate the small attempts to splash some green into the otherwise steel monstrosities. And, although we managed to find little traces of history, it showcased a stark contrast to the modern. Apparently, many historic buildings were damaged or destroyed in the devastating 1893 flood.
The Kangaroo Point Bridge, which opened in 2024, is quite a showpiece for a pedestrian and cyclist bridge only. It promotes easing congestion, eco-friendly transport and has approximately 7000+ daily users.
Wandering into a place that usually eases our city nerves….the free and lush botanic garden. The park was beautiful, but truly didn’t remotely compare with Melbourne’s.
Unfortunately, when we sat down to enjoy our lunch, a new friend (foe?) came trolling very close making us nervous considering we’ve been trained to be nervous of ANYTHING in Australia and the fact we were eating quite tasty tuna wraps. Fortunately, the common Australian Ibis is not something we needed to be nervous of though they do have a reputation of scavenging in rubbish, giving them the nickname of “bin chicken” in Brisbane and Sydney.
Another new bird…the fluffy and Dusky Moorhen which seem to have clown’s feet compared with the size of its body.
The Museum of Brisbane, which was tucked away in the City Hall and offered some interesting, and free exhibits.
The Queen Street Pedestrian Mall felt like a tourist clogged pedestrian street, but was a great place to nab all your Aussie souvenirs, if that’s something that interests you.
The Brisbane Arcade, opened in 1924, is the city’s oldest surviving shopping arcade, which also lacked allure after the magnificent ones in Melbourne.
The Neville Bonner Bridge and Wheel of Brisbane make the city look even more sleek and ultra modern. It connects Queen’s Wharf to the South Bank and is another pedestrian and cyclist bridge. Between these two pedestrian bridges alone, Brisbane undoubtedly seems lightyears ahead of most US cities.
Climbing aboard the river taxi, which would take us almost an hour on the winding river back up to Newstead. So basically, a river cruise for the bargain price of $.64 USD for two tickets. And you don’t even have to buy a stupid transit card. You can tap in and out with your digital wallet!! And yes…it is heavily subsidised by the Queensland Government.
Where some presidents have craft beer. And although Greg had been quite sad that craft beer is prohibitively expensive for regular consumption, we finally rewarded ourselves with some mouth-watering gelato, which seemed decently affordable at $5.35 for two scoops. YUM!!
