Tag Archives: GOMA

Aug 3 2024

Time out in Brisbane

I am always amazed at how much one can pack into a small amount of time, especially as I can while away the hours doing next to nothing, especially if the TV is on. Saturday is Anne’s relaxing day when she is in Brisbane and Anne wanted to see the “little doors” near South Bank. “Little Doors” you ask, so did I. It seems that the little people have been moving to Brisbane and setting up home, or front doors at least. We head for Fish Lane and lo and behold there they are. Only three so far but I am sure more will move in to this vibrant location. While looking at the first door, not easy to find, we explained to a passerby what they were. When we ran into him later and told him about the location of the second door he had to go and view it. I hope we have not created an addict!

No we did not disturb the occupants
Located just minutes from the city centre
Classy columns frame this door
Do you need a smaller record or CD player?

I would love to have seen inside but it would be rude to knock on a complete stranger’s front door just to sticky beak.

West End has many fine eateries that we have tried over the decades and we settled on “Chu the Phat” on Melbourne Street. We enjoyed a couple of fine dishes which if I thought I would have photographed before devouring – oh well, next time.

A short walk from the restaurant and we are at the Queensland Art Galley of Modern Art (QAGOMA). Anne wanted to check why her membership renewal had not been processed before a walk along the riverside. Anne had been planning to see the Iris van Herpen exhibition called “Sculpting the Senses” which had been developed and shown in Paris by the Musée des Arts Décoratifs. No time like the present and although not my idea of an afternoon’s entertainment. However as Anne says “when was the last time you did something for the first time?”

Iris Van Herpen is a fashion designer originally from the Netherlands who is credited with being the first fashion designer to create a garment using the 3D printing process.

People who have worn Iris Van Herpen’s creations include Lady Gaga,, Tilda Swinton, Björk, Rihanna and Beyoncé.

I will let the photos showcase her talent but apart from being amazed at what Iris Van Herpen has created, I am in awe of the brain that has taken natural geometric patterns as an inspiration and used 3D printing to produce art. My mid 20th century brain could only take this in small doses and having no fashion/art/design background, I am sure I am missing so much and my words do not do her creativity justice. The exhibition is open until the 7th of October 2024.

Along the Brisbane river to the French enclave #ALLEZAUS that has been setup for the Olympics viewing at night with its own Eiffel Tower, abeit a little shorter. I gather it took 600 hours to build and will probably been seen again, or will it stay like the original? French food and snacks abound but as a Coeliac I must pass, although really I am full from lunch.

Anne feels at home here

A small slice of Brisbane in an afternoon, there is always something new.

– Anthony

May 4 2021

Closing the loop

I would like to start by thanking all those family members, friends and followers who have sent a steady stream of messages wishing me well during the last eight months as the ‘detached retina saga’ has unfolded.  While I am not on social media and therefore unable to respond directly, I have appreciated each and every message that Anne has read out to me. A big thank you to all.

Where am I now?  A little over a month ago at the end of March, I underwent a third operation, this time to remove the oil in my eye and replace it with gas again.  This had always been planned, but became more urgent due to the oil causing my retina to become inflamed.  We had tried steroid drops to control and reduce the inflammation a month prior but as the photo below shows this was not successful, so back under the knife again.

November 2020, February 2021 and April 2021. White is inflammation.
Now where is that parrot?
Laser scaring top and right hand side.
Part of the belt and buckle placed around my eyeball.

After a week face down again, getting used to this now, and wonderfully supported by Anne, I was able to see the progress of the gas dissipating. It was like having a spirit level in the eye which slowly moved to a point where if I leaned forward, I just had a single bubble in the centre of my eye.  One day, probably because I jogged about 50 meters, it split into two bubbles.  I found that if I moved my head in a certain way, I could make the small bubble travel round the big bubble.  The surgeon seems less than impressed with my skills when I mentioned this last week during a checkup! He was however happy with the last operation and apart from a checkup in six months, my surgery days are over, hurrah!!!!!!

I would like to take a moment to thank my surgeon Dr Abhishek Sharma who not only fixed my detached retina but made himself available at any time to promptly answer any questions or concerns we had, such as what looked like a blister was in fact part of the belt and buckle. I was lucky to have him and his team treat me.

So what next?  I will visit a specialist optometrist to get glasses that will help the left eye to work harder which may help my vision.  The laser scarring caused by repairing the 13 tears in the retina and the detachment of the retina and macular means a reduction in vision in my left eye.  As the surgeon said “Think of it as the film/sensor being damaged, even having a Leica lens will not completely compensate for the loss of vision”.

While this whole process has taken some eight months to reach a conclusion, it has not been all pain and discomfort.  After each operation I was able to resume normal activities, which in Australia, has meant pretty much everything we used to do. We have been so lucky in Australia that COVID-19 did not get a foothold.

Anthony on a bodyboard at Main Beach, Gold Coast
Anne and her Honda CB500X at Poona 250km North of Brisbane.
Troy Cassar Daley on stage before Midnight Oil at Sirromet Winery
Out at Canungra Qld for coffee

We have not forgotten that a blog on our African Adventures in 1982/83 was proposed back in February 2021.  Just like the Australian COVID-19 vaccination rollout, we are behind schedule but will get there eventually – just need to get the creative writer juices flowing again.

Thanks again for all the messages and well wishes.

– Anthony