Brisbane, Gold Coast,Karawatha

We had Zone Conferences on Tuesday and Thursday. On Monday we ate lunch at the Fishmonger's Wife, voted the best fish and chips place in Australia. I had heard about it on the TV one morning as I worked out at the gym. After lunch we drove down the Gold Coast which is a big resort area for Queensland. It was an overcast day, not cold but a bit breezy on the beach. The big high rise hotels reminded us of Miami Beach. In fact, one of the beaches on the Gold Coast is named Miami Beach. We stopped at one of the nicest hotels we have ever seen to use their restrooms. It was the Palazzo Versace. We checked the prices of their rooms - $700+ a night.
The swimming pool had man made beach.
The Zone Conference on Tuesday was held at the chapel on the temple grounds.
On Wednesday we drove to Mt. Coot-tha, the highest point in Brisbane. The day was stormy and rainy so the view was not that great. We ate lunch on top, then returned to the warmth of our motel until our dinner date at the mission home with President and Sister Richards. We knew they came on their mission from San Francisco but as we talked we learned that they knew Barry and Holly Kent very well as well as our friends, Bob and Marcia Sorenson when they were mission presidents there. President Richards was in a stake presidency. They also knew the Parmlees. Small world.
On Thursday we drove to Karawatha, about 30 minutes away for our last Zone Conference. The building is a new, modern, large stake center located on property that looks like it is in the middle of a forest. No houses are businesses are around it. A few kilometers down the road and over a hill there are houses and businesses. It is a beautiful building and area.
On Friday we flew back to Sydney.
Voted the best fish and chips place in Australia for 2008. It was good.
Fishmmonger's Wife menu.
Hotel Palazzo Versace
Man Made Beach.

Hotel Palazzo Versace

Beach on the Gold Coast.
Miami beach.
President and Sister Richards.
Karawatha Stake Center