The North Shore Tavern - Pacific Paradise
First night in Brisbane and it's fairly late. No car available from any rental company. None. Nadda. Plus, I didn't plan ahead; normally I do, but renovations have been pretty hefty and have us both rather involved. School holidays are ON (we were told) - car rentals are GONE.
Tinto and I had to purchase seats on a shuttle connector to get us an hour and a half away from the airport. We went from a huge bus and connected to a tiny van! Then...one most precious daughter we are visiting advised us that there is a small airport we COULD have flown into that is located only 10 minutes from her home! The Sunshine Coast Airport - WHAAAAAAAT?!? Ha! Live AND learn! It was a bit shocking though! We did not know Brisbane had another airport...did you?
When we arrived to the Pacific Paradise Motel it was almost 11:00pm and it looked as if we had been dropped in the middle of nowhere. Not true, but felt that way!
Google maps - here we come! YAY! We need you! Found a tavern a kilometer away...headed out the door hopeful for something to munch on, please! The night air was perfect. The walk was fun and fast! We rounded the corner and saw bright lights - The North Shore Tavern!
Doors are locked, but sign says they are open until midnight. We hear tons of laughter from the back outdoor beer garden, but gates are locked AGAIN! These guys have been drinking something for a good...long...time! They stop - completely stop talking and laughing when they hear my accent. Soooo funny when that happens AND they invited us to join them. At least, I think that is what I heard. We scrambled around the back; the place is huge and finally a bartender beckons us through a proper entrance. No time at all wine ordered. Tinto and Blanco back in business. We meet David. David comes out from the beer garden to meet us at the bar. How nice! We head into the dark garden thinking David is following us, but he found a woman instead and disappears! Imagine. Two men, two brothers are welcoming us into their territory with smiles, hugs, laughter and I cannot understand one word they say. It IS late. I AM tired. They hug. They want us to hug. These boys are huggers! Then...the shorter brother says, 'Don't mind us. We are romas...we're from Spain...we're gypsies and you're not going to understand a word we say!' HIS words; not mine. But, SEE? I got THIS. We discovered they were brothers only 3 years apart and they travelled throughout Australia following the work. Their Father was English - their Mother Spanish - one ginger head, shorter (younger) one dark eyed-black haired, muscular, and taller...older...AND paralytic. Have NO clue how much alcohol they had consumed throughout the evening - enough to choke a horse I'd say. I never, ever understood one word the older brother said to me, but he talked with me for over an hour. The younger brother always looking after the older one. THEY were THE sweetest, kindest guys on the planet and watching them in action became our entertainment. Truly. I did not know where Tinto and I had landed. Younger brother continued to explain they had their own language. Yes. Yes, they did.
Then...we discovered through ginger head that the boys' Father died only 2 months ago. OH, MY...raw, real emotion coming through. They loved their Dad so much - quite clear. I thought I was going to have to hold on to the younger one. He needed to get it all out. He was with his Father when he died and they were listening to his Dad's favourite country song. The song ended. Dad put his head back in his seat in the truck...and...he died. Young brother tried to resuscitate - tried everything. Both brothers very angry at Mom because Mom ran off with a Spanish man who wore a cowboy hat and never came back. Young brother's words. He is heartbroken and very much blames Mom.
I am still wondering where we landed, but I also want to shift the mood. The alcohol is not helping them. Then they begin talking about their Dad's love of real, genuine country music...and...each brother... separately breaks into a country song. I mean I almost fall off my barstool. Can barely understand their spoken word, but ginger head sings JUST like (sounds exactly) like Johnny Cash and Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome turns into Roy Orbison. Close your eyes and these 2 entertainers are singing for us. I/WE are gobsmacked and lose control. We are laughing uncontrollably only because we are IN SHOCK. This just sends the brothers into more song. I'm thinking an entire band is going to appear any second.
Tears. Tears flowing. Tinto telling me 'a nicer pair of brothers I have not met' and we were given a concert, TOO.
You never KNOW. Venture out.
ROAM.
Roam with romas, too and you might get to witness spectacular talent. You never know WHAT is around a corner waiting for YOU. Johhny Cash and Roy Orbison are still amongst us.
Sheer Wonder.
Blanco & Tinto experiencing Pacific Paradise, Queensland. Ya'll Come.
Please excuse any typos. ENJOY ~ The North Shore Tavern and the Pacific Paradise Motel; they go together like bread and butter.
Tinto prior to the brothers BREAKING into song! I wish, OH HOW I WISH, someone could have taken a pic of both of us after the concert began. We were quite disheveled!!!
Tinto and I had to purchase seats on a shuttle connector to get us an hour and a half away from the airport. We went from a huge bus and connected to a tiny van! Then...one most precious daughter we are visiting advised us that there is a small airport we COULD have flown into that is located only 10 minutes from her home! The Sunshine Coast Airport - WHAAAAAAAT?!? Ha! Live AND learn! It was a bit shocking though! We did not know Brisbane had another airport...did you?
When we arrived to the Pacific Paradise Motel it was almost 11:00pm and it looked as if we had been dropped in the middle of nowhere. Not true, but felt that way!
Google maps - here we come! YAY! We need you! Found a tavern a kilometer away...headed out the door hopeful for something to munch on, please! The night air was perfect. The walk was fun and fast! We rounded the corner and saw bright lights - The North Shore Tavern!
Doors are locked, but sign says they are open until midnight. We hear tons of laughter from the back outdoor beer garden, but gates are locked AGAIN! These guys have been drinking something for a good...long...time! They stop - completely stop talking and laughing when they hear my accent. Soooo funny when that happens AND they invited us to join them. At least, I think that is what I heard. We scrambled around the back; the place is huge and finally a bartender beckons us through a proper entrance. No time at all wine ordered. Tinto and Blanco back in business. We meet David. David comes out from the beer garden to meet us at the bar. How nice! We head into the dark garden thinking David is following us, but he found a woman instead and disappears! Imagine. Two men, two brothers are welcoming us into their territory with smiles, hugs, laughter and I cannot understand one word they say. It IS late. I AM tired. They hug. They want us to hug. These boys are huggers! Then...the shorter brother says, 'Don't mind us. We are romas...we're from Spain...we're gypsies and you're not going to understand a word we say!' HIS words; not mine. But, SEE? I got THIS. We discovered they were brothers only 3 years apart and they travelled throughout Australia following the work. Their Father was English - their Mother Spanish - one ginger head, shorter (younger) one dark eyed-black haired, muscular, and taller...older...AND paralytic. Have NO clue how much alcohol they had consumed throughout the evening - enough to choke a horse I'd say. I never, ever understood one word the older brother said to me, but he talked with me for over an hour. The younger brother always looking after the older one. THEY were THE sweetest, kindest guys on the planet and watching them in action became our entertainment. Truly. I did not know where Tinto and I had landed. Younger brother continued to explain they had their own language. Yes. Yes, they did.
Then...we discovered through ginger head that the boys' Father died only 2 months ago. OH, MY...raw, real emotion coming through. They loved their Dad so much - quite clear. I thought I was going to have to hold on to the younger one. He needed to get it all out. He was with his Father when he died and they were listening to his Dad's favourite country song. The song ended. Dad put his head back in his seat in the truck...and...he died. Young brother tried to resuscitate - tried everything. Both brothers very angry at Mom because Mom ran off with a Spanish man who wore a cowboy hat and never came back. Young brother's words. He is heartbroken and very much blames Mom.
I am still wondering where we landed, but I also want to shift the mood. The alcohol is not helping them. Then they begin talking about their Dad's love of real, genuine country music...and...each brother... separately breaks into a country song. I mean I almost fall off my barstool. Can barely understand their spoken word, but ginger head sings JUST like (sounds exactly) like Johnny Cash and Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome turns into Roy Orbison. Close your eyes and these 2 entertainers are singing for us. I/WE are gobsmacked and lose control. We are laughing uncontrollably only because we are IN SHOCK. This just sends the brothers into more song. I'm thinking an entire band is going to appear any second.
Tears. Tears flowing. Tinto telling me 'a nicer pair of brothers I have not met' and we were given a concert, TOO.
You never KNOW. Venture out.
ROAM.
Roam with romas, too and you might get to witness spectacular talent. You never know WHAT is around a corner waiting for YOU. Johhny Cash and Roy Orbison are still amongst us.
Sheer Wonder.
Blanco & Tinto experiencing Pacific Paradise, Queensland. Ya'll Come.
Please excuse any typos. ENJOY ~ The North Shore Tavern and the Pacific Paradise Motel; they go together like bread and butter.
Younger brother - Johnny Cash's voice...
Older brother could not stop sharing his muscles with me; I
thought he may have wanted me to take a pic - so I DID.
We only had to go to Pacific Paradise for
some Van Gogh ~ if someone had just TOLD US!
Our ride was waiting for us outside the front door! 'WOW'
Tinto prior to the brothers BREAKING into song! I wish, OH HOW I WISH, someone could have taken a pic of both of us after the concert began. We were quite disheveled!!!
We did not have the pleasure of running into
these boys again. Our musical loss ~ truly.
The Roaming Stevens never, ever, ever know
what to expect. That is most certainly a
good thing or thang...whatever you prefer.
Comments
Post a Comment