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Tag Archives: Gold Coast

Dust Temple Cafe – Currumbin Waters – Gold Coast – Queensland – May 2021

26 Sunday Sep 2021

Posted by SueT唐 梦 琇 in Travels inside China

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

Australia, dining with family, Dust Temple Cafe, Gold Coast, Vegan food

Back in the days when I could leave Canberra, I drove up to the Gold Coast to visit my family for a month. It was one of those holidays where I didn’t really need to go sightseeing or do anything really apart from visit my family as have been to the Gold Coast many times, but I did want to try a few nice cafes and restaurants. One cafe Dust Temple Cafe was in the suburb where my father, brother and nephew live; Currumbin Waters.

This cafe is actually located right in the middle of industry and I must say if I would not of found it but lucky for me, my brother had found it and knew I would love it. He was right, I loved it from the moment I got out of the car. The outside is gorgeous with huge wrought iron gates, fabulous wooden lampshades and incredible wooden/glass hinged doors and wooden barn doors that allow the flow of air inside the cafe.

Inside is even more amazing. The whole place is an old warehouse with polished cement floors. You walk through huge open wooden/glass doors into the coffee/drinks/pre packaged food area then once you have ordered your food, you walk through to a huge room converted into an art gallery with sculptures and artwork on display. There are also large long tables to enjoy a coffee and something to eat.

I ordered the fresh tomato, fresh basil and balsamic on toasted sourdough and a turmeric, coconut milk, banana and mango drink. My brother ordered the housemade toasted banana and coconut bread with butter and the watermelon, pink lady apple, pear, rhubarb and lime juice. Everything here came so beautifully presented with little flowers and the my meal was so incredibly fresh – I loved it! And as for the turmeric drink – it was absolutely delicious.

Whilst waiting for my meal, I took my camera around the warehouse and took some photos. There are fabulous old lounges and chairs to relax in and borrow a book to read whilst enjoying a coffee or alcoholic drink and an outside area with tables and benches, covered by umbrellas to relax in the sun or shade.

There is even a second floor up wooden stairs with a wrought iron balustrade but I guess the owners are still working on that area as it contained paintings against the wall still wrapped and very little else. But like everywhere else in this amazing place, art lined the walls of the stairs.

Even the kitchen area has an old armchair to sit and relax and do some people watching!

This was definitely my favourite cafe on the Gold Coast and yes, I did visit again during my stay!

Coolangatta – Gold Coast – Queensland – Australia – December 2020

30 Wednesday Dec 2020

Posted by SueT唐 梦 琇 in Travels outside China

≈ 26 Comments

Tags

Australia, Australian beaches, Coolangatta, Gold Coast, Koala, Queensland

I was so fortunate to be able to travel to the Gold Coast to see my family for Christmas as I know many other people both in Australia in other states and around the world cannot travel at all. I flew from Canberra to Coolangatta Airport where one of my best friends picked me up. I booked accomodation in Coolangatta overlooking the beach and ocean and it was lovely to walk inside and see the fabulous views especially at dusk.

On the day I arrived, my friend Sandy and I met up with another friend who I have not seen for over three years so he took us to Kirra Beach Surf Club; interior is rather old but a couple of vegan options on the menu so I ordered a pasta arrabbiata which was very good. Best part were the views!

I got up early nearly every morning and took a walk along the beachfront; one one occasion for over two hours. You had to get up early as the sun was very warm, actually starting just before 8am. But this meant skies were usually a vibrant blue well apart from one day when it was very overcast but that afforded me the opportunity to walk a little later.

I had breakfast out a couple of times at various cafes but I think my favourite was the cafe under my apartment block which served a very nice mushrooms on toast and great fruit juices.

I think my lasting impression of Coolangatta will be the beautiful beaches and fabulous ocean.

But an interesting impression will always be of a local home that has both the animals from our coat of arms guarding the entrance; they must be about six foot high (180cms)!

Hope everyone was safe and well over the Christmas period and I wish you all a very happy 2021 (and please let it be better than 2020).

Main Beach – Gold Coast – Queensland – Australia – October 2020

06 Sunday Dec 2020

Posted by SueT唐 梦 琇 in Travels inside China

≈ 32 Comments

Tags

Australia, beach walks, Gold Coast, Main Beach, Queensland, Sheraton Mirage

A couple of months I was finally able to visit my family at the Gold Coast in Queensland. It was my first trip on a plane since the beginning of the year so it was very welcome. I hadn’t visited the Gold Coast for over a year and on my last visit stayed with a friend so this time I opted for a little more luxury and booked a three night stay at the Sheraton Mirage which is located on Main Beach. It really is a beautiful beachfront 5-Star resort. I was greeted with a huge bright foyer with floor to ceiling glass windows which afforded me views of the grounds including the luxurious pool area and the magnificent ocean.

As my brother wasn’t due to arrive at the hotel until after 4pm, I decided to sit outside in the shade under an umbrella and order lunch. The chef made me a lovely vegan salad and the only vegan wine available was French champagne so I thought ‘why not…I am on holidays?’ (I didn’t drink the whole bottle, I took it back to my room for later!!) and of course my obligatory bowl of chips which in the end were taken by a couple of birds who clearly knew where the food was.

The Gold Coast is a renowned holiday destination here in Australia, south of Brisbane, about an hour plane ride away from Canberra with lovely beaches; waves which are great for surfing, theme parks, inland canals and lovely weather. Every morning I would wake up very early and go for a ninety-minute walk along the beach front…which was a wonderful way to start the day.

I wanted to show my brother and nephew the Versace Hotel which was over the road from our hotel, so we walked over one afternoon for a drink and something to eat. It’s quite a lovely hotel with a spectacular entrance including an incredible chandelier then you have stunning floor tiles and when your eyes move outside you have beautiful pools and lovely gardens. I ordered a gin and tonic (my new drink if there isn’t any vegan wine) and my brother and nephew ordered scones, jam and cream. A really nice hour or so just enjoying opulence!

On our last evening my brother, nephew and I had dinner at the hotel which was a seafood banquet and I invited my Godson and his mum who live on the Gold Coast…everyone enjoyed the buffet and the chef made me a delicious vegan risotto. Can’t fault the hotel I must say.

So…for me a lovely three days seeing my family and enjoying what the Gold Coast has to offer…great that I will be returning over Christmas.

Biggera Waters – Gold Coast – Queensland – July 2019

09 Friday Aug 2019

Posted by SueT唐 梦 琇 in Travels inside China, Travels outside China

≈ 25 Comments

Tags

Australia, Biggera Waters, Gold Coast, Movie World, Queensland, Sanctuary Cove, travelling with family

A long weekend with family and friends

fullsizeoutput_842Canberra is pretty cold in the winter so it’s always nice to travel interstate mainly north to Queensland for a few days of warmth.  That is what I decided to do last month and took my brother and nephew along too.  I booked an Airbnb home at a suburb called Biggera Waters which is about an hour’s drive from Gold Coast (Coolangatta) Airport.

It was really nice to see the home was exactly as stated and had a fabulous outdoors area with views across the river; lovely during the day and equally as nice when the sun was setting.fullsizeoutput_837fullsizeoutput_835It was too cool to swim in the pool so we spent many an hour on the patio reading and  just watching the swans and ducks swim by.  The swans would arrive at 8.30am every morning; you really could set your clock by them.fullsizeoutput_838fullsizeoutput_833fullsizeoutput_845I had made plans to catch up with friends who have a holiday home at Sanctuary Cove and my friend Steve kindly offered to come and pick us up in their boat so we could sail along the river to their home.  How lucky were we!!  So Steve and his son Ryan arrived on our private mooring and off we went…fullsizeoutput_868fullsizeoutput_867.jpegfullsizeoutput_870Until we reached the open waters the boat is legally only able to travel at six knots (no wake allowed) so this afforded me to time to check out houses and gardens that back onto the river…wow some people have gorgeous homes! Once away from residences we could go a little faster which was really nice with the wake behind us.fullsizeoutput_86dAlso nice to see the Gold Coast skyline behind us as well as views along the shore.fullsizeoutput_86efullsizeoutput_869After a glass of wine at my friend’s home we took their golf carts and drove to Sanctuary Cove restaurant area where we had a wonderful lunch at a local Italian restaurant which had a lovely wine bar and to enter you walk through a huge wine barrel. Definitely my sort of place. fullsizeoutput_83cAlong the way we drove through the golf course and were fortunate enough to see a mob of kangaroos and one mum with her baby!fullsizeoutput_839fullsizeoutput_83dAfter lunch we returned to my friend’s home to watch the sunset – I never grow tired of watching either a sunrise or sunset…beautiful anywhere around the world.fullsizeoutput_83efullsizeoutput_840fullsizeoutput_843And I love it when the sky changes colour whilst the sun is setting…fullsizeoutput_850fullsizeoutput_84eOne other day we took my nephew and godson to MovieWorld on the Gold Coast.  Rather expensive and really not what I like to do but I hope my nephew and godson enjoyed themselves.  It was my godson’s first time to eat a snow cone; he loved it and enjoyed some rides.fullsizeoutput_849fullsizeoutput_846And the sweetest thing about the trip was my godson absolutely loved my nephew (they had met some three years ago) so followed him around all weekend and just wouldn’t let him out of his sight…very lovely and my nephew even though he is seven years older, was incredibly patient and loving!fullsizeoutput_830We also had a meal at a local Chinese restaurant on our last night with another friend (my godson’s mum) and as usual I enjoyed an eggplant dish and some dumplings…delicious.  A great long weekend away!

 

 

 

 

 

A little getaway – Gold Coast – Queensland – Australia – February 2017

19 Wednesday Apr 2017

Posted by SueT唐 梦 琇 in Sightseeing and eating around Canberra/Sydney

≈ 27 Comments

Tags

Australia, Beijing Palace Restaurant, Brunch, Casino, Chinese restaruant, Coco Cabano restaurant, Cuban Street Food, Gold Coast, Queensland

Visiting friends with my brother and nephew

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My lovely Taiwanese/Aussie friend and her son, my godson, now live at the Gold Coast.  My brother and nephew had met them whilst I lived in Beijing so I thought since it was about four years since they had seen each other we should visit.

I used my frequent flyer points to book us all flights and one Wednesday in February we departed.  We arrived late in the afternoon and my Godson took an instant like to my nephew and for the next three days didn’t let him out of his sight.

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On our first night my friend Evonne took us out to a local Chinese restaurant where I was able to practice my Chinese and also enjoy some good food and meet another of Evonne’s friends who also lived on the Gold Coast.

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We ordered a range of dishes including the obligatory eggplant for me and my brother ordered a couple of typical Aussie/Chinese dishes which he and his son enjoyed.

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Over the next couple of days we enjoyed some shopping and one afternoon went to a friend’s of Evonne’s who lived in a beautiful home overlooking the river.  I enjoyed some great tasting Chinese tea and afternoon tea snacks whilst my brother and nephew enjoyed time in the lap pool.

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That evening we had another great meal at the Garden Restaurant within the Casino.

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This restaurant has an indoor and outdoor area with a grass area for the kids, an outdoor bar and decking to sit on a Sunday listening to a local band but this evening we sat inside.

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I ordered the risotto and Evonne, my brother and the kids had meat dishes.

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Us adults ordered a share dessert called the Garden Chocolate Patch which came out on a huge plate with chocolate soil, chocolate mushrooms, iced milk chocolate truffles, flour less chocolate cake with salted caramel white chocolate ganache.  Unbelievably good!!  And the kids had a selection of house made ice-cream.

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Such a lot of food so the next morning I took myself out for a long walk.  Whilst the weather was not great; a little overcast, it was still a lovely time out in the fresh air.

Image 47Image 46Image 44Then as if we hadn’t had enough to eat the previous evening, we went for brunch at this lovely little cafe within a rather large shopping centre.  The meals matched the size of the shopping centre; huge!!

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And as for the juices, well they were truly amazing. My brother and I ordered the Passionfruit Granita which was a mixture of passionfruit and lime blended with ice with mixed berries and mint leaves – it looked amazing and was absolutely delicious and so refreshing!!  My nephew who had a caramel milkshake – told me it was also great.

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Then after a relax back at Evonne’s, we departed for the airport to take our plane home.  Great few days!!

 

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