This was one of my favourite moments from the weekend, and it actually came nearly at the end, after we'd seen gorgeous natural wonders, beautiful coastline and islands, rainforests and huge gushing waterfalls.
But markets! Fresh fruit! Asian greens! Townsville simply doesn't have a big, vibrant market like this (though there must be somewhere that the restaurants buy their fresh food?) and it was a sight for my sore, sore tastebuds. I don't know how it is that none of this beautiful fresh fruit makes the three hour drive down to Townsville. I just wish I had bought a few more of those bananas. They were delicious, but sadly the rest of the banana crop has been flattened by Cyclone Larry. Damn!
Cyclone Larry has passed well inland, and is starting to lose power. That leaves the residents of Innisfail and the surrounding cane and banana growing area to pick up the pieces. I do feel for them (and of course the bananas).
Update:
Townsville is really made up of a lot of ‘ex-pat’ soldiers, engineers and marine biologists so you don’t hear much of a regional accent around here. We noticed the difference when we arrived in Cairns, though. It’s a whole lot more humid up there, and I think that’s what flattens and lengthens out the vowel sounds. It must have rubbed off a bit on me, too. I was out in the front yard just now, airing our tent, and I heard myself tell our neighbours that we “were away keemping on the weekend.”
4 comments:
We have a fresh market here that is to die for good. Local producers also bring in cheese, pasta and breads. I always end up buying shit I have no idea how to make, but looks so tasty and enough fruit to feed a small third world country which later turns soft and nasty in the fridge.
See, I'm lucky! I am totally safe from temptation here in Townsville. No big markets; no gourmet food shops; the shoe shops are filled with ugliness and the clothing shops are the same. Townsville is definitely the place to come if you want to save money.
hi naomi, got a text from kath this morning that townsville experienced a cyclone and that you would be without water for 2 weeks!!! is this true and if it is how will you cope??? thinking of you in this time of desperation. claire xxx
Thanks for your concern, but really we're fine! The cyclone didn't hit us, it hit the people up the road. Poor them though, many of them have lost everything. They said that cyclone Larry was as bad as Katrina
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