{"id":232,"date":"2011-06-10T16:03:41","date_gmt":"2011-06-10T06:03:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.fractalthoughts.com\/blog\/?p=232"},"modified":"2011-06-10T16:03:41","modified_gmt":"2011-06-10T06:03:41","slug":"winter-festival-in-the-subtropics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.fractalthoughts.com\/blog\/?p=232","title":{"rendered":"Winter Festival in the Subtropics"},"content":{"rendered":"

The much-heralded Winter Festival will start this weekend in Brisbane, so I went to have a look at the preparations. The announcements had been for a European-style “magical” Christmas Market around the pi\u00c3\u00a8ce de r\u00c3\u00a9sistance<\/em>: An ice rink.<\/p>\n

Now, Brisbane is having an exceptionally cold spell at the moment — today’s maximum was just 15C despite the blazing sunshine. An outdoor ice rink in the subtropics presents some problems, which clearly haven’t been quite overcome yet, judging by the not-entirely-frozen state of the water.<\/p>\n

Still, an effort has clearly been made, and the handful of huts look festive enough. Authentic German Currywurst and, in a specially-fenced-off, alcohol-allowed enclosure, even Gl\u00c3\u00bchwein are being advertised, alongside something I have never seen in a real Christmas Market: doughnuts served with caramelised condensed milk. A more off-putting combination is hard to imagine. Though come to think of it, I can’t quite envisage any kind of food that would be enhanced by the addition of caramelised condensed milk.<\/p>\n

Anyway, might be fun watching first attempts at ice-skating though I’ll need persuading on the Gl\u00c3\u00bchwein. Gl\u00c3\u00bchwein when one isn’t cold just seems… wrong. \u00c2\u00a0Also, they serve it in mugs (!) at $8 each. At that price, I wonder if you get to keep the mug?<\/p>\n

Anyway, piccies below, including my contribution to today’s Daily Shoot<\/a>.<\/p>\n