Oct 14, 05 (Friday)

We arrived at Gold Coast from Tangalooma late last night, so we got up late to eat breakfast, continental breakfast with pastries, all kinds of bread, fruits, cereals, and coffee and juice. It was lightly raining. Pam said she would take us to the third largest mall in Australia called Paradise Fair in the afternoon. After chapel I went to shop at Cole's, about 5 blocks walk from our hotel and found some bargains, shiitake mushrooms and sugar snap peas for 50 cents a package. Most of you know I love to find bargains. I also found a custard pie and chocolate/caramel sweets on sale.

01 A View from Our Hotel Room

Marvin wanted to stay in the hotel while we went to the Paradise Fair. We rode on a bus for a while and could see more expensive area of the city. Gold Coast is really a touristy place. I like Tangalooma much better than this place. Many Asian people are here and at most shops they have signs in both Japanese and Chinese. The Mall was so huge. It had both K-Mart and Target. There was a small amusement park inside this mall where small children could ride and enjoy playing on a playground. There were movie theatres and bunch of shops. I took a bus back to our hotel since the Moores and Pam left earlier.

02 Another view toward the Ocean

Marvin and I decided to check out the beach. It was getting to be dusk and several Japanese young men were just finishing up surfing. We found the restaurant, Captain's Table, on the second floor of a building. Pam thought it would be a good seafood restaurant and it was. The host sat us near the window so that we could watch the tourists walking by. We ordered a dish of Seafood Tower to share. I think Marvin could have eaten the whole plate by himself, but it was enough for me.

We went to the Moore's room to play Shanghai. Pam introduced us to a card game called "7". I think my parents and I used to play this game. After we were back in our room, we watched the very interesting program on Discovery Channel, the great taraccota warriors of China.

03 A View from Our Room toward the River

04 The City of Gold Coast

05 The Hotel Name displayed with bushes