Day 11: Shopping in Kuranda

Liam, Phoebe and I took a day trip to Kuranda. Known as the village in the Rain Forest, it is known for its shopping and shops filled with Australian gifts and souvenirs. I had been searching all week for the perfect Australian opal ring, and this was where I was sure I would find it.

We spent most of the day just wandering the streets looking at all the stuff the shops offered to the visiting tourist.

stuffed crocodile

Viagra shaped rock candies

I do love a man with a beard... my Australian boyfriend

Large Koala

Some of the more charming souvenirs you can purchase are a lucky kangaroo foot or a change purse made from the scrotum of a kangaroo

these change purses are made of real Australian toads

Australia sure loves their manikin displays

I kept seeing these creepy black dolls everywhere and didn't understand why they were everywhere. They are called Golliwogs and are supposed to be Aboriginal dolls or something. I think they looked borderline offensive...

golliwogs hanging in a shop window

There was a shop that had an underground geological rock display. It also had a huge Dinosaur skeleton in the entry way

the dinosaur mural is attacking Liam

For lunch we had a German braut from the braut stand. It reminded Phoebe and I of the delicious braut she and I had while in England one time. We sat outside on the deck (which is where the large stuffed Koala was located). I got a Lemon Lime and Bitters and it was gloriously delicious. Gosh, I wish they had Lemon Lime and Bitters in the US. While we dined on our German food and Australian soda, we were serenaded by David Hasselhoff in true German fashion.

I found my opal ring at last!

Kuranda is also home to a crashed US Airplane. It is now completely destroyed after being used in a few films and crashed in the last one. It reminded me of the TV show lost a little bit. Ah there is a little piece of the US everywhere I go.

Before heading home we drove up to Barron Falls in Barron Gorge.

Since it was the dry season, the normally impressive falls were pretty meager. I could imagine how rushing and huge the falls normally is based on the size of the gorge. Although we decided to drive up to Kuranda, there is also the option of taking the Skyrail up from Cairns, which travels through the gorge and drops you off at Kuranda for the day. I liked the drive better because it was much less expensive and we weren't on a timeline.

Phoebe, just hanging around

I love when you ask people to take a picture of you and a landmark of any kind and you walk away with a picture of you covering up the said landmark...