Food & Travel Epoch TimEs JULY 25 – AUGUsT 7, 2014 31

By Mollie O’Sullivan

On a beautiful weekend morning there is no better way to kickstart your day

than to pop on down to your local markets and munch on some wholesome, fresh produce while having a wander around. The markets on the Gold Coast are often full of variety and atmosphere, with local musicians and entertainers, along with many of those cheery morning people who are certain to brighten your day while selling their wares.

If you’re considering a morning by the beach then you can’t beat the Broadbeach markets in Kurrawa Park. Right on the beach and just opposite the mall and central hub of Broadbeach there is plenty to do and look at, and many quirky and interesting goods to buy. The Broadbeach markets run on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of each month from 8 am. However, if you happen to miss those, then not to worry, as many of the stallholders also attend the

Burleigh Markets on the last Sunday of the month and the Coolangatta Markets on the second Sunday of the month. All the markets run in the park just by the beach and have access to plenty of facilities.

If you’re looking for something to do on a night then the Surfers Paradise Beachfront markets happen every Wednesday and Friday from 5:30 pm until 10 pm. It’s packed with tourists which creates a fun and vibrant

atmosphere; often there is hired entertainment like stilt walkers roaming the crowds or buskers that spread themselves along the boulevard. The beauty of Surfers is that the beaches are all lit up by massive spotlights so wherever you are in the markets you can still see the waves crashing along the beach, with the whitewash almost glowing in the light. As Surfers Paradise is the focal point for a lot of tourists on the Gold Coast, it caters for nighttime wanderers and offers a ton other things to do once you have exhausted all that the markets have to offer.

Carrara Markets sells itself as one of Queensland’s biggest and best permanent markets, open every Saturday and Sunday from 7 am to 4 pm. It has over 500 stalls and sells all, from fresh food produce to the latest fashions to home wares, plants and arts. It offers the perfect family day out with

merry go rounds, pony rides, trampolines, putt putt and face painting. It’s easy to get lost in and waste time as there is always something new to catch your attention.

When it comes to fresh food then the farmers and produce markets are dotted all over the coast. Marina Mirage, Mudgeeraba and Palm Beach Currumbin markets run early every Saturday morning while the Bundall Farmers market and Miami Organic farmers market are on every Sunday from 6 am.

If the weather looks questionable and you’re not certain if the markets will go ahead then always double check online before leaving the house. Otherwise, don’t forget the sunscreen and hat for our typically sunny Gold Coast days and enjoy your time at the markets!

Copyright © 2014 by My Destination. This article was written by Mollie O’Sullivan and originally published at My Destination Gold Coast.

“By changing their view-point, they will find that they are able to discern a fantastic new world, one that may turn out to be a ‘Wonderful World’”.

You can learn more about Tokyo’s Museum of Con-temporary Art by visiting their website (www.mot-art-museum.jp/eng).

World Museum (Liverpool, England)If your child likes to discover dinosaurs, touch live insects, and admire the Solar System at the Planetarium, then the World Museum is the right place to visit!

Located in William Brown Street, this family-friendly museum houses many col-lections of ancient artefacts ranging from Egyptian mummies to Samurai armour.

The museum offers five floors of in-teractive learning. Children can handle 5000-year-old objects at the discovery centre, watch live performances at the theatre, and observe fish swim by at the aquarium. They can also partake in hands-on learning stations and interact with expert staff if they want to learn more. And parents can relax a little be-cause admission is free for all exhibitions!

Starting this September 19 to February 22 next year, the World Museum is hosting an exhibition called “Sssnakes Alive!” Children can engage in learning everything about snakes. They can “come face to face with live specimens, including a boa constrictor and a royal python, learn about the importance of conservation and discover what life is like in countries where encounters with deadly snakes are a daily occurrence”.

Don’t miss this fun opportunity!You can learn more about the World

Museum by visiting their website (www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/wml/index.aspx).

Sony Wonder Technology Lab (New York, United States)If you or your children are into technology, then the Sony Wonder Technology Lab is a must-see in New York City. Located in Madison Avenue, the Lab offers four floors of interactive galleries and 20 exhibitions, including virtual surgery simulators, ani-mation studios, game builders, and robot zones. All of the exhibits are hands-on in-

teractive and child friendly. And best of all, admission is free!

The Sony Wonder Technology Lab (SWTL) is currently hosting a mini ex-hibit from June 11 through September 2 called Nano. The 37-square-metre trav-elling exhibit “introduces visitors to the miniscule world of nanoscale science, technology and engineering”, the mu-seum’s press release states.

Nano includes four small but interactive components to “present the basics of nanoscience and engineering, introduce some real world applications, and explore the societal and ethical implications of nanotechnology”.

“There are also opportunities for visitors to explore and learn more about tiny solutions for big problems; new technologies inspired by nature; and different perspectives on Nanotechnology throughout the exhibition,” SWTL states.

You can learn more about the Sony Wonder Technology Lab by visiting their website (www.sonywondertechlab.com).

Karel Zeman Museum (Prague, Czech Republic)If you are familiar with 20th century Czech director Karel Zeman and his movies “Journey to the Beginning”, “The Fabulous

Jules Verne”, and “The Baron Munchaus-en”, then you’ve probably heard of this par-ticular film special effects museum.

For those who haven’t, Karel Zeman is a Czech film director known for his cinematic special effects and films from around the world. His works influenced a range of world class filmmakers and made Czech cinematography world famous in the 20th century.

The museum highlights Zeman’s works and successes during his filmmaking career. The museum also houses Zeman’s unpublished photographs, puppets, and documentaries based on the director’s life and cinematographic career.

The rooms of the museum are built to resemble movie studios so visitors can step into backdrops and shoot their own scenes. Photo and video cameras are encouraged all throughout the museum for best experience.

All of the exhibitions in this museum are children-friendly and filled with pleasant surprises. Children will find many interactive components to partake in such as the flying machine, the walk around the moon, and the submarine among other activities.

You can learn more about the Karel Zeman Museum by visiting their website (www.muzeumkarlazemana.cz/en).

An insect expert examines a tarantula at the Liverpool World Museum.

Karel Zeman Museum.

Children attentively engage in controlling robots at the Sony Wonder Technology Lab.

Fresh produce at Carrara Markets .

Markets on the Gold CoastMyDestination.coM

courtesy of LiverpooL WorLD MuseuM.

courtesy of sony WonDer technoLogy Lab)

WWW.MuzeuMkarLazeMana.cz

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