This is my entry for #MarketFriday initiated by
The Redcliffe Jetty Markets are situated on the Redcliffe Peninsula in Queensland, Australia. I live in Redcliffe and I believe I have visited most of the markets in the area but this is definitely one of my favourites. The market atmosphere does something to me and I find them hard to resist.
You may be mistaken in thinking I go to them for the shopping, but truthfully, this is just one small enjoyable aspect of visiting the markets. In between applying gentle pressure to avocados and mangoes to see how ripe they are, eyeing the fashion items of every conceivable item and admiring the homemade crafts and baking, I'm surreptitiously doing a bit of people watching. But the very first thing I am drawn to at our local Redcliffe markets is the music. So before I spend a cent, I gravitate towards the various buskers and musicians filling the street with wonderful sound. I paused at the entrance of the markets to listen to a couple of 'seasoned' muso's tuning up for a jam session.
My spirit was uplifted to see the obvious joy they felt in pursuing their love of music. I got the impression they wouldn't miss a market for quids.
Walking further along the waterfront markets I hear the sweet harmony of young voices. Two teenage girls sang their hearts out giving Taylor Swift a run for her money. They couldn't resist smiling whenever someone stopped to drop coins or money into their open guitar cases.
Moving further on, I saw quite a crowd gathering and knew immediately what had caught their attention. The riveting rhythm of reggae was drowning out every other sound for me and I eased my way forward until I could clap eyes on the two musicians performing with energetic beats, and smooth vocals. I was going no-where for a while.
Music speaks to our souls and this universal phenomenon begins in the womb I believe. Toddlers with mini instruments danced with carefree abandonment, grandparents tapped their feet against the pavement and by-standers moved in time to the rhythm.
Just behind these musicians is Bee Gees Way. It is an outdoor photographic gallery which depicts the life of the Bee Gees. A fabulous bronze statue of the three brothers invites everyone to walk down this ‘memory lane’ rewarding them with their history in which Redcliffe played an integral part of their lives. It was here, that they played barefoot and carefree before their career was launched from this city. But I'll save that blog for another day and next week I'll bring you more scintillating updates of The Redcliffe Jetty Markets.