Blue Bananas

Stop me and buy one!

And welcome to Tropical Fruit World! With hundreds of varieties of tropical fruit on display, some never previously seen by mankind, we were in for a treat. Greeting us at the entrance was a giant avocado gleaming in the sunlight. We paid what seemed to me to be quite an expensive entrance fee, however it was well worth it with a bus tour of the farm, a trip on a boat, a train ride and a fruit tasting we had a great day out.

Tuppence a pound - roll up fer yer tasty Rollinia's! 

There was even a veggie shop where we could buy the delightful produce grown onsite which we'd just tasted. Wasn't sure about Rollinia (the 'fruit of the week'.) This was supposed to taste like lemon meringue pie but it seemed a bit slimy to me. However we tasted excellent Papaya, Star Fruit, Dragon Fruit (three varieties) and Lady Finger Bananas. And in the shop they had Pummelos, Jak Fruit, Santols, Hog Plums and Babacos and various other shady stuff.

Yes we have blue bananas!

So, back to the bananas.........back home we are restricted to the Cavendish Banana which Fyffe and Chiquita import in vast quantities. The Cavendish Banana works for Tesco, etc because it travels well, its a fairly uniform shape and it can be picked green and ripened off just before being delivered to the supermarket in big containers full of ethylene gas. Compared with Lady's Fingers and the other myriad types grown here and freshly picked off the tree there's no comparison. Fresh bananas are divine. We didn't get a chance to taste Blue Java (see the picture) but they are described as the 'Ice Cream Banana' because of their exquisite taste.

Who me?

Parkrun of the week was New Farm in Brisbane - very slow for me despite the flat course - I was somewhat virally afflicted but determined to get my 50th in and earn the T-shirt. 23.29 for me and 34.39 for Vicky on a picturesque course along the riverbank. I was called out at the start because a little bird had told the organisers that I was reaching a milestone - despite the smile I was a bit embarrassed (no really!)