King George Square — Attraction in Brisbane City

To my knowledge, a square is a 4 sided shape, with 4 equal angles of 90deg, one attribute which King George Square does not posses. My origins are of the Batak Tribe of the Philippines. I was born of a community largely isolated from modern society, of which only a small number remain. As a child, I was taught basic survival tools, and learnt to live off the land. It is the way of our people. It is what connects us with the earth. It is what makes us who we are and where we will return when our physical bodies no longer serve our minds soul. At merely 6 years of age, retrieving fish from the river, I came across an object in the river's bed, what then seemed to me as a symbol of perfection, a state of nirvana, a key-way into a dimension and reality i never knew existed, yet always longed for. I stumbled across what I now know as a square. From this moment, I was awaken. 26 excruciating years led me to learn to speak, read and write, to walk upright, to understand my surroundings in an intellectual manner, to blend in with what is considered today's modern society and make a life for myself. This moment, my entire existence to the point in time which I type this sentence, the struggle, the pain, the indescribable feeling of conquer in achieving a state of being I'd never known could've existed through natural progression in my former environment, was a manifestation driven by the motivation to once more see with my own pure awoken eyes this magical shape.

To finally arrive to Brisbane, Australia, a country which i had never known existed, let alone knew how to pronounce, spell, or comprehend in the most basic of elemental senses, and see "King George Square", not even a square?

1 star...

KGS was once my home, not just ne but for many. Its place for public square but helped me from heavy rain 2011 and gave me square piece to lay my head. Safe from Roma park druggies. Can hear that cathedral choir still. That comforted my soul from hunger and made me to smile to you brizzy folks while you walking past. Thanks to the entertainment around here. Not an aussie so life was hard while on a temporary visa, no help except the yell go back to your country. But still there are a good number of rich souls in there. Brisbane helped me to come back from this poor state. After 9 years, I still keep my jag bag my pillow and you Brisbane King George Sqaure. Special thanks to the security guys who mercifully let me sleep and the orderlies. Now I can turn back and say life is wonderful though it made me to taste the bitterness first. Love...

It's with some reluctance that I give KGS a measly two stars. It's a centrepiece of my hometown. But sadly, a two star rating is thoroughly deserved.

Before the $28.5 million renovation of the square in 2009, KGS was, to be fair, hardly a shining example of city planning. A long water feature and fountain, a few trees, a bit of grass and some statues. Times, Trafalgar and St Peter's had nothing to fear, but KGS was a comfortable fit.

Now it's basically a black granite walkway with a bar and/or restaurant on one side and granite seating on the other. It almost screams, "Don't relax!" I don't know if it's the clash between granite and the sandstone of City Hall or the lack of warmth & charm, whatever it is,...