Elizabeth Quay Bridge in Perth, Australia

© Amazing Aerial Agency/Offset by Shutterstoc

Bridge to infinity

Infinity Day has us visiting Perth, Australia, and the Elizabeth Quay Bridge. From this aerial view, the bridge closely resembles a tilted ∞, the common symbol for infinity first popularized in a 17th-century mathematical text. We recognize this unofficial holiday every August 8, because the number 8 resembles the infinity symbol—at least when tipped on its side—and the eighth day of the eighth month is an infinitely superior day to celebrate the infinite.

View this bridge at ground level and you'll quickly realize that the graceful figure 8 seen from above is something altogether different when viewed from below. The architects designed the bridge to dramatically link the Swan River with the city. The upper left and bottom right curves seen in this image are actually double arches that loop up and then under a 360-foot pedestrian and bicycle pathway. The pathway offers striking views of Perth's central business district and connects the area with the newly developed Elizabeth Quay mixed-use development, featuring shops, cafés, apartments, and bars. If you ever have a chance to walk on this bridge, we recommend taking a moment to ponder the infinite, just like the mathematicians and philosophers of the 17th century did.