Day 98 - Wednesday 5 April - Melbourne Revisited

Day 98

Wednesday

5 April 2017

Started my new book “Paris Lights” by C.J. Duggan. This one is going to be a soppy Mills and Boon read which will be a nice change from the heavier reads I have read of late. 

Bonbeach – Melbourne

How lucky are we to be in Melbourne and have such beautiful weather? Usually you are laughing at one day but we have now had three beautiful days of weather and it isn’t likely to change in the near future. You beauty.

We were up and getting organised just after 8.30am. Once ready we checked in at the front office to extend our stay only to be told we couldn’t. Bum. As we walked to the train station, I researched places near by, finding the Big 4 at Dandenong and thankfully they had room for us, so we will be on the move tomorrow and while it is a bugger to have to move, it won’t affect our plans for the next three days. 

We took the train to Richmond station and got off here so we could walk past the Richmond Tigers home ground at Punt Road Oval and then on to the Fitzroy Gardens.

As we walked we past many cafes and one took our eye as I noticed the actor Nick Gianolpolis from Acropolis Now enjoying his morning coffee while he read the paper. He is the second personality we have seen in Melbourne, passing Rebecca Judd on the street two days ago.

We wandered through the gardens looking to check out Cook’s Cottage with the hoards of Chinese tourists. I am sure it was never this busy when I saw it 20 years ago.

 

From here we walked through further gardens and onto Spring Street, a road we had travelled down on the city circle tram yesterday and I had wanted to come back to and check out the old buildings more carefully. We took in the old Treasury building, Parliament, The Windsor Hotel built in 1883 and Princess Theatre built in 1886. The show Book of Mormon is currently showing, I tried to get tickets but they are sold out or $300 each. Oh well. 

Treasury Building

Interesting water fountain across from the Windsor Hotel

WIndsor Hotel frontage

Parliament House

and its ornate lightpoles

Princess Theatre

We turned on to La Trobe Street and walked a few blocks until we came across the Library building. This was a popular spot with many people enjoying the gorgeous weather while sitting on the lawn and steps. 

La Trobe statue in the library gardens

Library

More ornate Lightpoles

From here we crossed Swanston Street and entered Melbourne Central. I was keen to check out the giant cone structure that forms the roof above the old brick shot tower. I found a vantage point from which to take some photos and then we sat down in the food court for lunch.

 

The place was packed with shoppers and if I had have been on my own or with my shopping girlfriends, I would have been off exploring, but noting Paul’s love of shopping and being dragged around the city for me to take photos, I didn’t push my luck.  I guess I don’t really have the room to be bringing back lots of things anyway. 

Once sated, we continued on passing a cool wall mural coming together even if it was an ad for heartburn meds. We jumped on the tram to the Docklands, annoyed that 3 Indian toddlers were taking up seats and not being sat on laps. Seriously how hard is it? We alighted at Harbour Esplanade and did a back track to check out Etihad Stadium and the graffiti art on one of the walls. 

Docklands with views to Etihad Stadium

We walked down to the waterfront and took in the buildings and reflections playing on the water. There was a better view of Etihad from this angle. Paul was hoping to find a pub, having seen one yesterday, but it was closed for renovations, so we opted to leg it instead, continuing down the Esplanade and crossing over a funky, honeycomb like bridge to the South Bank precinct. 

Great bridge leading to South Bank

We wandered past the Exhibition Centre, the Polly Woodside ship, Crown and some great wall murals before taking the escalator to the first floor and stopping in at Hophaus German Bier Hall. We found seating where we could watch the people below and enjoyed a drink in the warm of the sun. It was a peaceful place to people watch and gave us a good reprieve from dodging the swarms. 

When we were filled with our drinks, we wandered back to Flinders Train station and waited for the train to whisk us back home.

Following our 20min walk, we were back at the van for 4pm. Paul readied the car for our departure tomorrow, while I loaded on all the pics. At 5pm, we did a walk around the back of the property that takes in the Chelsea Pony Club, a wetland area and Bicentennial Park. It was still lovely and warm as the sun began to descend.

Once back at the van, I organised dinner before loading photos and writing this.By 8.30pm Paul was in bed, while I was researching our next few days and then it was lights out for me too.