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Published: March 2nd 2011
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The last few days have been filled with a few miscellaneous trips. I took another trip down to the coast to Durras. I kept Di company and helped her move a dining room table and chairs down. It was nice to go boogie boarding afterwards, and see my little kangaroo buddies again. Although, I ended up eating Kangaroo that night….sorry guys!!
Sunday we went wine tasting to Murrambateman. We went to two wineries, and the wines were yummy. I bought two bottles. The scenery was beautiful…..very Santa Ynez’ish! But instead of oak trees dotting the landscape there were the ever present eucalyptus.
Monday morning I flew to Melbourne. This city is way cool. It’s my total favorite over Sydney, Brisbane, and Canberra so far. It is so fun, old, modern, artsy, and funky!
After landing, and finding my cool hostel…which is an old 1900’s Salvation Army training center, I ended up buying some fish and chips from across the street and watching the Oscars. After that I wandered around…to the old city baths….and then, I ended up down in the Fitzroy area on New Brunswick St….a very San Francisco Haight Asbury feeling zone. Bought a bottle of wine
and sipped my way down the street. Ohh’ed and ahh’ed the all the fun and funky store fronts. I ended up trying my first Australia hamburger for dinner that night. It wasn’t bad…although I think America still dominates in this part of the culinary world.
Walked around the Parliament buildings, the tall old Cathedrals, the majestic theatres, the very happening Chinatown with its hidden restaurants down little alleys, and where ever my feet thought would be of interest!
Later that night hung out in the garden area of the hostel, finished my wine and chatted with a French guy.
After a cup of coffee in the morning, I jumped on Tram 96 and headed to St. Kilda, a cute eclectic little community down at the seaside. Got a chocolate muffin (the size of two fists) and a strong flat white (latte) coffee and wandered around the St. Kilda’s peaceful Botanical Gardens. I had to take shelter under a tree from the summer showers. I made it all the way to Luna Park (a very old Coney Island style amusement park), past the many delectable cake shops and cozy coffee hang outs before the deluge started again…this time took
shelter under an old theatre roof. A bike rider rounded the corner and also took refuge and we chatted until the sun came out. Half walked, half blew down the beach sidewalk towards the Sea Baths. Thirteen dollars was a little more than I wanted to spend for a swim, so I blew out to the end of the pier instead. Watched crazy kite surfers do their stuff in the wind…sometimes jumping what looked like 20 feet in the air. I met a nice polish girl out there, too.
After St. Kilda’s, I trammed back to the city, to Federation Square. This is the central meeting area in Melbourne. Its design is very funky very modern very cool. On other side of this intersection is one of the oldest hotels, the old Flinders St. train station, and an old cathedral. This city sure can surprise and titillate the eyes! Walked along the Yarra river for a while, almost took a boat cruise. I ended up walking in the many amazingly beautiful parks for the next 2 hours. I made friends with ‘Or,’ a traveller from Israel and we hoofed around the gardens together. Then we both took the free
bus back to the center of town.
I stopped for a look see at the Queen Victoria Market…bought a carrot and some sushi for lunch. They were pretty much closing down for the day, so I jumped back on the bus. Stopped for a quick email check at the State Library before meeting up with Bronwyn (friend I met in Puerto Vallarta last year).
She took me out for my birthday! We went to have a drink in Chinatown in one of the little alleyways. It was crowded with locals sitting outside on pallates! Very funky, very cool! We ate dinner next door at a Shanghai dumpling restaurant. Bronwyn knew the spot…as there were a line of people waiting to get in. The wait wasn’t too long and it was worth every minute! We went and had ‘one for the road’ after at this upstairs bar (that I think only locals would know about). She is definitely in the know…having lived here all her life.
It was a nice day, a nice birthday. I told everyone on the buses and trams and in rain soaked little towns that it was my birthday, and everyone gave me a
hearty happy birthday. The aussies and fellow travelers are a good bunch!
Today, absorbed some culture at the Melbourne Museum (wow), St. Patrick’ Cathedral (sat in on a service, and even took communion), and to the art gallery at the Ian Potter Centre.
Tonight, I am meeting up with Bronwyn and her friends at 7 to check out the night time action at the Queen Victoria Market (I think it is the last one of the summer). Should be good fun with live entertainment, drinks, people, fruit, veggies, fish, meat and international food!!
I am headed back to Canberra tomorrow. Might try and squeeze a swim in tomorrow morning, and squish in the aquarium before I leave. Squish squish!!!
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Kerstin Hagman
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Photos
So many good photos! I am sad I can´t save them to my computer. is that right? Can you upload the one of yourself and Browney (?) to FB?