Melbourne - February 2015

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Hello everyone, well we had a bit of a sight seeing day in Melbourne yesterday, so much to see and do. It was very hot and humid, 32 degrees, anyway caught a tram into the city and walked to a building called 333 Collins Street. It is a modern office block, big skyscraper but the interesting thing is, it is built around a smaller building which was constructed in the 1890's. Very striking inside and a very elegant building, originally built for the headquarters of the Bank of Australia, now it's owned by a Hong Kong company.

From there we walked to Federation Square which I have mentioned before, it is a modern public space, everyone hangs out there, if there is something like tennis on, its put on on the big screens there. Fed square is right in the city, so they have an amphitheatre at one end, shops, restaurants and museums, but people just go there and sit, just watching everything go by. We took our lunch there and then walked to Fitzroy gardens as we wanted to visit Captain Cooks house. I was melting in the heat, all I wanted to do was lie down but Stu said we had to keep going ! We went into the little house, I said to Stu, this would do me, wouldn't have to do much housework, take you all of 15 minutes ! He said, 'what about all you're clutter' ! I said, 'I would get rid of it'. You know, since living with things which have just come out of a suitcase, you don't need much. When we get home, I am going to have one big blitz in the house and get rid of the stuff !! That's the plan anyway, no, I'm really going to do it. Very interesting about Captain Cook, he was married for 16 years but his wife only saw him for 4 of those. Sounds perfect to me !!! When he died, it took nearly a year for the death message to get to her. This little house we were in was shipped to Aussie in 1933 from England. I definitely would like a house that size!! We walked around Fitzroy park which is truly lovely, came across another little house which belonged to James Sinclair who was the landscape gardener back in the day, another little house I could live in !! I think you would have to put you're washing machine outside, because there wouldn't be enough room !! We saw the fairy tree, which some lady had carved fairies into it back in the 1930's, not quite sure why, but looked pretty good. Still walking on the not so white pins now, we went through China town to buy some tiger balm, can't believe I forgot to pack that, we got quite biten in Fiji, even though I did buy the local insect repellent, but didn't seem to work. From there we went to visit a roof top bar/restaurant as they are very popular in Melbourne and over Australia. Nice place, good views overlooking the city.

So last night, the four of us went out for a meal to a very nice restaurant renowned for fish. It was called Rubiras and was local, absolutely delicious. I had John Dorey fish, Sue and Brian had fish and Stu had a 650 gr T bone steak. After he ate it, he looked green !! Said it was too much but had to eat it because it was so nice. So that was our treat for the month, cos were on our BUDGET !! So back to stir frys now !

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