What a beautiful day: Dec 30th 2008

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Ok so all you subscribers recieved another email about my last blog again because I updated it. So if you aren't a subscriber and check daily I just updated a few pictures and the end of the text of the last blog.

Today was another interesting day. I spent it with my friends Peter and Janna (pronounced Yanna) It started out with a brunch at CERES cafe. CERES stands for center for education and research for enviromental stradegies. This is a cafe that uses 80% organic materials that are mostly grown right there at CERES. The cafe is a beautiful place that is outside but covered. CERES is a 10 acre enviroment park located in east brunswick, melbourne. For breakfast I had verity's baked eggs which were eggs baked with fetta, spinach pesto, fresh beetroot, mint & parsley on organic sourdough toast. I also ordered a flat white. What this is is 2 shots of espesso with steamed milk. Now this is served in a mug just like a cappuccino but a latte is served in a clear glass but I'm unsure why that is. This brunch was a great start to my day. From there we headed to Werribee Park: the mansion. The mansion was originally built betwen 1874-1877 by Thomas and Andrew Chirnside. The mansion and gardens are a testament to their successful business venture. It was a 60-room Italianate-style mansion. It was sold in 1922 to a wealthy man by the name of Philip Lock who turned around and sold it 1 year later to the Roman Catholic Bishops of Australia for development as a seminary. The church built on several wings to the original Chirnside mansion but in 1973 they gave it to the Victorian government. Some of the parts of the mansion are still original but parts have been redone due to normal wear down.

So the mansion was beautiful inside but it did not compare to the land that surrounds it. There are so many beautiful flower and trees that surround it. You will get to see some photos but my camera died while we were there so I will update the pictures and change this blog at a later date when I am able to download Yanna's photos. The weather today was very nice. There was an overcast but it was warm and a slight breeze. When the sun came out it got hott. I used some sunscreen yet still got a little pink on my face. From here we went to a little restaurant where we all ordered pizza. Now this leads me to my next topic...take away food AKA doggy bags. Apparently a few years ago someone got sick after eating food they took home from a restaurant and they sued. Now the law is you aren't allowed to take a doggy bag at all. Well for me I always take food home and now I can't. I hate wasting food and now I either shove it down my throat or throw it away...ridiculus

Another thing to discuss... the tram tickets. I bought a monthly pass for all the train/tram/bus rides I want. I rode the tram that same day and when I stuck it in the machine I "validated it". So the next few times I read the tram I continued to use my ticket until I began to realize I was the only one. See when you get on the tram they don't make you scan your ticket but I always did. I realized that nobody pays. A lot of residents of Australia think public transportation should be free so they don't pay. I think this is ridiculous and crazy that there is no authority over it. I was informed that when I buy my next monthly pass I shouldnt validate it and incase someone is on checking tickets then just say I forgot to check-in and whip out my metro card. Well that about sums up my day. Stay tuned for another blog in a few days. I probably won't get around to it tomorrow since its NEW YEARS EVE HERE!!!! So on that note I hope everyone has a good new years eve...be safe!!

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Photos

CERES
a shot of the cafe

Melbourne
a view of the city on the way to Werrabee Park

Werrabee Park: the mansion
Petar with the snakes sign...we didn't even see one snake

Scenary
This is the beginning of the beautiful scenary at the mansion...The back tree is a bunya bunya tree

Scenary
one of the many types of australia gum trees

Scenary
another bunya bunya tree

Parterre
the parterre which means "on the ground" in french. There is a better view of this soon to come

Pond
a pond in the center of the parterre

Pond
a pretty flower in the pond

Mansion
part 1 of the front view of the mansion

Mansion
part 2 of the front of the mansion

Mansion
inside the mansion...a beautifully etched piece of glass

Mansion
the U shape is the original piece of the mansion

Mansion
one of the newer parts that the church built on

Mansion
another part of the added on mansion by the church

Parterre
a view of the parterre from the tower

Parterre
another view of the parterre from the tower

Tower
a picture of the third floor stairs to the top of the tower

Tower
a picture of Jarra, Petar, and I atop the tower...think its a little windy?

Scenary
more awesome scenary...so beautiful

Comments

[anonymous]

I'm in love with the bunya bunya trees.

[anonymous]

Just beautiful!!