Melbourne Part 3: Blisters, Bars and the Block!

Now I know that in previous posts I have moaned about my lack of luck with employment, and my distaste at not having a full time job. But there are some advantages. Such as waking up in Melbourne on Monday morning and realising I still another day and a half before I had to go home. It felt gooood!

Ok. Enough bragging. It was time to get up and explore more of this gorgeous city!

And explore I did. Bloody hell. I walked for 6 hours with barely a break! In recent years it has become clear that this is my preferred way to get to know a place. But it leads to incredibly discomfort and fatigue. Especially in the feet...

On my way to the Southbank (the visitor's centre had a vast array of tourist walks to recommend) it just so happened that the Block (the renovation program I have become rather fond of) was kind of on my way... Well, thats my story and I'm sticking to it! Not really expecting much, I headed towards it, happy to take a quick snap and move on. Instead, as I stopped to take my photo, one of the men in the show was dragging some stuff to the tip, so we had a quick, rather silly 'fan' conversation. Which basically was me awkwardly praising his interior design choices and him awkwardly making jokes until his girlfriend came out and told him to get back to work. While several tradies stood by and giggled before suggesting we all went for a beer. I was shocked. No! My avid watching has installed in me the difficulties faced with tight pressures - I would not be responsible for anyone getting behind. I muttered something about other commitments and legged it.

 Despite the rather atmospheric weather, the walk around the Southbank was rather nice. Especially bits like the bridges and the Aboriginal tree carvings in Enterprize park. From there I set out for Fitzroy Gardens and East Melbourne and took in the huge variety of architectural styles (some lovely, some less so...!) and the beauty of the leaves turning in the park. Then on to the Royal Botanic Gardens for a few more hours of wandering and photo taking. Which was only slightly ruined by a long and awkward work related phone call.  By the time it ended I had reached the Shrine of Remembrance.

Which meant there were plenty of people around to
witness my dance of annoyance when I hung up. Some people found this funny. Others seemed sure they were in the presence of a genuine nutter.

Made it home at exactly the same time the Suzie pulled up from work in her new car, nicknamed 'Vin' for its boy racer looks and tinted windows. We poshed up and headed to Collins Street to see 'The Place Beyond the Pines'. While, ostensibly, I cannot deny, we went to see it for Ryan Gosling, it was actually really good, if not enjoyable as such with its less than inspirational outcome. Definitely worth checking it out though. From there we went up 55 floors of the Rialto to Lui Bar. Which was very posh, with stunning views of the whole city. And we arrived just in time for the Crown Casinos waterside fire display. Which was fab! It was the perfect final evening (except for when I, once again, couldnt work out how to turn the taps on in the bathroom, due to their extreme modernity and stylishness) And on leaving the bar, a sudden flutter in a tree made us look up into the staring face of an owl!