Visiting Melbourne this time was more about seeing our son Laurence than actual sightseeing. Although I did managed to persuade everyone to have a day out in The Dandenongs on Sunday! This time we were staying in South Yarra just a stone’s throw away from the train station and only two stops to Flinders Street Station.
Overlooking the city from the balcony of Punthill Apartments
Anthony and Maddy waiting to go to breakfast, a tad chilly!
Eating out is always a must when we visit though! Our first night was spent in Zurouna. A fabulous Lebanese restaurant in South Yarra. Although there are many places to eat it is always better to book as everywhere is always so busy.
We had a dip platter to share with some other starters and a few mains. Plus lots of red wine and cocktails.
From the gallery of Zurouna
Inside – nice decor!Outside viewThe two we came to visit!
Friday
After a pretty hefty breakfast at the little cafe next door to the Punthill Apartments, we caught the train into town. Very handy with South Yarra station right below us and just two stops to Flinders Street.
Looking very relaxed and comfortable heading into town
We met Laurence for lunch at the Crafty Squire where all main courses were $20, bargain!
(from Google Images)
After lunch we had a wander around and of course some shopping and Anthony bought a new hat!
Captain Von Trapp also wearing Barbour waistcoat and Merino wool zip up cardigan, so fashion!
Back to the apartment for a short rest and then cocktails at The Imperial Hotel. Very lively and noisy bar, great atmosphere.
A pint and passionfruit mojito and a bowl of nachos to share
Then it was off for another delicious dinner just down the road to the Thirty Eight Chairs a small Italian restaurant in Bond Street, South Yarra. Fantastic service!
Saturday
Today was a designated shopping day and we walked the length of Chapel Street in search of new clothes. Not exactly a difficult chore and there are boutiques galore! Also a wonderful sunny day. After I felt I couldn’t walk another step we stopped for a late lunch in Hawkers Hall, an Asian fusion restaurant.
A wonderfully old and fairly decrepit building, would have been grand in its hey day
Chapel Street – Street Art!
After a fairly exhausting day of walking we were in need of a quick rest before heading out again into town for a very lively night.
We went to Vamos which we’ve been to before but it’s always such a good night there! It’s a Spanish tapas bar in Bourke Street and they have a band playing Thursday through Sunday, lots of Latin music. There is a small dance floor that can accommodate two dancers! while people are eating. The space did not deter the large table behind us and four couples all got up and did salsa. After people have eaten the tables are cleared or moved back and so many people get up and dance. There is a great atmosphere here and would definitely go back when I’m in Melbourne next.
I’ve just got back from a five day trip to Melbourne to see my son and his girlfriend once again! As they live just outside of St. Kilda I had the opportunity to see different places in Melbourne. It was a gastronomic gourmet getaway, eating and drinking our way around many different cuisines.
I had the first day to myself so thought I would walk to St. Kilda. Sounds simple enough but those who know me well also know I have no sense of direction. But armed with my google maps I managed to get there with a stop on the way to St Kilda Botanical Gardens. Of course with a few little detours!
St Kilda Botanical Gardens
The rain man in St. Kilda Botanical Gardens
St. Kilda Botanical Gardens
St. Kilda Botanical Gardens
Cute little duck!
St. Kilda Beach
Some shots of the art deco buildings along the beachfront.
Painted van
Apartment block with art deco features
Palace Theatre
The entrance to Luna Park, spewing out visitors!
From the beach
St Kilda Lighthouse
We also tried to catch the penguins on parade at sunset but not much luck. The fairy penguins are a nightly event and come up on the rocks down by the pier just after sunset. There are hundreds of people trying to get photos and all standing on one tiny wooden walkway, it was a bit worrying that the whole thing would collapse.
View of the city from St. Kilda PierMy solitary Fairy PenguinDinner @ St. Moritz, Acland Street, St. Kilda
Yarra Valley
We drove to the Yarra Valley one day to celebrate Maddy’s forthcoming 21st birthday, with so many wineries to choose from it was difficult to make the right choice. Soumah Winery won the prize! On the way we stopped at Oakridge Winery for a quick tasting. It was a really nice place and they didn’t charge for the tasting! The day we went was a very smokey day due to bushfires very close by, at first not a single cloud or blue sky could be seen, which is why some of then photos look very overcast.
Winetasting at Oakridge
Very generous measures for a tasting
Choosing the wine for lunch
Our Lunch
Fig Rocket and Pancetta Salad
Seafood Pasta
Sweet potato Feta and Basil Bruschetta
A very smoky photo of the Yarra ValleyPosing amongst the grapes!Vineyards of SoumahWalking off into the smoky hillsRustic rusty farm machinery
No matter which vineyard you visit anywhere in Australia there is always the rusty old farm machinery, the rustier the better!
Brighton Beach Bathing Huts
The last day we drove to Brighton Beach to have a look at all the amazingly colourful bathing beach boxes. There are 82 in all and they date back to the late nineteenth century. They are all painted different colours and sit on the beach. I took so many photos and here are some of my favourites.
Brighton Beach
My favourites below:
Life’s a beach!The iconic Blinky BillSurf’s up
Some of the beach
Black swans with a view of the skyline
Paddling in the rock pools
Beautiful clear water
Dazzling colours of the seashells
The Baths for lunch and a glass of wine
Some of the places we had dinner
Tulum Turkish in Carlisle Road, Balaclava. Excellent Turkish tapas and would highly recommend if you are in the area. Vamos Spanish in the city. Great for tapas and live music. We had a fantastic night here eating, drinking and dancing the night away. Soumah in the Yarra Valley. An hour’s drive from Melbourne. St. Moritz, St. Kilda. Delicious steaks and burgers with live music.
On the last leg of our journey now and it’s northwards bound today. Travelling to Coffs Harbour for the night to break the journey which was six hours drive away. Our first stop was for lunch in a tiny place called Budgewoi, a little off the beaten track but I love finding these hidden places.
Sydney to BudgewoiBudgewoi LakePelicans on Budgewoi LakeCold prawns and greek saladA snack after lunch!
The drive up to Coffs is full of lush and tropical scenery so different from the west coast and it was getting more humid as the miles flew by. We arrived at 6.30 pm and were staying at Beach Haven Executive Apartments located on the Solitary Islands Highway just minutes from the beach. We had a beautiful room overlooking the ocean. They do have a restaurant on site but as it was empty we decided to drive into Coffs Harbour and have dinner at the fabulous Latitude 30.
Our dinner!
Duck with cranberry sauce
Grilled scallops with cauliflower puree
View over Beach Haven from our roomSapphire BeachNo-one else around so I had to take my own photo
Day 16 – Coffs to Brisbane
Our journey today was just a four hour drive so we had plenty of time to stop off for lunch. Currumbin, QLD was the next stop where we met up with an old friend at the RSL Club with fantastic views over the beach.
CurrumbinViews of Surfers ParadiseTiger Air coming into land
By the time we arrived in Brisbane it was 5.30. We were staying at Soda Apartments on the South Bank for two nights. Great fully furnished apartment but so noisy as there is so much construction work going on in Brisbane. I love Brisbane which is also so laid back like Melbourne. People are so friendly here. Our first night we walked down to the South Bank and wandered along the river. It’s a great place to be at night, so much to see and so many restaurants to eat in.
The Brisbane WheelChinese TempleGrey StreetAhmet’s Turkish restaurant where we ate dinner
Turkish salad
Mixed Souvlaki with Yoghurt dip
The Fox Hotel
Day 17
Today I fancied a drive inland – the hinterland as it’s called in Queensland and just chose a spot on google maps which sounded interesting! Glasshouse Mountains is just over an hour’s drive away. A beautiful drive up high into the mountains with amazing views but so difficult to stop as the road is so narrow and windy in parts. One of the restaurants looked spectacular so we headed there for lunch, Clear Mountain Lodge. We were the only ones up there, it’s a place I would really like to go back to and spend the night sometime. The views around are of the Glasshouse Mountains, Moreton Bay and the islands.
Cajun chicken
Seafood pasta
The Long and Winding RoadVegetable and herb garden at the restaurant
We also had friends in Brisbane so off we went there for dinner that night!
Day 18
Checked out today as we were spending the last night in the Novotel at the airport so Anthony could get an early start for the long drive home! I couldn’t face long hours in the car again so I took the easy way and was flying back.
So our last day was again spent visiting friends, near Southport.
That night we had an early night with dinner at a restaurant in the Skygate
Freshly cooked bream
Oysters and wine!
The Novotel poolThe colourful airport train
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And so it ends, our epic road trip across five states! What a wonderful 19 days it’s been. We’ve seen so many interesting places and eaten in fabulous restaurants along the way. On the way we caught up with friends and family in different states, but I must say I am looking forward to going home to see my precious grandson and daughter and planning my next trip. Until then Sayonara!
After leaving Canberra we arrived in Sydney around 5pm. It’s not our first time in Sydney so we’ve done most of the tourist things Sydney has to offer. This time our visit was mainly to visit relatives and friends. Anthony decided he wanted to stay in Chatswood because it has a great shopping centre! We stayed in the wonderful Meriton Suites and had an apartment on the 26th floor with fantastic views. They also have their own carpark conveniently located in the basement. When you walk around Chatswood you can see why it’s called little Hong Kong, which was also why Anthony chose this place having lived most of his life in Hong Kong.
Views from the apartment
I’ve been having fun editing all my photos using Ribbet.com. It’s amazing the difference the editing has made. I thought I would add some frames too, it was too tempting not to. The photos above were taken with my Canon Powershot SX730.
Day 2 in Sydney
The apartment was very near the train and bus station around five minutes walk, and if there’s one thing Anthony likes as much as shopping it’s public transport. So after purchasing our Opal tickets – you need these to travel on public transport – we found the right bus stop to make our way to meet Anthony’s nephews in Crow’s Nest.
Two gorgeous boys – the one on the right is the lead singer with the upcoming band Johnny HunterCrab zoodle pasta
Then it was back to the apartment on the train this time. Hubby a very happy boy using all this public transport.
Later we met my wonderful friend and her hubby in Manly, a favourite place of mine.
Me and one of my besties, LoraineDinner in Garfish, Manly
We drove to Manly but it’s very easy to reach by ferry from Sydney Harbour. Manly has a laid back holiday feel to it with a great beach. There are many restaurants, bars and cafes lining the Corso. The night we were there people were still swimming at 9pm and many were picnicking on the grass verge by the sea.
Manly Beach
Day 3 in Sydney
After breakfast on the balcony again we headed over to Gordon to meet up with Anthony’s aunt and cousin for lunch. Time was soon marching on and we still hadn’t been to the city yet, so we hopped on the train to Wynyard which took us over the bridge and then walked down to The Rocks. We found a great bar in the cruise terminal overlooking the harbour where we had a few cocktails and thought about where to go for dinner.
Overlooking the Opera House with my usual Sauvignon Blanc in handCruise Bar
A few more from our walk around
Sydney Harbour Bridge
Something I’ve never done is climb the bridge. I would rather look at the view than be the view!
The lovely Appetito where we had our dinnerWaiting to get his dinner
Dinner!
Tomato and Mozzarella Salad
Lamb shoulder with ratatouille
Seafood Pizza for Anthony
Sculpture by Dali
Well what did you think of my frames? To frame or not to frame? It was fun but very time consuming.
Our time in Sydney had come to an end but not our journey. And so onwards and upwards to Coffs Harbour and Brisbane in Part Six.
We said our goodbyes to Laurence and Maddy early in the morning. It was sad to be leaving them after such a great ten days but hopefully it won’t be long before we see them again.
Today we would be heading to Canberra for a very short overnight stop to break our journey to Sydney. So once again I opened up Google maps to see where we could stop for lunch. That’s the good thing about driving you can stop where you like and often it’s pot luck as to whether you find a good place for lunch! Well lucky for us we found a great place in Wangaratta about three hours away.
By this time the heat was really climbing and when we arrived it was 44 degrees.
We only walked about two minutes from the car to the restaurant but I could feel my arms burning up already. We ate in a cafe called Rinaldo’s in Wangaratta, a very cute town.
Cooling off with a glass of cold white!
Seafood pasta for Anthony
Super quick walk back to the car as it was still burning hot outside and then straight through to Canberra. We drove through some beautiful countryside, quite hilly and very green. So different to the dry plains of Western Australia.
We arrived in Canberra at 7.30 and we would be leaving fairly the next day, so I don’t have much to say about Canberra! A bit of luxury for tonight though staying at the Crown Plaza. On hindsight we should have stayed there for dinner as we couldn’t find anything decent in town.
Day 12 – Canberra to Sydney – 3 hours
As the drive was only 3 hours today we would have plenty of time to stop at the places I thought would be interesting. So our first stop was Lake George (click on the link for the mysterious facts!). Anthony mentioned this place as he said he remembered it as a boy when it actually did have water in it. The temperature outside was a scorching 40 degrees, a tad cooler than yesterday but I still made him get out to take some photos. The Lake is believed to be over a million years old. When the lake is empty it is used by farmers for grazing sheep and cattle. It last filled up in 2006 but evaporates very quickly.
Lake GeorgeLake George
Next was the The Big Merino in Goulburn. Of course I had the obligatory photo and then said to Anthony let’s just have a quick look in the gift shop. He said there won’t be anything worth buying in there just touristy stuff. Well less than 20 minutes later he had seen a very nice Merino wool jacket, I knew it was too good to be true that he couldn’t buy anything.
The Big Merino, Goulburn
Lunchtime was next and we decided to stop in the historic town of Berrima. This was a beautifully kept village with so much to see. After lunch we walked over to the Berrima District Museum to have a look around. It was run by a group of volunteers and we were given a small tour by the lovely gentleman on duty that day. I was amazed to find out that Berrima was once an internment camp to German merchant seamen. It was the only camp in Australia not to confine its prisoners within the camp perimeter. It held 300 German nationals from 1915 to 1919. These men were made up from naval captains, senior officers, executives from German shipping companies with offices in Australia and some sailors from a ship. Just before WWI broke out Germany were doing a booming trade in Australia.
These prisoners were permitted to leave the camp after roll call in the morning but had to return at 6.30pm.
After a year or so they realised they were in for the long haul and put their energies into making the camp a better place. They built boats, a bridge, houses and even had their own bakery as they did not like the bread from the village. There were vegetable gardens and the villagers used to buy from the prisoners. They performed plays or put on concerts in the theatre they had built.
Getting ready for the regatta to celebrate the Kaiser’s birthday in the boats they had builtA small house built by one of the internees called Villa Marcella named after his German fiancee
Leaving this gem of a museum we drove through the village to have a look at some of the lovely old buildings.
St Xavier’s ChurchThe Old court House
Back into the trusty and dusty Merc and onwards to Sydney.
And that is the end of Part Four – Melbourne to Sydney – Part Five – Sydney
As I mentioned in my previous post we had an apartment on the 59th floor! I’ve never stayed in an apartment so high before. We had floor to ceiling windows in every room with fantastic views over Melbourne.
One of the views from our balcony on 59th floor
First night in Melbourne – Korean BBQ
The next four days were going to be relaxing and taking it easy, with good food and plenty to drink! Lots of walking and definitely not much driving.
Although Melbourne is so busy and teeming with people, it still has a laid back feel to it. So many tourists going through all stopping to enjoy the beautiful sights Melbourne has to offer.
On the South Bank overlooking the Yarra RiverView of the CBDSculptures on the Yarra
Ludlow Restaurant, South Bank
South Bank
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While we were in Melbourne The National Gallery of Victoria was exhibiting the works of M.C. Escher (a renowned Dutch artist) with the works of Nendo Design Studio from Japan, Escher X nendo. I took some photos of M.C. Escher‘s works while walking around with Maddy. I hadn’t heard of Escher before and it was something Maddy wanted to see. She was very knowledgeable so didn’t need the audio guide!
I would like to have posted some of the fabulous prints we saw but when I checked on the website you needed to fill out a copyright request form in great detail. If you do go to Melbourne before 7 April it’s really worth a visit to see his works.
Sculpture from a wall down a lanewayMore artwork from a lanewayOne of many art deco buildings – Manchester Unity Building
Love a red door!The General Post OfficeRoyal ArcadeGaunt’s clock, Royal Arcade
St Kilda’s
St. Kilda’s is a coastal suburb not too far from central Melbourne. It has a completely different vibe to it than the city. Over a hundred years ago it was a very ritzy resort for the rich. Many palatial mansions are still standing, now converted into hotels. It’s great for a day or night out with so many restaurants, from cafes to fine dining.
The restaurants of Acland Street
Enjoying a glass of sangria
Dinner at Rococo’s
We ate and drank at fabulous places over the last five days and enjoyed every one. Food and service are always exceptional in Melbourne.
Tsindos Greek Restaurant, Lonsdale Street
Our last dinner together for a whileFather and SonOne of the many tasty tapas we enjoyedThe famous neon sign of Lucy Liu
And that my friends was that! This was where we left them and carried on with our epic journey onwards and upwards towards Brisbane. Next stop Canberra then Sydney in Part Four.
Deciding to go on a road trip was not a hard decision, as my dear hubby loves a drive! Also our son Laurence was driving back with his girlfriend, Maddy, to begin their new life in Melbourne, so why not accompany them and drive on a bit more. And so it begins!
Day 1 – Perth to Norseman
We started our journey on a Sunday morning and did not leave nearly early enough, as per usual. The great thing about road trips is the amount of luggage you can take, no weight restrictions here. So we loaded up the car with our stuff plus we also had some of Maddy’s and then the car was full.
The first stage was going to take us 722 km and around 8 hours with a couple of stops along the way.
Laurence and Maddy had already left two days before to spend some time in Albany and Esperance, and we were going to catch up with them in Madura.
Anthony was driving the very comfortable Mercedes which is great for reclining in the passenger seat! Sad to say I did not participate in any of the driving.
With just a quick stop in Coolgardie for a beer it was straight through to Norseman.
All the motels and roadhouses along the way tend to close at 8pm and we arrived just as the restaurant was closing. Lucky I had phoned ahead and was able to order steak and chips for two otherwise it would have been the BP station for dinner.
Old heritage building in Coolgardie
Coolgardie is a small town in Western Australia. It has a population of approximately 850 people. Although Coolgardie is now known to most Western Australians as a tourist town and a mining ghost town, it was once the third largest town in Western Australia.
Old farm machinery and sculptures made out of corrugated iron
Day 2 – Norseman to Madura
After a good night’s sleep at the Best Western we walked into town to get breakfast only to find we were way too early at 8 am. Everywhere was closed. So we walked back to have breakfast at the BP station. I wanted to have a look at some of the historic sites Norseman had to offer, so we drove up to Beacon’s Hill Lookout. On the way we passed by what was an old mining site. It looked like the workers had just downed tools in the middle of the day and never went back. So much machinery and piles of rubble everywhere. The view from the top was fabulous.
Some history about Norseman
The discovery of a rich gold reef by Laurie Sinclair in 1894 as a result of his horse ‘Norseman’ uncovering a piece of gold bearing quartz, caused a town to be established and named in honour of the horse.
A rich history of gold mining has developed with many mines operating over the years and many ounces of gold being extracted.
The early pioneers had a very tough life. Water was always a challenge with condensers being set up on the salt lakes to assist in addressing the issue and the towns people relied on camel trains to bring supplies. For the women, raising their children with very little or no medical services, providing meals with basic cooking facilities and scant fresh food, it was very hard work and often heartbreaking. Source: Norseman Info.
The photos below are some I took at the top of Beacon’s Hill.
From Beacon’s Hill LookoutMy trusty driverOld photo of the miner’s wivesMiners’ football teamTheir own bakeryEnjoying a rest after a hard day’s work
With a brief stop in Caiguna to fill up and then again at Balladonia, we reached Madura around 5.30 pm.
The only animals we saw were hundreds of dead kangaroos. It was absolute carnage and they were just strewn all over the road in various poses. A few times we saw vultures or eagles feasting on them. Apparently the vultures gorge so heavily that they can’t fly high enough after and end up crashing through a road train’s windscreen.
We were staying at the Madura Pass Oasis Motel, I wouldn’t exactly call it an oasis but it wasn’t too bad. Our rooms were very basic but at least it had a decent restaurant. We sat and enjoyed a glass of wine in the sun waiting for Laurence and Maddy to arrive. They finally arrived at 7.30 after their extremely long drive from Esperance.
Enjoying a hearty dinner and a good bottle of red. Freezing in the restaurant, hence the hoodiesThis car has obviously done a few miles!Madura Pass Oasis Motel
Day 3 – Madura to Ceduna
Madura to Ceduna 676 km – 7 hours
An early wake up today as again we had lots of driving and we wanted to stop off at a couple of places for photo shoots. Anthony went for an early morning walk up into the hills. Most of these roadhouses don’t serve breakfast or if they do it’s over by 7am! They cater mainly for the road train drivers. I had brought with me fresh coffee and a plunger a necessity for me to have a proper coffee in the morning. We set off about 9am and our first stop was Mundrabilla for breakfast.
Next up it was Bunda Cliffs for a visit to the Great Australian Bite. Then onto Border Village where we stopped to cross over to South Australia. Nullarbor was next and then onto Ceduna.
Great Australian Bite
A bit about the Nullabor
The Nullarbor Plain in latin means nulls “no” and arbor “tree”. Located on the Great Australian Bite Coast with the Great Victoria Desert to its north. It is the largest straight road on the planet and it measures 146.6km in a completely straight line. You can play 18 holes of golf along the world’s longest golf course – the Nullarbor Links.
Over 100,000 wild camels roam the plain. These camels were imported from British India and Afghanistan to use as transport while building the railroads during the 19th century. Source: Nullabor Roadhouse.
We didn’t actually spot any animal other than dead kangaroos!
We arrived in Ceduna around 5.30 pm and stayed at the Ceduna Foreshore Motel. There is a pretty nice restaurant attached to this motel so we had dinner there. After we walked along the jetty to watch the sunset. Extremely windy and very cold.
As I live in this beautiful city of Perth I thought it was about time to do a post on Kings Park. It’s great for a short stroll or a longer walk, a picnic or a play with your kids. There are a few cafes and restaurants there where you can eat and enjoy the fantastic view over the Swan River. There are many memorial services performed here each year and it’s here they have the Remembrance Day Service in front of the Cenotaph.
Kings Park and Botanic Garden is one of the largest inner city parks in the world and is visited by over 6 million people each year. It’s larger than Central Park covering 400.6-hectares.
It first opened on 10 August 1895, and was originally called Perth Park and was renamed in 1901 to King’s Park – the apostrophe was later dropped. This was to mark the ascension to the British throne of King Edward VII and the visit to Perth of George, the Duke of Cornwall and Princess Mary.
State War Memorial
Elizabeth QuayLooking over the Perth Hills
Rooftops of the Swan Brewery
Native FloraNative Flora
Water Garden
The Swan BreweryLottery Federation Walkway – 52 metre steel and glass bridge
Causeway
The children’s playgrounds are also a great place for an afternoon visit with your kids.
The photos below are from Google Images
Make sure you visit this amazing park if you’re ever in Perth!
A gastronomic four days in Melbourne eating my way around the world! A quick visit to see Laurence and Maddie who have just moved there from Perth.
Melbourne has to be one of the best places to eat what you want at any time you want.
Our first night was tapas at Bombas. A super busy restaurant on Lonsdale Street. Some of the dishes we ate below served with a cold glass of Alberino:
Chargrilled broccolini with yellow bean and pine nut picada
Beef tartare
Whole deep fried prawns
Scallops with spicy harissa
Then up to the rooftop cocktail bar for a nightcap
A pint of sangria for me!
Thursday
Today Maddie and I went sightseeing while Laurence worked the day away. There is so much to see and do in this wonderful city it was hard to know where to start. But with google at hand I downloaded some walking maps and off we set. We chose the Secret Garden walk and headed off. Melbourne has some beautiful parks and its easy to get lost in them. Photos below were taken in the Queen Victoria Park.
For my second night we opted for Greek and walked over to Melina on the Rooftop. Forgot photos of the food but as you can see below we enjoyed it all. Great views from this restaurant.
Awesome view
Friday
Into my third day now and Maddie suggested the Melbourne Museum. I’m not a museum person by choice but fair’s fair and we hopped on a tram to have a look. I was very pleasantly surprised and we really enjoyed looking around the place. There was a fantastic tapestry display showing. Such intricate and delicate work. Here’s some shots I took:
Just outside the Exhibition Centre
Next off we took a tram to the Docklands to have some lunch and a little look around. This suburb is located on Victoria Harbour and is west of the city. Its hard to believe that there are that many people here to fill the numerous apartment blocks!
Some intricate detail has gone into these apartment buildings.
Still keeping with the European theme for dinner Maddie and I walked to Hardware Lane to Max on Hardware, a great Italian place. Hardware Lane is a brilliant place for restaurants and bars if you’re not sure what to eat or where to go in Melbourne! We had superb service at Max’s and enormous servings of food.
Lamb Shanks in red wine for me and Seafood pasta for Maddie
We met up with Laurence after at Cookie for more cocktails. I found out people in Melbourne seem to be extremely friendly after a random stranger insisted on buying me a cocktail! An eclectic bar with a great vibe, a mix of all ages so didn’t feel out of place.
Saturday
Today I was determined to find the famous laneways of Melbourne. There is a detailed walk on this website – happiness and things – so I wasn’t wandering around aimlessly. These were the lanes we covered : Strachan Lane – Duckboard Place and AC/DC Lane – Hosier Lane – Centre Place – Block Arcarde – Royal Arcade – Union Lane – Tattersalls Lane. Some of the artwork is fantastic, some just scrawled graffiti and apparently they change all the time. We also had breakfast at a very busy cafe in Centre Place called RMB cafe – there doesn’t seem to be a website for it. But its quick service and a massive variety of eggs to chose from. Some shots of the artwork I took below:
Saved the best dinner till last – the pièce de résistance. A whole new cuisine and continent tonight – Japanese Tepanyaki. After walking through Chinatown we came upon the Ginza and luckily for us they had places for three. I say places and not table as you share with others – up to 24 a square with the two chefs in the middle. Even though it was on the pricey side the entertainment value was worth it. It was a very noisy restaurant but with people’s laughter as the chefs performed like actors on a stage.
Firstly you chose your set from the menu, then a waitress comes and puts a large white bib around you with your set number on so the chefs know what to feed you. It all starts very civilly with a bowl of miso soup, but then watch out as you are asked to open your mouth to start catching your food, then you have to catch eight bowls, then a bowl of rice and finally for the chosen one have an omelette fired at you like bullets. I highly recommend this place for a great night out – although not on a first date!
Flamegrilled Wagyu Beef
Trying to catch her food
Getting ready for firing the omelette
Catching the eight bowls
Maddie trying to catch her food!
Melbourne I will be back to try out some more of your fantastic restaurants and the many sights you have to offer!
