For our last day in Melbourne I was determined to get out and about away from the city, much to the disappointment of hubby, who just wanted another shopping day. So we drove up to The Dandedongs on a grey, cold and rainy day! They’re about an hour out of Melbourne so it’s the perfect day trip.
Map of our round trip
We stopped first at Puffing Billy in Belgrave to have a look at the old steam train and just as we reached the top a train was pulling in. Luckily I didn’t book us a ride through the hills and forests as it was too rainy and windy.
Puffing Billy was constructed in the early 1900’s to open up remote areas. In 1953, a landslide blocked the track and, because of operating losses, the line was officially closed in 1954. It was re-opened again in 1962 due to the tireless efforts of volunteers. Today it is just a tourist attraction taking visitors through the leafy hillside of The Dandedongs.
Laurence and Maddy up in the trees
A few from the official website
Once we’d had a quick look around and read about the history we jumped back in the car to look for a good place for lunch. There are so many cafes, restaurants and pubs we didn’t have to go far. We stopped at Micawbers Tavern for a traditional Aussie lunch, Parmis and schnitzels all round. It reminded me of a cosy country pub in England.
Parmis and schnitzels all round
Enjoying a pint in Micauber’s Tavern
We then went further up into the hills to Skyhigh Mount Dandenong, but the rain had set in for good so there was absolutely nothing to see! This is what you can see on a clear day. This will definitely be another day trip.
The road ahead
On the drive up to the top
Back home we warmed up and dried off before setting out for our last dinner of this trip. We headed into town for a favourite place of Laurence and Maddy’s, a Korean BBQ place in Chinatown called Bornga. A very busy and lively place where it’s quite difficult to book, but it’s worth just turning up and leaving your phone number, there’s normally only a five to ten minutes wait.
A quick cocktail before dinner in a bar called Storyville
A great feast for our last dinner!
And once again all too quickly our four day weekend was over! Until the next time.
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.
It’s been a year since we were last in Da Nang and the beaches are still as beautiful. More hotels have been built and still more are in the process of being built. The roads are busier, almost as busy as Hanoi or Saigon. Da Nang is a busy bustling city but has one of the best coastlines in Asia – in my opinion!
This time we stayed at the amazing Melia Beach Resort, around 15 minutes from the airport. I had booked a deluxe room and it turned out that it was in the main building and luckily we did have a sea view. There is a more upmarket part also more expensive called The Level, these are small apartments with their own private pool. But we were happy, a short walk to the beach and just a few floors down to the main restaurant where we had breakfast everyday. I had planned on doing a few tours but when we saw the beach I put those on hold for another year. I did drag Anthony to Ba’Na Hills though as I really wanted a photo on the Golden Hands Bridge, which I managed! We had a fantastic relaxing week here, and I even got to have a few sessions in the YHI Spa.
Beach photos
Non Nuoc Beach
At the front of the Melia – there was a small call bell on the side table to order drinks!
For your afternoon snooze
Volley Ball court – too energetic for me
contemplating how to bring his boat ashore
View from our balcony
When I checked the weather the week before it said it would be thunderstorms and rain everyday! This wasn’t the case at all, we had some rain and it was cloudy on some days but for the majority of the days it was sunny. The cloudy day we had we went to Ba’Na Hills which was the perfect weather for it.
Hotel Photos
Cocktails by the pool – Mango Daquiri
Cape Nao
Pool Bar
Cape Nao Restaurant
Infinity Pool
We didn’t eat at the hotel every night but ventured into Da Nang and Hoi An. There is a shuttle bus into Hoi An but we took a taxi. Hoi An is now a Unesco World Heritage Site. We’ve been before but this time the crowds were even bigger than ever. There are so many restaurants in Hoi An but most seemed empty. Most of the tourists who visit just take photos of the river and boats and lanterns. Every few feet you are stopped by vendors offering anything from candles to boat rides. We love the restaurant called Morning Glory and we saw at least four of them. You can sit upstairs overlooking the river or the street. The food here is delicious and original and customers often ask each other what they are eating or advising on what is really tasty. It’s a great place to strike up a conversation with other travellers.
Hoi An Photos
No cars allowed, only bikesOne of the many art galleriesColourful lanterns hang outside most of the shops and restaurantsBy the riverThis lady had just cycled with a heavy load balancing on her shoulders
Da Nang
Da Nang is also good for different types of restaurants, especially Asian fusion. One night we at a a place called Fat Fish which is just a few minutes away from the Dragon Bridge. They don’t seem to have a website. It is owned and managed by an English man and his Vietnamese wife. The service is impeccable. She has trained all the staff so well. That night there was a firework competition between Russia and Vietnam, I managed to see a bit from the street.
My favourite cocktail a MojitoFireworks through the trees
Pulled Pork salad
Tomato and Mozzarella Salad with basil pesto
Bikes
Vietnam is known for the thousands of motor bikes everywhere, even in Da Nang. It amazes me how many people they can fit onto one bike. It’s just a way of life for them but everyday they take their life in their hands. There seems to be designated seats for each member of the family and it’s often the youngest who is almost on the handlebars. I also noticed that the parents wear helmets whilst the children often do not. Sadly we did see one accident when we were there, a man was lying on the road underneath his bike with people trying to help him up, I’m not sure that was really the right thing to do.
From the taxi we were in
Taken from the taxi
Ba’Na Hills
On the one cloudy day we had I finally persuaded my husband to come to Ba’Na Hills with me. I decided against the official tour but just hired a driver from the hotel so we could arrive and leave whenever we liked. I’m glad we went around 12pm as most of the tours had arrived by then.
Bà Nà Hill Station is a hill station and resort located in the Trường Sơn Mountains west of the city of Da Nang, in central Vietnam. It was founded in 1919 by French colonists. The colonists had built a resort to be used as a leisure destination for French tourists. Being located above 1500 metres above sea level, it has a view of the East Sea and the surrounding mountains. Source: Wikipedia.
The cable car alone is worth the visit, it’s just amazing you just keep going up and up, sometimes you can’t even see the top as it’s covered in mist and it is eerily quiet. It is the longest non-stop single track cable car at 5,801 metres (19,032 ft) in length.
There is so much to see here that it’s impossible to see everything in the four hours we had planned. But we did our best! The main attractions would be the French village, Le Jardin d’Amour Flower Garden, Debay Wine Cellar, the Golden Bridge and the Fantasy Park. We didn’t bother with the Fantasy Park but just wandered around the gardens, temples and the village. You can also stay here as there is a resort called Mercure Danang French Village. The views overlooking Da Nang are amazing. The weather is very much cooler up here and can be quite cold.
One hand of the Golden Bridge appearing through the mist
Up and Up we go
There are five cable stations in all
Overlooking Da Nang
Inside Debay Wine Cellar
When you need a helping hand
Or a leg to stand on
Debay Wine Cellar
Golden Hands BridgeMinutes before the heavens opened
The French Village
The Temples and Tea House
My husband and I were divided on our opinion of Ba’Na Hills, I really enjoyed it but he said it was just a tourist attraction.
I think the best way to see anywhere new is to go on an organised excursion. I did just that when I visited Fuerteventura with the excellent Pie de Caracol tours, with driver and guide Luca. It was a long day from 9.00 am until 8pm so we really packed a whole lot in. Normally it’s not so long but because one of the major roads was closed because of a bike race, Luca had to devise some other way to drive around the island.
We started at Corralejo and drove down to La Oliva, bypassing the capital Puerto del Rosario due to road closure, to Betancuria, Ajuy, Costa Calma and back to Corralejo with so many stops along the way. Luca was so informative and had a wealth of knowledge about the island.
Amazingly we saw a rainbow, a miracle when you think there is hardly any rain on this island.
Some of the hundreds of terraces that you see dotted around the island.Beautiful colours on the volcanoes
Our first stop was the Colonel’s House in La Oliva. There is not much historical information that exists about the house but it is believed to have been built in 1740, for Colonel Melchor de Cabrera Bethencour.
The Colonel’s House
One of the old structures surrounding the house
A few minutes walk away was the old church of Our Lady of Candelaria, where you could wander inside and have a look at the beautiful ceiling. It dates back to the 16th Century and its dark tower is made of volcanic stone.
On the journey towards our next stop of Betancuria we stopped at the famous lookout, where the Morro Velosa warriors are located. Even though this island is quite barren when the sun shines the colours on the volcanoes are amazing.
Morro Velosa Statues
This tiny house is the one you can see in the far distance in the above photo My canon powershot did a fantastic job
Onwards then to Betancuria, an old colonial and picturesque village once the capital of this island. Founded in 1404 this was once a fertile valley due to the fresh water streams nearby, sadly these have long since dried up and the only plants that grow are aloe vera and agave.
BETANCURIA
After a quick bite in Betancuria we headed over to Ajuy, an old fishing village on the West coast. This is where we had lunch and then a cliff top walk along to the caves below.
AJUY
Fish again for lunchBlue rowing boat just perched on the black sandAjuy village overlooking the black sand beachLong cliff walk to the cavesOn the cliff walkThe caves beneath the cliffs
COSTA CALMA
The furthest south we drove was to Costa Calma, a resort area with a natural lagoon. The lagoon fills up in the afternoon creating a shallow area for paddling in contrast to the wild sea beyond.
Hundreds of colourful paraglidersThe lagoon from aboveStanding in the lagoon looking out towards the Jandia Natural Park
Driving back we stopped at a windmill, salt flats and sand dunes. There is so much to see and do on Fuerteventura but I’m pretty sure we came close to seeing nearly everything with the wonderful tour from Piedecaracol.com.
Lastly some more from my gallery
Lazy cats in Betancuria
An old blue rowing boat in AjuyA typical local restaurant in the countrysideA windmill in TiscamanitaAn old limestone house next to the windmill
Salt Flats and Sand Dunes
The Del Carmen Salt Works, the only salt works still in operation in FuerteventuraAn old whale skeleton amongst the salt pansThe sand dunes of Corralejo, now a national park and a favourite with wind and kite surfersStanding at the top of the sand dunes which cover over 2000 hectares of golden rolling sand
Finally back to our starting point at 8pm. A fabulous and interesting day. Many thanks Luca.
Day tripping around Fuerteventura, Canary Islands – 5.4.2019 – 9.4.2019
One of my very dear friends lives on the island of Fuerteventura, Canary Islands. Whilst I was in the UK visiting my parents I decided to take a trip out to see her and also celebrate my birthday! I was there for four days, plenty of time to see the island and eat in the great fish restaurants that it’s known for.
Fuerteventura the second largest of Spain’s Canary Islands, sits in the Atlantic Ocean 100km off the north coast of Africa. It’s known mostly as a holiday destination due to its white-sand beaches and year-round warmth cooled by constant winds. It is the oldest island in the Canary Islands dating back 20 million years due to a volcanic eruption. It was declared a biosphere reserve by UNESCO in May 2009.
As the first night was my birthday, Lorraine had booked a fabulous restaurant called La Playita overlooking the bay of Corralejo. What a fantastic night with the table decorated with balloons and banners and then the whole restaurant singing happy birthday to me.
Celebrating with a jug of sangriaMy favourite – grilled sardinesTasty tapasMore tapas
Complimentary birthday cake!
Walking through the beautiful town of Corralejo
One of the many statues of fishermen’s wives looking out to sea, waiting for their husbands to come home
The daily sand creation
Waking up the next morning I wandered into the garden to take some photos. Lorraine lives at the end of a residential street overlooking the sand dunes. You can see Tenerife in the distance from the garden. I was hoping the sun would break through as it wasn’t as warm as I had thought!
Sun rise with the sand dunes in the far distance
The next day Lorraine took me into Corralejo again and have lunch. Fuerteventura is a very barren island due to the lack of rain and volcanic landscape. Nothing really grows here and most of the food is imported. There are many aloe vera plants scattered around and this is one plant that does grow well.
Enjoying the beautiful view with a glass of Spanish wineTypical Canarian fish dish cooked in wine, tomatoes and olivesThe car ferry to and from Lanzarote in the backgroundThe Bay of Corralejo
Hanging on so I don’t blow away!Getting ready for Game of Thrones
The next day I booked an excursion to go around the island – I will be writing another post separately about this.
Before we set out for my last day on the island we had to walk Rocky and Poppy her two little dogs. We walked just up the path from where she lives so I could feed the chipmunks, which run wild throughout the island.
Rocky surveying his domain
Rocky and Poppy in their favourite position on the couch
El Cotillo
After our walk Lorraine and I drove to El Cotillo, a small coastal town on the Northern side of the island. It has a lovely harbour and beautiful scenery with plenty of restaurants and bars. El Cotillo is home to El Toston Tower built in the 1700’s to defend the village from pirates. We had lunch in El Mirador overlooking the bay. I loved all the murals and paintings that you see dotted around and also the way they use old rowing boats as decorations.
Lunch at El Mirador
Speciality salad with the local delicacy of fish pate
Exploring the town after lunch
Some of the murals and mosaics found around the town
Where oh where is my husband!
Posing as usual
The wild atlantic seaVolcanic sand and rocks
Resting in the shade
The tiny harbourEl Toston Tower
For our last night we ended up eating in the beautiful El Marquesina and of course because it’s a speciality seafood restaurant I had the fish of the day.
Turbot with garlic and wine and baby Canarian potatoes
Lastly a very short clip from inside El Marquesina
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
.
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.
