Travels with Ali

Perth to Brisbane Road Trip – Part Three – Melbourne

Five nights in Melbourne

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.

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 River

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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.

Nendo

Great Mural just outside Flinders Station

Some other photos of around Melbourne

One of many art deco buildings – Manchester Unity Building

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.

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

The amazing Lucy Lius’s, Oliver Lane

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.

Perth to Brisbane Road Trip – Part Two -Ceduna to Melbourne

Day 4 – Ceduna to Glenelg

A very long drive ahead of us today, 786 km and over 8 hours driving time. I know we wouldn’t have very much time to stop along the way if we were to get to Glenelg in time for dinner. Also we would be losing an hour during the drive. After breakfast at our hotel and a walk along the foreshore we managed to get away by 9 am, although not before Anthony had given the car a quick wash.

As I said before I wasn’t doing any of the driving just being the photographer, but Anthony’s not about the journey only the destination. I did manage to persuade him to stop sometimes but other than that I had to be quick to get photos from a speeding car. Being in a car that long makes you very sleepy and also can get a bit boring, I honestly don’t know how Anthony does it. Lucky I had my iPad for reading and in the trip from Perth to Melbourne managed to get through two books.

Our first stop was Kimba for lunch. We had a great curry at the local service station, very authentic and traditional. They were so busy though that they could only serve us on paper plates, never mind it still tasted good.

A lovely painting on the side of this grain barn

Trying to overtake a very slow moving hay truck.

After Kimba it was back in the car and straight onto Glen Elg. We arrived just after 7pm at the Glenelg Watermark Hotel
We were staying in Glenelg for two nights so we could have a good rest and actually explore. After checking in we sat and waited for Laurence and Maddy to catch up. We really like Glenelg having stayed here previously. Our hotel was just a few minutes walk from the beach and the marina.

Glenelg is a beach-side suburb of the South Australian capital of Adelaide. Located on the shore of Holdfast Bay in Gulf St Vincent
It’s a gorgeous place to spend a couple of nights with a beautiful coastline and fantastic restaurants located in the marina. Established in 1836, it is the oldest European settlement on mainland South Australia.

Day 5 – A trip to Hahndorf

It was nice today not to have to rush off early, so after a walk around town we drove to Hahndorf for lunch. Hahndorf is a very quaint village located in the Adelaide Hills and just 30 minutes from Glenelg. It is Australia’s oldest surviving German settlement, dating back to 1838. The beautiful tree-lined street offers many shops, galleries and studios, a cheese maker, leathersmith, jeweller, candle makers, a craft brewery, winery cellar doors, gin distillery, chocolatier, sweet shops, restaurants and cafés. It still has a very traditional German feel to it.
With so many restaurants and cafes it was a difficult choice to make for lunch. In the end we opted for the German Arms Restaurant. The meals were enormous, typically German portions!

The German Arms

Slow cooked crispy skin pork belly with apples

Slow roasted pork hock with German bread dumplings

Trio of German Wursts

We could barely move after this gastronomic feast but there were things to see and photos to take.

Anthony already looks like he’s wearing lederhosen

Driving back to Glenelg we had a quick photo stop over Mount Lofty lookout.

Our last night in Glenelg we had dinner at Sammy’s Seafood overlooking the beach and watching another specular sunset.

Day 6 – Glenelg to Melbourne

Onwards and Eastwards with an 8 hour drive ahead of us covering 730 km, there would be no long stops today.

Maddy eating a quick breakfast on the balcony

We had a lunch break in Bordertown and then full speed ahead to Melbourne. I managed to get some shots again through a moving car! There wasn’t much to look at just vast wheat fields and silos.

We arrived in Melbourne at 7.45 pm again losing an hour along the way.

I had to pay a $50 late check in fee would you believe and notify the service manager upon our arrival. We were only given one key and fob for the lift which was not that convenient, also we had to park two blocks away. Anyway upon entering the apartment on the 59th floor, the views made up for a lot, which will be featuring in Part Three!

Perth to Brisbane Road Trip – Four states in 19 days! – Part One – Perth to Ceduna

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.

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.

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.

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 hoodies

This car has obviously done a few miles!

Day 3 – Madura to Ceduna

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.

End of Part one – Perth to Ceduna

Part Two – Ceduna to Melbourne

Vineyards and Valleys on a Sunday afternoon

The Packing Shed, Bickley, WA

We often visit a winery on a Sunday afternoon and today was no exception. We’ve not tried this one before and were not disappointed. Set in the rolling hills of Bickley and just a 35 minute drive from Perth, you could imagine that you were in the deep countryside. There are so many wineries dotted throughout these hills, many with restaurants and cafes.

Bickley Valley Wine Trail

This winery has a restaurant attached, where they offer breakfast and lunch. Today we chose a delicious chilli and lime bruschetta and pork belly with sweet potato chips which was just enough for the two of us to share and paired with the classic white for me and a Pinot Noir for hubby. Hubby enjoyed the red so much he took a bottle home.

After lunch we had a walk around this beautiful vineyard and took a few snaps. There are trees and hills as far as the eye can see, it’s so relaxing to spend a few hours here.

*A very modern dining area in the old packing shed*

Old rustic rusty farm machinery
Cute toilets!

On our drive back I asked Anthony to stop so I could take a photo of the road behind us, as I stepped out of the car I saw two kangaroos hopping through the bush. I couldn’t believe it when one stopped and looked at me and actually waited while I adjusted my camera to take a photo of him!

Even after living in Perth for 14 years, I still get a thrill when I see a kangaroo in the wild!

A Gem in Perth, Kings Park

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.

Lottery Federation Walkway – 52 metre steel and glass bridge

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!

Sources:

Entertaining ourselves in Essex!

I was born and grew up in the UK but now live in the beautiful city of Perth, WA, however we always get back to the UK at least once a year to visit my parents in Essex. As it’s normally for a month we like to travel around visiting friends and relatives. There are also some great country pubs in Essex where we go for gourmet lunches and dinners!

The Bear Inn, Stock

Rustic gastropub with timber beams and a wood burning fire. Great food and service.

The Green Man, Herongate, Essex

The Peter Boat, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, is one of our favourite pubs. Sitting on the banks of the Thames Estuary it’s a great place for lunch and then a walk through the High Street. Although there are at least four other pubs in this small street, The Peter Boat is always the most popular. I started going here when I was 17, and over 40 years later it’s still a number one choice for me!

West Mersea, Essex

We had lunch here one day at a place called The Oyster Bar. What a great find this was. A very casual cafe but serving gourmet seafood. There are some cute houses around here as well.

Hubby’s favourite – jellied eels

Fresh crab and prawn salad

Waiting for their fish and chips inside The Oyster Bar

Southend on Sea

We had been recommended the next place by my uncle who like my hubby is a great seafood eater – they see food and eat it! Sorry couldn’t resist. Anyway this “restaurant” is called Billy Hundreds and I’ve added a link as the history is fascinating. Briefly:

“Over 140 years ago my Great Grandfather William Pullum worked as a fish porter in the famous Billingsgate Market in London, his porters badge number was 100.

He was known as Billy Hundreds..” to read more click on the link above.

It’s a Spanish tapas place, just a small shack on Southend Beach and on a windy day sitting underneath the alfresco blinds you almost feel you could be blown away. The menu is adventurous specialising in fish tapas but also with many other fishless dishes. Also the wine menu is pretty decent too.

I’ve taken the liberty of adding a photo of my Auntie Val eating alfresco at this restaurant!

Auntie Val eating a yummy plate of tapas!

Tilbury Fort

Tilbury Fort is a great place to visit and somewhere I had never visited before, even after all those years living in Essex. It’s located on the Thames Estuary and was built in the reign of Henry VIII in 1539, due to international tensions between England, France and the Holy Roman Empire.

20160728_131312 — Overlooking the Thames Estuary

20160728_131720 — The entrance to Tilbury Fort

20160728_133440 — Looking out onto the moat

There is a lovely pub for lunch nearby called The World’s End.

It’s always nice to get back for a visit, but nothing beats our home in Perth, WA

Exploring London

We always visit my native country at least once a year for around a month from Perth, WA which is now our home. I was born in London, worked in London for 16 years and lived there in my twenties for a while, however I was brought up in Essex. So Essex is not far from London around 35 minutes by train into the City, Fenchurch Street, and we always like to spend a few days there. We only go for day trips and mostly to shop and eat! We usually go to the East end of London for the markets, very rarely venturing into the West.

Although I used to know London pretty well it has now changed so much I find it hard to navigate around without using Google Maps! There are so many new buildings and streets its getting more like New York every year. I love it though that there are still the old churches and pubs dotted about in between all the new buildings. The food is not like it used to be years ago, just the basic Egg and Chip cafe or the more upmarket Steak houses. You can now eat anything at any price and it will always be great.
The photos I’ve added are from days out over the past couple of years.

Pubs and Bars

Lunch at Davy’s Bar, just outside Fenchurch Street

The Prospect of Whitby, as you can see from the sign, is said to be the oldest riverside pub in London dating back to 1520. It has been used in many tv series. All that remains of the original building is the 400 year old stone floor. I used to go here in my twenties and wanted to revisit. I was quite disappointed that it now only served the basic pub food, whereas many years ago it was a “white tablecloth and silver service” establishment. Still the views are amazing across the river.

I zoomed in across the river to snap this with my Canon Powershot SX730

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The Ship in Talbot Court, EC3 dates back to 1895. A great traditional pub hidden in a little alley.

Cocktails at The Alchemist, Bevis Marks, EC3

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Mlini, Croatia

An old post converted to blocks from classic!

Five days/Four nights in Mlini

After leaving beautiful Perast we headed off to Croatia again taking the scenic route. After much thought as to how to make this journey I decided to book a driver, although more expensive, as it seemed the most comfortable way to go. Our driver took the coastal route and was able to stop where we asked so I could take photos of the stunning coastline. It also meant that we got to take the mini car ferry across the Bay of Kotor.

Day One

We stayed in a little bay just passed Mlini called Srebreno although the address of the hotel was in Mlini. We had an incredible apartment called One Suite Hotel, big enough for four adults with two toilets and completely fitted out kitchen and most importantly a licenced bar on site! The hotel was approximately five minutes from the beautiful bay of Srebreno with its own ferry pier with boats directly to Cavtat and Dubrovnik both 30 minutes away.

After checking in we went in search of lunch and also a nice restaurant for dinner later. Right on the beach is a newly built Sheraton, slightly out of place I thought in this sleepy village. Srebreno is an extremely well looked after village and many of the buildings seem very new, although there is still a sleepy small place feel about it. I loved it on sight and as we wandered along the seafront was happy that I had chosen this place rather than Dubrovnik.

Against the good advice I was given I did not buy reef shoes to go into the sea. There are very few sandy beaches in Croatia and this one was no exception, most are pebbles. So with flip flops on I walked down to the edge of the pebbles and into the sea and threw my flip flops back onto the beach. The water was very “refreshing”. Getting out was a problem and I most certainly did not look like Ursula Andress/Halle Berry in 007 more like a creature from the deep treading on Lego. Walking on pebbles is painful.

That night for dinner we went to Marinero, up the hill in between the pine trees. We asked the waiter for his recommendations and had a local dish, Brudet, which is a fish stew made with whatever fresh fish they have on hand.

Brudet, Croatian Fish Stew – so delicious

Day 2

After breakfast we walked down to our little pier and caught the ferry into Dubrovnik. Our plan today was just to walk around the old town. Although getting into the old town is free you do have to pay to walk the ramparts. Even though it was September the place was so busy with many tour groups and queues everywhere, so we decided against walking around the walls. Apparently to get the best of this place I read that you should actually stay inside and then you have the place to yourselves in the evening and early in the morning.

Tonight’s restaurant was Puntazella. Another fabulous place with great food and service. We actually went here twice as it was so good.

Sunset through the pine trees from Puntazella

Day 3

Today we took the bus to Cavtat, a beautiful historic town, southeast of Dubrovnik. It takes about 20 minutes by boat or bus. With its tree-lined harbour and wonderful old buildings its a great way to spend the day exploring.

A map showing the bay with Srebreno, Mlini and Plat, with Cavtat and Dubrovnik

After getting the bus back we spent the afternoon relaxing on the beach and hobbling in and out of the sea. That evening we walked around the bay into Mlini itself for cocktails and then back for dinner at Portun. Once again a wonderful restaurant just across the road from our hotel.

Day 4

I think today was the highlight of our trip, an excursion to the Elephiti Islands. These three islands consist of Sipan, Lopud and Kolocep. Sipan is the furthest away from Dubrovnik with Kolocep being the nearest. The day trip (leaving from Dubrovnik) included time at all three islands plus a delicious lunch on board with free flowing wine and beer!

Our first stop was Kolocep and we stopped here for around 45 minutes, enough to have a quick walk around and a drink. Next up was Lopud this was also for 45 minutes. Enough time for you to get a feel of the islands and take a few photos. I could just have easily stayed on both for a few days. Then we were back on board for lunch and onto the last island of Sipan where we spent nearly 3 hours. Sipan has one of the few sandy beaches in Croatia. To get there we had to walk for a while before then taking a golf cart down a dirt track, I was adamant that I wanted to see it though!

Leaving Dubrovnik

Enjoying the local Rose before heading back

I would really recommend this trip, it’s really easy to book once you are in Mlini as there are ticket centres everywhere.

Day 5

As we had a late flight back to the UK we could enjoy the whole day, so we headed back into Dubrovnik by bus this time. Even though Dubrovnik is now just a tourist attraction and extremely busy I could still enjoy walking through the old town and soaking up the history within its walls. There are so many alleys, doors and courtyards to walk around and cafes to stop and have a drink. The only thing missing (much to Anthony’s dismay) were shops, proper shops! He does love a department store which I’m glad to say there were none.

The bus stopped at the top of the hill and we had to walk down so many steps!

And that concludes our short trip to Croatia. We had two more weeks in the UK before flying back to Perth. Still a long wait for our two boys Zac and Rufus who were enjoying their own holiday in kennels ):

Montenegro

Perast and Rafailovici

Why Perast and not Kotor? Well after much research I decided on Perast as I had read it was so much more peaceful than Kotor. It’s just a few kilometres north west of Kotor and consists of just a small promenade situated around a beautiful bay. It was described by a taxi driver as the Vatican of Montenegro, which I thought was very apt. Not many cars are allowed here it’s very strictly controlled.

I had booked a small waterfront apartment called The White Terrace. It was a fabulous place and the owner Bob picked us up from Tivat airport. With only two days here we had to make the most of this time.

The promenade is lined with apartments and restaurants and on our first night we ate at the oldest restaurant Armonia. We had a lovely table right on the waterfront, food and wine we’re delicious.

The next day after breakfast we had a walk along the promenade and took in the beautiful views .

20180906161207_img_8706 — Our apartment on the first floor

After this we took the local bus into Kotor to have a look around the old town. The contrast between the two places is staggering. Kotor is where the cruise ships dock almost docking right onto the street. Spilling out passengers by the dozen the pavements were packed with tourists.

We decided to just have a walk around the old town ourselves and soak up the atmosphere. Kotor did not disappoint. It has a vast history being founded in the fifth century and is now a UNESCO world heritage sight.

Our daily lunch.. Ripe juicy tomatoes with creamy mozzarella

20180906_144026 — Could it get any closer

After an afternoon spent here as nice as it was, we were glad to get back to peaceful Perast. We thought we’d have a swim from the little platform in front of the apartment, well Anthony plunged straight in whereas I did it the hard way down the ladder. What a shock, very cold and as we found out later there are icy springs spouting every so often, at least we went in.

With just one night to go we ate at the fabulous Konoba Skolji restaurant where I had read some great reviews. We chose to share the famous ” lamb under the bell”, slow roasted lamb, absolutely delicious.

And that was the end of two fabulous days in Perast.

The next day we were going to Rafailovici for two more days before heading into Croatia.

Rafailovici

I decided the easiest and fastest way to Rafailovici was by taxi also more comfortable. It was less than an hours drive and we were there by 1pm. It’s just past Budva and supposed to be quieter, I never like to stay in the most popular place and prefer to stay just outside the main area.

Our taxi driver was quite chatty and wondered why we were going to Budva as he said it was horrible! This wasn’t the first time we’d heard this opinion. So I really wasn’t looking forward to the next two days. On the positive side it was only two days and it was somewhere new.

After checking into Hotel Aleksander which was right on the seafront we headed out for lunch and a look around. Some photos of my first impressions.

Couldn’t find a bed of nails so next best thing is a bed of boulders

20180907_165807 — A much needed mojito 🍸[[[[[[

We did have a swim and the water is crystal clear but as the water is a bit cold made it very quick. After a wonderful dinner at the hotel overlooking the sea we headed back for an early night.

So the next day after breakfast we took a hotel van and driver to Lake Skadar,

The lake is located in Zeta – Skadar valley and is surrounded by mountains, and it’s 7 km away from Adriatic Sea. Two Thirds of Skadar Lake is in Montenegro and the rest is in Albania. Skadar Lake is the largest lake in the Balkan Peninsula.

We chose the two hour boat trip, but one hour would have been enough for me. If you ever visit Budva it’s worth having a trip out here as the lake and scenery are beautiful.

Ruins of Besac Castle

Any chance to drink the delicious Montenegren wine

For our last night here we headed into Budva itself. The atmosphere here is completely different to Rafailovici, for a start there were so many more English tourists whereas I had heard no English at all in Rafailovici. It seemed to be more for local Montengrens holidaying. Budva like Kotor has an old town which we wandered around, it’s an amazing place and I loved it here.

It took absolutely ages to find the restaurant we wanted to eat in, we had actually found it straight away really but were told it was just a museum. It was only when going back and asking if there was a restaurant there the girl said oh yes at the back! We ate at the Citadella restaurant which has amazing views overlooking the sea.

And that was that. I’m so glad we got to visit Montenegro and see the wonderful sights, eat delicious food and drink divine wine, but most of all to meet the lovely friendly people of this country.

Next up was Croatia.

Multicultural Melbourne

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:

Whole deep fried prawns

Scallops with spicy harissa

Chargrilled broccolini with yellow bean and pine nut picada

Beef tartare

Then up to the rooftop cocktail bar for a nightcap

20180725_221829 — 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.

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After a little pit stop we headed into St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Such an ornate cathedral.

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.

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.

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!