A Day Trip to Macau

In December while we were in Hong Kong for a week we had a day out in Macau. Macau is very easy to travel to from Hong Kong for a day, overnight or more. It was a Portuguese Colony until 1999 when it was returned to China. This city still retains much of its Portuguese influence with many of the buildings having been restored and renovated over the years. It has a reputation of being the Las Vegas of Asia with the most number of casinos outside of Las Vegas. But that is not why we decided to spend the day here! Macau is rich in history and has numerous restaurants, cafes and bars to choose from.

The Grand Lisboa by day and night

We headed out from out hotel around 10.30 and took a taxi to the ferry terminal in time to catch the 11.15 am Jetfoil to Macau. There is now a bridge across the two cities. We decided against the bridge even though it says it only takes 45 minutes to cross by the shuttle bus provided. This time does not factor in immigration at both sides and other stops along the way.

The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge

Zhuhai section of the bridge
(Source: Zhang Youqiong/For China Daily)

This is the world’s longest sea spanning bridge and measures 55km. Construction began in December 2009 and it was first open to the public in October 2018.

Our first stop of the day was to have lunch. We wanted to go back to one of our favourite restaurants – Fernando’s in Hac Sa Beach, on Coloane Island. This restaurant is always packed and we hadn’t booked! But as usual with any Asian restaurant they will always find you a table. We had a bit of a wait but preferred to sit in the main dining area rather than at the front. We have been going here for many years and it seems nothing has changed – in a good way. The food is always delicious and service fantastic.

I had to post this picture of the foosball table as I can remember this being here since we first visited in 1990. Whether it is the same one I have no idea.

A delicious traditional Portuguese lunch and of course Portuguese wine!

After lunch we had a short walk along Hac Sa Beach and then took a bus back onto the Macau Peninsula. Macau is made up of three islands, Coloane, Taipa and Macau Peninsula.

From where the bus dropped us off we walked up to the Guia Fortress. The fort and chapel were constructed between the 1622 and 1638 and the lighthouse around 1864. It is now a UNESCO World heritage site.

Typical painted apartment buildings and the Guia Fort

It was quite a walk up there for me anyway! But once at the top it was definitely worth it.
The bridge below is the Taipa Bridge connecting Taipa to Macau Peninsula

The bell outside Guia Chapel, established by Clarist nuns

On our walk back into town we stopped to walk through the Chapel of St. Michael, built in 1875 it has a beautifully landscaped cemetery.

Then into the town to the ruins of St. Paul. This is now just a facade as it the church itself was destroyed by fire in 1835. Although is it still quite majestic to look at.

Close by is the beautiful St. Dominic’s Church. Founded in 1587 by three Spanish Dominican priests who originally came from Acapulco in Mexico, this church is also connected to the Brotherhood of Our Lady of the Rosary. (Source: Macau Tourism)

Senado Square

There is so much more to do and see in Macau but I think we had exhausted ourselves by now and were in need of drinks and food. After much debate with a reluctant taxi driver we ended up outside the AIA Tower. A quick look at Google and I saw that Sky 21 was located at the top. We were just going to stay for a cocktail or two but after seeing the view decided to stay for dinner also.

It was an extremely busy day and you can only do so much in one day but I think we gave our visitors a good idea of Macau and how different it is from Hong Kong, not just culturally but architecturally too. It’s a 24 hour city so there was no problem for us getting a ferry back at 11 pm.

For now Macau – a despideda

A great week in Scotland – Part 1 – Edinburgh

We were recently invited to a Scottish wedding in Edinburgh so decided to have an extended trip and explore the City and surrounding areas. Edinburgh was a first for both of us so we had lots to explore. Arriving from Perth through Doha straight into Edinburgh was brilliant. Travelling on Qatar airways was fantastic. […]

Arriving from Perth through Doha straight into Edinburgh was brilliant. Travelling on Qatar airways was fantastic. Doha airport is out of this world, like another planet, so airy and spacious. We spent a relaxing hour or two here.

Some of the amazing sculptures around Doha Airport

We stayed at Apex Grassmarket Hotel and had a room overlooking the Grassmarket. We had such a nice view of the castle as well. Edinburgh is such a great city for walking around and there’s so much interesting history here. There is a big French influence as we found out from all the restaurants we ate in. This must come from Mary Queen of Scots who grew up in France.
Over the next couple of days we walked our feet off enjoying all the sights of Edinburgh. In between our stay we also hired a car to explore what we could of Scotland. Our first port of call was of course the magnificent Edinburgh Castle.

Edinburgh Castle

There are so many tours around but we decided to go at our own pace and be free to roam wherever we liked.

Next up was the very pretty Dean Village which is about 20 minutes walk from Edinburgh Castle. This is a heritage listed village and well worth a visit.

Dean Village

Well Court built in the 1880’s and recently refurbished

Looking through the archway into the courtyard of Well Court

The clock tower rising above what was once the social hall

Next up we had a bit of lunch in a lovely little French restaurant called Escargot Bleu, it was French right down to the waiters and chef!

To walk off this wonderful lunch we headed to Holyroodhouse Palace and the gallery. This was one of my favourite places, very old and beautiful. Gorgeous garden and also enjoyed walking around the rooms. I didn’t realise that this is the Queen’s official residence in Edinburgh so is very much a working palace. Even that night Princess Anne was flying in for a formal dinner with the University.

Holyroodhouse Palace

Holyroodhouse Palace was founded by David I in 1128 as an Augustinian monastery in 1128. In 1501 James IV built a Palace for himself and his bride, Margaret Tudor – the sister of Henry VIII and the grandmother of Mary, Queen of Scots. Mary spent much of her later turbulent years here and was married twice from here.

The arches of the ruined abbey

From the gardens

One of the walls still standing

This place was definitely a must see for me and if you’re a history buff then you shouldn’t miss it.

One thing I loved about Edinburgh were all the quirky little alleyways and the names above them.

One rainy afternoon we had lunch in the lobby of The Scotsman Hotel. A beautiful baroque building dating back to 1905 and was once the home of The Scotsman Paper.

A few more photos of street scenes below.

The famous pierced lady who claims to be the most pierced human – I don’t think she’s lying!

Two “wee” scottish boys dressed for the “Independence for Scotland” march

The famous Greyfriars’ Bobby – a skye terrier who guarded his master’s grave for 14 years.

The famous West Bow Street

Cobblestone alleyway

We also found time for a quick walk around Greyfriars Kirkyard. Still an active church with a famous burial ground going back to the 16th century. It was very hard to actually read the names on all the plaques.

The details on this grave are very intricate

As I mentioned there are some fabulous restaurants in Edinburgh and below are some of the ones we tried:

Angels with Bagpipes
Le Bistro
Cafe Anduluz
Vittoria on the Bridge
Divino Enoteca

Also some of the photos from those restaurants
Angels with Bagpipes

Hake cooked with capers, golden raisins, salsify, parsley root, rainbow chard

Finishing off dinner with a Scottish whiskey of the moment!

Tapas from Cafe Anduluz

Tapas from Cafe Anduluz

A delicious Spanish Rioja

Divino Entoteca

Divino Enoteca

Sporting his harris tweed waistcoat

I would definitely recommend a visit to Edinburgh if you’ve never been before, we had the best time and clocked up many steps on our walking apps!

Part 2 to follow

A Rainy Day in The Dandenongs – Part 2

Sunday

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.

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.

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.

Gastronomic Getaway in Melbourne

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

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!

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.

A few from inside the bar

And a little clip of dancing!

Part two to follow

A day in The Dandenongs

Da Nang – Beaches, Bikes and Ba’Na Hills

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

Colourful lanterns hang outside most of the shops and restaurants

This 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.

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

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

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.

And that’s all folks until the next trip!

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!

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

Pages: 123

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!

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!

Tag: Restaurants

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