Lunch

Lunch was really what they call breakfast.
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I ordered just scones and tea.I ordered just scones and tea.

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Peter gave me some of his ‘breakfast’ and I shared my scones with him.

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The meal was completely satisfying. We didn’t feel like eating any more even though there was a good selection of cakes available.

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This lunch was taking place on the day we picked up our hired car in Wollongong. Then we went for a drive up north along the coast till Bald Hill where you have this marvellous view across the ocean. From Bald Hill we went up to the escarpment and found this beaut cafe for our lunch.

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Car Hire

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We hired a car in Wollongong for a period of twelve days. The first day Peter took the car for a test drive along the coast North of Wollongong.

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Via the Sea Cliff Bridge we went as far as Bald Hill.

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The hang gliding hadn’t started yet on that day. There were already signs out that it would start soon.

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From here you can see where we had come up along the Sea Cliff Bridge. We also had a brief stop near that little beach.

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Along here you can walk to that little beach. We had stopped our car nearby.

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We soon felt hungry and wanted to go some where for lunch. We actually did find a very nice place at the top of the escarpment where we had a lovely meal. We also took heaps of pictures from up there. I am going to publish some of these in my next post.

Monarch Cakes

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Exactly one week ago we splashed out on some cake in St.Kilda. After Peter and I had spent some time in Central Melbourne around Swanston Street, we met up with Martin and Lauren again. The four of us boarded a tram to St.Kilda.

This cake was placed in one of the beautiful boxes for us to take home.
This cake was placed in one of the beautiful boxes for us to take home.
We had been looking for this particular place and were happy when we found it.
We had been looking for this particular place and were happy when we found it.
We went inside and selected some cakes.
We went inside and selected a few pieces of cake to have with some coffee.
It was excellent cake!
It was excellent cake!

And the coffee was great too.

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The cake that we took home in the box turned out to be excellent too.

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Uta in St Kilda
Uta in St Kilda
This St Kilda tram took us back to the city
This St Kilda tram took us back to the city

The following day, Friday, 19th April, Lauren did go back to Newcastle. Her flight left very, very early in the morning!

Martin helping his daughter to catch her flight.
Martin helping his daughter to catch her flight.
Lauren about to check in
Lauren about to check in

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Thursday in Melbourne

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Uta at the entrance of the State Library, Melbourne Thursday, 18th April, 2013
Uta at the entrance of the State Library, Melbourne
Thursday, 18th April, 2013

That Thursday was Lauren’s last day in Melbourne. She wanted to go to the Queen Victoria Markets on that day. Martin said he’d go with her. Peter and I announced that instead of going to the markets with them we’d pay the State Library a visit. Later on we could meet to go by tram to St. Kilda and splash out on some cake there!

We all caught the train from Essendon to Melbourne Central. The State Library was a few steps from there and the markets weren’t far away either. Before we went to the library Peter and I first of all looked for a place where we could sit down and have some morning tea. We soon found a lovely place that was just right for us.

During the early afternoon we met up with Martin and Lauren again and caught a tram to St. Kilda as planned. I’ll show pictures of St. Kilda and all the lovely cakes and Lauren’s departure to Newcastle in my next post.

When we met Noeleen the other day in Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn, there was a Readings Bookstore. We found out that in the State Library in Swanston Street, there is also a Readings Bookstore. I bought another book. It’s called a ‘Text Classics’. (textclassics.com.au) Copyright Robin Boyd Foundation 2010. They say ROBIN BOYD was arguably Australia’s most influential architect.

Somewhere near Swanston Street Peter saw these bikes that are apparently for hire.
Somewhere near Swanston Street Peter saw these bikes that are apparently for hire.
Where we had morning tea there were a great many mirrors.
Where we had morning tea there were a great many mirrors.

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There are some shops near this courtyard where we found this sign:

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The Bunyip
The Bunyip

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All these monuments are to be seen near the library entrance. Opposite you see an add on the facade of a house.

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Morning Tea! This is our tea tray at that nice place with the mirrors. Morning Tea!
This is our tea tray at that nice place with the mirrors.

Out and about in Melbourne

Famous sculpture at the Yarra River in Melbourne.

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Peter, granddaughter Lauren and I had been waiting at Flinders Street Station for granddaughter Justine who was going to meet us there after work. It was a happy meeting after not having seen each other for sooo long!

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Uta and granddaughters at the Yarra River
Uta and granddaughters at the Yarra River

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Dinner at Il PRIMO POSTO, Italian Restaurant
Dinner at Il PRIMO POSTO, Italian Restaurant

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After dinner we strolled to a Gelato shop that was still open. We each had a little tub of this delicious gelato and sat down at a large table with a terrific view of the Yarra.

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This was a lovely night out with the granddaughters. Justine caught the train back home from Flinders Street Station. Peter and I went with Lauren by train back to Essendon where our son Martin was waiting with the car to take us home.

berlioz1935's avatarBerlioz1935's Blog

We were in Melbourne last week and one evening we met up with two of our Granddaughters. Melbourne is a very metropolitan city and usually makes it every year into the top of the list of the most liveable cities in the world.

In the night-time it looks like this.

People are out and about even at this time of the evening. It was already getting cold, A pleasure boat rested after a day’s work.

Walking around we found this intriguing tunnel under a bridge.

But we were “saved” by a staircase.

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When I reached the top, I found my two beautiful Granddaughters waiting for me.

The pulsating city had us back and plenty of people were heading somewhere in the city.

It looked like this earlier in the evening .

Colourful trams were chasing each other along busy St. Kilda Road

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But we took the train home to Essendon…

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Poyntons of Essendon

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Essendon is part of Melbourne. We went there to a beautiful Garden Centre called ‘Poyntons’. We admired all the wonderful displays and flowers and shrubs for sale. We went a bit further up where the cafe is situated. We had lunch there but no desert even though there was a good selection of cake available. They had some specially brewed local beer. Also freshly squeezed juices. Where we were sitting in the cafe we had a good view of the river Yarra. Our son Martin and granddaughter Lauren came with us to Poyntons. Martin drove the car there. Ample parking was available in a separate parking area.

This is the view to the river.
This is the view to the river.

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A red capsicum filled with rice and meat.
A red capsicum filled with rice and meat.

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Sunday at Warburton

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After a 90 minute drive we arrived at Warburton. We had a very joyful family day at this peaceful, beautiful place with clear mountain air. The good weather lasted throughout the day. Only later in the afternoon as we were driving back to Essondon there were a few raindrops. We were so happy to see our lively, little great-granddaughters again. I think they could hardly remember us for it had been one whole year since we had seen them last.

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Kia knows how to open mini-coconuts!
Kia knows how to open mini-coconuts!

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Each visitor was given one of these decorated wooden ducks. The decorations were done by the two little girls before lunch with a little help from their mum.
Each visitor was given one of these decorated wooden ducks. The decorations were done by the two little girls before lunch with a little help from their mum.

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I am thrilled to get a beautifully decorated duck. The girls hand the ducks out very enthusiastically. They very much enjoy being able to give out some gifts.
I am thrilled to get a beautifully decorated duck. The girls hand the ducks out very enthusiastically. They very much enjoy being able to give out some gifts.
And this are the happy parents of these two lovely girls.
And this are the happy parents of these two lovely girls.

On the Road

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So we made it to the outback of New South Wales. For the last three days we’ve been travelling a lot in our beautiful hired car. Today we finally arrived in Mildura for a day’s rest on Friday. On Saturday we travel on to Melbourne.

This is a nighttime view from our Motelroom
This is a nighttime view from our Motelroom

Yesterday we were so tired after all this travelling that we went to sleep at 8 pm and woke up again at 4 am. It was of course still very dark outside. But a lot of lights were on. This is why Peter could take the above picture.

And this is what it looked like in day-light.
And this is what it looked like in day-light.
This is the car we're travelling in.
This is the car we’re travelling in.
The Outback
The Outback
Here we had breakfast in Moss Vale on Wednesday.
Here we had breakfast in Moss Vale on Wednesday.
Here we had lunch on Thursday.
Here we had lunch on Thursday.