On the way to Hamilton

 We left Melbourne and it looked like this...

As we went along, you could see what industry thrived in this area.

Footscray

 We met up with my niece and nephew for dinner.  We took the opportunity to have a look at another part of Melbourne,  It is very Vietnamese, with occasional Italian, Ethiopian, Chinese, and Filipino.

General street scenes in Footscray

 

The Vietnamese know about things French!

And the Italians have been here too!

And the vegans get a look in.

 

Food:

Avacado ice cream.  Interesting - haven't tried it.

Dinner tonight.

 

And a bit of Vinglish - or just a missing letter.

 

Sunday in Melbourne

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I went off to the National Gallery of Victoria this morning, while KM and BL visited respective friends. 

I recognised this painting when I saw it

 

but I had no idea of the story behind it.  Nazi stolen art comes to Melbourne - and it wasn't a Van Gogh after all.

 Tonight, we returned to Donovans for dinner.  The last time we were there, it was with Yvonne.  They did not have KM's bouillibaisse, so he had the next best thing...

 BL and I had barramundi.

And dessert is always fun!  The waiter divided a bombe alaska into three for us.

 

 

More Melbourne

 Our weather luck ran out - slightly - on Saturday.

But it fined up later in the day.  This was on our way back from visiting a patchwork mega-store and catching up with friends in Templestowe.  It was also a lovely view of Melbourne city.

We had Japanese food for dinner.  Our 37th floor unit is an easy walk to a local food centre.

Japanese meat balls - or "albondigas" in Spain.

 

Day 2 in Melbourne

We are getting used to the 37th floor.  But I did check the emergency exit last night.  This morning we were having breakfast and our windows were being cleaned.  Not my choice of job, but she was happy enough with it!

Then we went shopping, and eating, mainly getting our bearings around Melbourne..

We walked though Chinatown and had dumplings at Mr Bo, where ordering by QR code is mandatory.  Hunger forces rapid learning! 

And you don't need to go to China to see some quirky English. .

Just to remind you of the truth behind really fresh steamed fish.

And very fresh lobster.  I thought cooking food was part of the restaurant deal!

How did we get to this?

 Tonight, we are in a two bedroom apartment in Southbank, on the 37th floor with city views.  It is nowhere near St Kilda where we had planned to be.  And being my father's daughter, the risk of fire was the first thing I thought of! 

We arrived to find the key to our booked St Kilda apartment was nowhere to be seen, and the designated number wasn't answering.  Eventually we got apologies from the manager and a refund from booking.com, but still had nowhere to stay.  We tried several hotels,all fully booked,  and were about to think of everyone we knew in Melbourne where we could get a bed!  Or at least a roof!  But then we found this apartment at Southbank, and it might be the comfort stop of our trip, even though only a few dollars (like $20) more than the St Kilda arrangement.  So here we are.

We drove from Bairnsdale this morning, with lunch atTraralgon.

We have had wonderful weather.  Not cold, and fine and sunny.

Cooma to Bairnsdale

Shops in the main street of Cooma.  You know you are in a rural area. They don't sell drench, chooks or rams in Epping.

In fact, we were talking to a couple at our motel.  They were off to a ram sale at Berriale.  They were fine wool producers.  

Driving from Cooma, there were lots of sheep and lambs.  They looked in good nick, and the country was lovely.

We had lunch at Cann River...

where we saw our first bell. It was in a cute, and multi-faith church.  

 

Dinner  tonight was in a club in Bairnsdale.

And there is a dress code.  I learned some new terms, helpfully explained. And glad I had done my mending!

Kin Mun commented that he had found accommodation harder to get than he expected, especially as we needed two rooms.  We inquired further and were told it had been very busy - another COVID effect.  People were catching up with things undone for 2 years.  When we looked around, there were work vehicles in the motel car park.  So it wasn't just people avoiding flooded routes.
 

Cooma locals

 We saw these two ducks wandering the main street of Cooma.  Completely at home and relaxed.  I hope they survived.

On the way to Melbourne, avoiding floods.

 We left this morning and at Cooma tonight.  A good drive,no rain, but overcast.  Difficult to think we are heading into an apocalypse.

On the way, I had a phone call from the archivist at Hamilton College.  I had left a message about our grandfather's/great-grandfather's books.

 

He told me that he had found his record, as well as the details taken when he enrolled.  We will see him (the archivist I mean) at the end of next week.  Pics to come!