Got to bed at about quarter to two that morning, and up the next morning at about 10ish. What are we up to? Yesterday, Monday, NRI went off to work early, CCL was also up early, and V and I were the laggards. We had a lazy morning, before catching the bus to Airport West around lunchtime. We grabbed a bite to eat first off, I had KFC - one queue at lunchtime, pretty ridiculous, V had Maccas and CCL had a kebab. We wandered around that shopping centre - I found shirts on sale and a great jumper, not on sale but very nice nonetheless, not too expensive. Also had a nice vanilla slice from Ferguson and someone's bakery chain.
Then got on the 59 tram all the way into town, was very exciting :) The closer we got in, the more nervous V was - the Big City. I was excited though. Wandered around Bourke St first, got a map from the tourist booth and wandered around the Australia in Collins/Novotel complex while V and CCL did shopping - quite impressive, in an art deco kind of way.
Next on the agenda was the City Circular tram. We went to the tram stop opposite Flinders St station with CCL asking every minute whether I knew where I was going - not in a narky way, but just in a query way - and saying they should stop for a coffee rather than tramming. Frustrating. Especially waiting waiting waiting at the tram stop, with the questions continuing - 'we didn't catch the tram here when we got it' - it's a circle that goes down Flinders St, of course it's going to come this way.
Oh, here is a sign saying roadworks, waiting waiting waiting, the doubts knawing away at me (how do you spell gnaw anyways, LOL, duh me tried to use a K) when eventually V asked one of the locals who was catching a tram home, saying it was usually before his 48 tram, and he hadn't seen it for a couple of days, there may be a sign somewhere. And we had been leaning against it for half an hour. I was not a happy bunny, the only idea I had had that day shot down in flames - not so much a circle as just a cir LOL, the tram was running half the route, and we were on the wrong half - V and CCL said did I want to catch a tram to connect to the tourist line, but by that stage I wasn't in the mood.
Calmed down over a coffee in a lovely little side street with all manner of cafes at the sides of the lane and the lane itself covered with chairs, while taking stock of what we could touch. After the coffee, wandered up to the ANZ Gothic Building, then caught a tram down Collins Street to Treasury Gardens, which V wasn't impressed with - why would I, indoor city boy, want to go to a Gardens. Well, I saw that there was a JFK memorial there, which was actually sealed off grr, but got a nice couple of autumnal trees in Melb photo shots - will see how they come out when I get the shots developed.
Wandered past Parliament - big woohoo LOL not - and then had a quiet drink in the Imperial across the road while waiting for PFE to show - one of V's close friends from YEARS ago, had moved from Tas they were saying about 10 years ago. Had a quick beer at the Imperial, and then headed over to Lygon Street in Carlton for tea - yay, another tick off the list. And went to an Italian restaurant at Lygon St, double yay :)
Was a great meal actually, and a great setting, really intimate (in a dining sense LOL), glad we got an indoor table, and we were sitting right near the kitchen, so an intimate busy atmosphere. Great food, everyone was impressed with their choices - I had penne telefono - with pork sausage and mozzarella - yum! Good service as well from the wait staff, apart from that our waitress could have been as talkative and smiley as some of the others.
V and PFE were getting on like a house on fire, making even CCL seem quiet LOL. They're always like that apparently, and V was glad they caught up in person, for about the first time in four years. V looked happy, so all was good. Both CCL and V were saying PFE looked old, he's in his mid 30s, he looked about average for that age for me, and thin and gaunt in the face, but again, he seemed fine to me.
Got home about 9ish, NRI was in bed, but watching TV and not asleep. We recounted our day to her and thanked her for her hospitality and then watched Big Brother Uncut. Raising my eyebrow here, a la Rock fashion, with the whole Glen and Geneva thing. Good luck to them I say. Then after that an early night. Last cuddles with V for a few months.
Then got on the 59 tram all the way into town, was very exciting :) The closer we got in, the more nervous V was - the Big City. I was excited though. Wandered around Bourke St first, got a map from the tourist booth and wandered around the Australia in Collins/Novotel complex while V and CCL did shopping - quite impressive, in an art deco kind of way.
Next on the agenda was the City Circular tram. We went to the tram stop opposite Flinders St station with CCL asking every minute whether I knew where I was going - not in a narky way, but just in a query way - and saying they should stop for a coffee rather than tramming. Frustrating. Especially waiting waiting waiting at the tram stop, with the questions continuing - 'we didn't catch the tram here when we got it' - it's a circle that goes down Flinders St, of course it's going to come this way.
Oh, here is a sign saying roadworks, waiting waiting waiting, the doubts knawing away at me (how do you spell gnaw anyways, LOL, duh me tried to use a K) when eventually V asked one of the locals who was catching a tram home, saying it was usually before his 48 tram, and he hadn't seen it for a couple of days, there may be a sign somewhere. And we had been leaning against it for half an hour. I was not a happy bunny, the only idea I had had that day shot down in flames - not so much a circle as just a cir LOL, the tram was running half the route, and we were on the wrong half - V and CCL said did I want to catch a tram to connect to the tourist line, but by that stage I wasn't in the mood.
Calmed down over a coffee in a lovely little side street with all manner of cafes at the sides of the lane and the lane itself covered with chairs, while taking stock of what we could touch. After the coffee, wandered up to the ANZ Gothic Building, then caught a tram down Collins Street to Treasury Gardens, which V wasn't impressed with - why would I, indoor city boy, want to go to a Gardens. Well, I saw that there was a JFK memorial there, which was actually sealed off grr, but got a nice couple of autumnal trees in Melb photo shots - will see how they come out when I get the shots developed.
Wandered past Parliament - big woohoo LOL not - and then had a quiet drink in the Imperial across the road while waiting for PFE to show - one of V's close friends from YEARS ago, had moved from Tas they were saying about 10 years ago. Had a quick beer at the Imperial, and then headed over to Lygon Street in Carlton for tea - yay, another tick off the list. And went to an Italian restaurant at Lygon St, double yay :)
Was a great meal actually, and a great setting, really intimate (in a dining sense LOL), glad we got an indoor table, and we were sitting right near the kitchen, so an intimate busy atmosphere. Great food, everyone was impressed with their choices - I had penne telefono - with pork sausage and mozzarella - yum! Good service as well from the wait staff, apart from that our waitress could have been as talkative and smiley as some of the others.
V and PFE were getting on like a house on fire, making even CCL seem quiet LOL. They're always like that apparently, and V was glad they caught up in person, for about the first time in four years. V looked happy, so all was good. Both CCL and V were saying PFE looked old, he's in his mid 30s, he looked about average for that age for me, and thin and gaunt in the face, but again, he seemed fine to me.
Got home about 9ish, NRI was in bed, but watching TV and not asleep. We recounted our day to her and thanked her for her hospitality and then watched Big Brother Uncut. Raising my eyebrow here, a la Rock fashion, with the whole Glen and Geneva thing. Good luck to them I say. Then after that an early night. Last cuddles with V for a few months.
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