Wed, 12th Nov, 2014 Mt Eliza (Melbourne City sightseeing)

Colder morning 11 degrees at 7am. Heading into the City today. John and Joc driving us in to the Port so we can check out where to go to board the Spirit of Tasmania. They are heading to north of Melbourne to see their son, Roger. Looking forward to seeing him next time we are here. Jocelyn said this tree is called “Snow in Summer”.

Found our ship but no one to tell us anything about boarding it. Just a sign saying boarding 4.30pm. There was another cruise ship in so we couldn’t go onto the main jetty.

Caught a tram into the City. A friendly local helped us work out where to get off to check out China Town. Got a better of the Town Hall balcony that the Beetles stood on.

See girls – I made it to China Town.

Found Tracy’s clothing shop in Melbourne China Town!!!

Steve spotted this but I stopped him from checking it out!!

Narrow lanes and old buildings, the end one was a church.

China Town goes on for another block too.

Lots of great graffiti in Croft Alley.

This shop had green/blue ceramic coated red bricks.

More old buildings and a dragon head.

Lovely park entrance in the middle of the block with a monument to a Chinese doctor.

Poor puppy in the rubbish.

Now that’s an interesting job!! I said I can clean windows but that's a bit extreme.

My Chinese lunch was very yummy.

We came out onto Spring Street and boarded the free City Tram outside Parliament House. Great lamp posts.

Another City Tram coming past us.

Then we stopped and didn’t go again.

As the trams lined up behind us we got off and then started walking back. We were going to do a circuit around Melbourne City but we will just go for a walk now!!

Checked out this interesting hanging fountain in a park. Lots of people enjoying the sunshine.

Princess Theatre where the girls saw Le Miserables the other night.

Hotel Windsor from the other side of the road looks grand.

Lots of people enjoying the parks – this is Treasury Gardens.

Down through Fitzroy Gardens (named after Governor Charles Fitz-roy 1845-1855) to find the Model Tudor Village.

Then the Fairy Tree that Wendy and I wanted to see. Will send her some photos. It was created in between 1931 to 1934.

James Sinclair, a renowned horticulturist who planted many of the trees in these gardens in the 1860s and 70s, lived in this cottage. It was built in 1866 and used over the years as the home for caretakers and gardeners up until 1990s. Slate tiles for the roof.

Certainly a lovely garden to relax in.

All the garden beds are getting new flowers for the summer.

These are the “mother-in-law” tongue plants we saw near Bendigo.

Captain Cook’s cottage was constructed in 1755 in the English village of Great Ayton by the parents of James Cook. It was shipped to Victoria and re-erected in the Fitzroy Gardens in 1934. It is classed as the oldest building in Australia.

Lovely big Moreton Bay Fig.

Interesting plaques about the pines in the distance.

Unusual front to this building.

Steve checking out an old time men’s toilet. Called me in for a photo!!! People going past gave me a funny look.

The trains go under Federation Square with Eureka Tower behind.

The Forum Theatre looks grand – the musical “Once” is on at the moment.

The Atrium is a modern architectural building.

Steve found a penguin!! Outside the Australian Centre for the Moving Image.

Found my giraffe and his head too. It’s the cute one from Madagascar.

Before we went inside we found this unique box where people can take a chair from and enjoy the Federation Square.

This guy’s a bit creepy – not sure what movie he was from.

Screen Worlds is a permanent exhibition which is free and there is also a movie in the theatre next door for free too which is all about dance – shame we didn’t get here with the girls.

Spent a few hours in there. It was very interesting showing everything from the beginning of movies to now. Lots of interactive things. Listened to the old iconic TV adds like, Qantas, Louie the Fly etc. Information about Australian iconic shows like Playschool, Skippy and famous movies, like Jaws.

So much to read and see. We worked our way around the room following the information boards as they travelled through time.

Information about Australian directors, actors too, like famous movies like Mad Max. Even had the car.

This thing spun around with strobe lights so that all the things fell into buckets etc. Really good – I took a video of it.

Lots of old movies and series – they showed bits of each.

Back outside and I spied Hosier Lane across the road. The Graffiti artists are having to fix up the work after bad graffiti artists left tags on their work – can’t trust anyone these days!!

Some great work.

Timed a shot as this girl was jumping as her photo was being taken.

After another disappointing coffee we headed back to the station past St Paul’s Cathedral – didn’t get back in there – another thing to do next time. Found another statue of Matthew Flinders.

Rang John to let him know we were boarding the train as he will pick us up from the station at Highett. Drove back along the beach – we got a giggle about this billboard.

Last night with John and Jocelyn. Has been great to be with them.