Fri 31st Oct, 2014 Melbourne

Got up at 7am and headed down for breakfast – will do our exercise walk around the shops today!!!! Across the pedestrian bridge which is covered in Love Locks.

Walked along the road opposite the historic Flinders Street Station. Magnificent building.

Architectural buildings in Federation Square.

Through the small lanes lined with cafes and restaurants. When they designed the streets in the 1850s it was decided to have extra wide main streets with a small lane between each.

 Trams are everywhere going up the middle of the streets.

Beautiful arcades full of lovely shops (The Block) – very slow walking with these girls!!

Especially when we pass the Hopetoun Tea Rooms (established 1892) with their little cup cakes etc. Just the thought of it Wendy is putting on weight.

And the Haig’s Chocolates (established 1915). Ooh dark chocolate is good for you!!!

Another lane and more shoe shops.

Then another arcade – I am the official photographer for the week – don’t know if they realise how many photos I can take!!

I found my dream shop – a Babushka Doll shop.

Love all the old architecture of the Town Hall at one end of the Myer complex.

Myer & David Jones – our shopping destination for today.

Check out the boots!!!

Bet you can’t guess how much these boots are - $1299. I then found another pair of shoes for $1563 – shame they didn’t have my size!!!

The crazy shoppers ready to go. The top (6^th) floor is all Christmas – that is my destination.

Looking up to the top.

Wendy’s dream shop – even has her favourite red shoes!!

This one is great for Halloween and the Melbourne Cup.

The Christmas area wasn’t finished – I had expected a lot more pizzazz.

Looking back down to the bottom – head spin.

This photo for Andrea – Wendy would like this table setting for Christmas lunch!!!

Crossing the road in the overhead walkway.

 Looking back down the street

Found a history info board about the Myers Centre near the Chemist.

The Chemist had just as lovely Christmas tree as Myers.

After lots and lots of looking, trying then buying the girls left Myers and we headed onto the streets. Great public art everywhere – each one of these is on the corner of the intersection of Swanston and Bourke Streets.

Our carriage awaits – now that would be fun to do a trip around town in.

This is what you look like after a day of shopping or working in the city!!!

More buskers to entertain us. He was pretty good too.

David Jones getting ready for Christmas.

Bit of history of Swanston Street.

More street art.

Entrance to China Town – will have to get down there.

Weary shoppers found a great seat to rest on.

Opposite this lovely church.

Went into Melbourne Central Railway Station and shopping complex where there is a building which was a Shot Factory.

Great pocketwatch clock. Where’s the White Rabbit.

Found the railway station and the girls got their Myki cards to use on the trains, trams or buses. We will get the train back from the races as we are going to them in a Limo. Then we will take a tram to St Kilda on Wednesday. Sarah had mentioned a great chocolate café called Max Brenner’s so off we went in search of it.

It was the best – we all shared a treat, dipping fruit and cake into the melted chocolate.

This area used to have lanes but the building built over them so they named some aisles after the original lanes – this depicts the lanes and the shot building we saw before.

Back into Myers again to have another look at some coats – boy did we go round and round that store!!! Was a great day though, even though I only bought an umbrella!!

Wendy having fun with some of the displays.

Then into DNKY section – who can afford this stuff - $870 for a skirt.

Then the clearance area – this blouse $1100 reduced to $650 – what a bargain!!!

Wendy wanted this t-shirt but it wasn’t on special – still $250!!

Headed down to the Basement to check out the specials down there – I found our spare caravan!!

They have a cute version of a Christmas tree.

Lovely building where The Block arcade is.

 Inside the arcade.

On the way back found a little restaurant for dinner – Segovia – named after a famous Spanish guitarist.

On the way back to the hotel all the little shops in the lane were shut and their rollerdoors were graffiti art.

Still lots of people eating in the middle of the lane.

Walked past the famous Flinders Street Station main entrance.

Further down we walked over the bridge over the Yarra River looking at the spire over the Arts Centre. We all thought it was the Eiffel tower copy but it is meant to be a tall ballerina with her tutu on (below). The building in front is the Hammer Hall.

Great view down the Yarra.

Fancy lights line the bridge.

Fountains in front of where Jean Paul Gaultier – a famous fashion designer – has a display. Will check it out as it was closing when we got there. Fancy cars out front.

The entrance is a wall of water over the glass.

A heart shape in the Oak tree out front.

Blue lights highlight the waterfall across the road.

The Southbank Theatre lit up.

Looking back to St Paul’s Cathedral.

We kept walking thinking we had a short walk back to the hotel – oops – wrong turn and we had lost our direction. Asked advice and followed a couple back to the bridge and down the steps to the Promenade. When we got back to the motel I remembered I had a map in my bag!!! We were only a block away from the hotel.