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Category: Australia

Melbourne For Au$5?

Filed under: Australia, Travel, travels — 1 Comment

June 2, 2014

We had a free morning in Melbourne. Done with the Great Ocean Road, we planned on visiting the Shrine of Remembrance a day before ANZAC Day. We weren’t in the mood for visiting vineyards today as we were simply exhausted after yesterday’s long drive. And the city tram is forever hanging with tourists and locals. So what’s best to do without tiring one’s self?

Flinders Train Station

The iconic Flinders Station.

Found this hop on, hop off shuttle bus going around major tourist sites within the city. Tempting to hop off the bus to do retail therapy at a major factory outlet or to browse around the many souvenir and food stalls in Queen Victoria Market. Cost: $5 all day, children under 10 are free. So why pay more? This is too good to be true.

Shrine of Remembrance. A Memorial to ANZAC heroes.

Coffee and Doughnuts To Go!

The Au$5 tickets are available from Best of Souvenirs in the Melbourne Visitor Centre at Federation Square or from ticket machines located at each stop. The Visitor Center in Fed Square is just right across the St. Paul Cathedral where the red shuttle bus stops to pick up tourists.

Melbourne Visitor Center in Federation Square.

Culled from their website is this itinerary which lists 13 stops over a 90 minute journey complete with onboard commentary.

Stop 1 Arts precinct

Step off here for plays, pictures and performances.

Arts Centre Melbourne
NGV International
Australian Centre for Contemporary Art (ACCA)
Malthouse Theatre
Melbourne Recital Centre
Southbank Theatre

Stop 2 Federation Square

Step off here for visitor services, culture and art.

Melbourne Visitor Centre
Federation Square
Ian Potter Centre, NGV Australia, Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI)
Birrarung Marr and William Barrack Bridge
Federation Bells
Flinders Street Station
St Paul’s Cathedral
Hosier Lane

Stop 3 Sports precinct

Step off here for stadiums, legends and gardens.

Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG)
National Sports Museum (in the MCG)
Melbourne, Olympic and AAMI parks
Fitzroy Gardens, Cooks’ Cottage, Fairies Tree, Model Tudor Village and historic Conservatory.
* Note that this stop is not in service on MCG event days.

Stop 4 Chinatown precinct

Step off here for shopping, theatre and a Chinese dragon.

Her Majesty’s, Princess, Regent, Athenaeum and Comedy theatres
Chinatown
Collins Street, Greek precinct
State Library of Victoria, Bourke Street Mall, Melbourne’s GPO, Melbourne Central, QV Melbourne

Stop 5 Melbourne Museum and Carlton Gardens

Step off here for culture, cinema and city gaol.

Melbourne Museum
IMAX Theatre
Royal Exhibition Building
Carlton Gardens
Old Melbourne Gaol and City Watch House

Stop 6 Lygon Street precinct

Step off here for La Dolce Vita and La Mama.

Lygon Street lifestyle
La Mama and Carlton Courthouse theatres
Piazza Italia
Museo Italiano Cultural Centre

Stop 7 University of Melbourne

Step off here for museums, music and modern art.

University of Melbourne
Ian Potter Museum of Art
Grainger Museum

Stop 8 Queen Victoria Market

Step off here for the market, museum and mint.

Queen Victoria Market
Melbourne Zoo
Flemington Racecourse
Arts House and Errol Street
Hellenic Museum

Stop 9 Harbour Town, Docklands

Step off here for shopping, skating and sailing.

Harbour Town
Medibank Icehouse
NewQuay
Tourism Lounge

Stop 10 Etihad Stadium and Victoria Harbour

Step off here for arts, parks and sporting events.

Victoria Harbour
Yarra’s Edge
Etihad Stadium
Docklands Park
Fox Classic Car Museum

Stop 11 William Street

Step off here for culture, courts and coastal wonders.

Immigration Museum
Koorie Heritage Trust Cultural Centre
Legal precinct
ANZ Banking Museum
Enterprise Wharf
Melbourne Aquarium

Stop 12 Southbank and Yarra River

Step off here for the skydeck, shops and ships.

Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre
South Wharf Promenade
Crown Entertainment Complex
Southgate
Eureka Skydeck 88
Polly Woodside

Stop 13 The Shrine and Royal Botanic Gardens

Step off here for music, a memorial and meandering gardens.

Shrine of Remembrance
Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne
Ian Potter Foundation Children’s Garden
Sidney Myer Music Bowl
Government House
La Trobe’s Cottage

Tags: Australia, Flinders Station, Melbourne, St. Paul Cathedral, Travel, travels, Victoria

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A Very Merry Berry Brekkie

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It’s Autumn in Berry, Shoalhaven.

We took off early for a family weekend in a holiday home by the lake. Not easy with 6 grandchildren of 2 teenagers and 4 under 10. Chaos cuts across almost everything that involved the 6. Who sits beside whom? Who shares a pie or a platter of scones with clotted cream and jam? Which gelato flavors to order? Where to park? Where and what to eat? Who else hasn’t peed before the next long drive?

A very interesting one-story hotel in Berry.

Where to have a brekkie in Berry? So many choices.

First Pitstop identified. The heritage town of Berry in the Shoalhaven region along the South Coast is just slightly over an hour’s drive south of the state capital of Sydney. It is a small town, but packed with many historic buildings as well as a number of curio shops with arts, antiques and crafts. Very charming.

The main street in Berry is lined with historic buildings, interesting curio shops, many arts and crafts stalls.

On this store is a big sign that says “POTTERING AROUND IS THE PERFECT PASTIME”. Only in Berry, Shoalhaven!

Population is only a couple of thousand. The few we met who manned the curio shops didn’t seem to mind our little ones sneaking in and out of stalls, pushing chairs here and there to get closer to a favorite cousin, or to slurp from someone elses’s milk shake. An elderly couple even approached us while enjoying our brekkie, just to say how delighted they were with our little one who took off his hat to fill it up with water from a drinking fountain! (That could only be Xion)

Cousins!

The kids loved the scones and devonshire tea from Gourmet on Broughton Cafe. Berry, NSW.

Earlier on, we debated on whether to try the famous doughnuts of Berry or stick to our fav scones and tea. The nearby gelato and available parking clinched the decision to go for scones. Not a bad thing at all. GOURMET ON BROUGHTON CAFE had enough tables to sit all of us, with the Berry Museum, Berry Memorial and a couple more historic buildings just a few meters away.

Before long, the little ones easily found their way to the nearby gelato. We also just needed to cross the street to check out the arts and crafts stalls. Many interesting stores here. And the vibe is very “Berry” relaxed. It was so refreshing to be chatting with so many cheerful strangers!

We were all packed inside our cars and well on our way when we passed the doughnut shop. Hmmmm. Maybe next time 🙂

Tags: Australia, Berry, daytrip from Sydney, New South Wales, Shoalhaven

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PARAGON (Katoomba): Oldest Cafe In Australia

Filed under: Australia, Travel, travels — 1 Comment

May 29, 2014

If you’re a chocolate lover, the name may sound familiar. And if you happen to be in the Blue Mountains area, you may want to consider dropping by this oldest known cafe in the whole of Australia. An absolute must to complete your Blue Mountains experience.

If we weren’t so keen on a fab lunch in neighboring Leura, we would have taken our lunch here. But it was quite early for lunch when we got here, so we instead settled for our cappuccinos, lattes and hot chocolate. The service staff were sooooo accommodating. Encouraged to visit their Blue Room and Banquet Hall, we were all fascinated by the art-deco and antique decor displayed here.

Coming to this heritage-listed 1916 Paragon Cafe is a compulsory Blue Mountains experience. Katoomba holds a special place in my heart since my first visit, but this is undisputedly its art-deco masterpiece. Waffles, handmade chocolates, coffee are only a few samplings enjoyed here by celebrities like Bob Dylan before. But beyond those yummies, one can’t help encountering nostalgia especially after visiting the interior rooms.

Thankfully, the cafe was preserved and lovingly restored and restyled since ownership was conveyed to the Simos Family in 1916. A young Greek immigrant by the name of Zacharias Simos owned what was originally known as Paragon Sundae and Candy Store and added what are now the Blue Room (1934) and Banquet Hall (1936). The decor speaks of the glamor then prevalent and for sure, the architect (Henry White, same fellow who designed the State and Capital Theatres of Sydney) did an excellent job. The Simos family retained ownership until the early part of the 21st Century.

Tags: Australia, Blue Mountains, Katoomba, Oldest Cafe in Australia, Paragon Cafe, S ydney daytrip

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A Pleasant Rainforest Walk, Mate!

Filed under: Australia, Travel, travels — 2 Comments

May 27, 2014

Here’s an excellent pitstop just past Apollo Bay in the Great Otway National Park. By this time, you won’t mind Aussies putting GREAT before Ocean Road, Park, Forest Trail, and don’t forget the Barrier Reef further north. Why? There is absolutely no exaggeration. The Great Ocean Road is todate my best-ever scenic coastal drive. Even better than the Garden Route in Cape Town and the Great Pacific Highway in California. As for Mait’s Rest Rainforest, I say it’s not the best but a GREAT break if you’re doing the GOR drive. Besides, we all need this oxygen bar to recharge.

The walk is short but not short on finds. Easy to navigate on wooden boardwalk meandering through tree-fern gullies. And don’t forget the 300-year old rainforest trees with moss-covered roots. So glad it didn’t rain the day we visited. Not sure if it would have been as pleasant with mud on your boots. Mushrooms sprouting on ancient tree barks remind me of a fav TV series of yesteryears, Twilight Zone 🙂 Though the walk is no more than a kilometer, I wouldn’t want to be left alone here. Inside, the silence soothes the nerves. Sure. But as our feet trod over dry autumn leaves, I can’t help thinking SNAKES. Maybe it’s just me. But I really hate to think how those reptiles slide over those moss-covered trunks, roots, barks and twigs.

In another section of the national park, we spotted a couple of koalas snoozing between tree barks, and some colorful birds. No kangaroos. But really beautiful, gentle creatures. I love seeing them fly, chirp, cling to the trees, etc. Just no sliding, hizzing creatures for moí. Please, no such slimy reptiles while I’m around. 😦

Tags: Great Ocean Rioad, Maits Rainforest Walk, Maits Rest, Melbourne, Otway National Park

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London Bridge No More (Victoria, Australia)

Filed under: Australia, Travel, travels — 2 Comments

May 26, 2014

No, this isn’t the London Bridge in England. This one’s Down Under southwest of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia. Wish I visited long ago before the bridge collapsed but this pre-1990 photo sourced from the Net set side by side with my recent pic should give you an idea.

THEN AND NOW. PRE 1990-2014.

We joined a (long) daytrip to do the Great Ocean Road (GOR) and this — along with the Loch Ard and Twelve Apostles — were saved for last. The Twelve Apostles is the day’s highlight, of course, but this equally stunning view takes your breath away too! Plus it has a real good story to tell. Whether it’s an urban legend or a true story, it makes a truly fascinating tale.

ALL IN A DAY via the GREAT OCEAN ROAD.

The story goes that there was a couple stranded on the rock when the bridge collapsed in 1990. Married, these 2, but NOT to each other. So Steve, our GOR guide, animatedly narrated the story of how the couple had to be rescued via helicopter and airlifted to safety. We tried, and failed, to squeeze more from that juicy story. Like…. Oh, you know what I mean. What a gossip! 😉

With my competent niece-driver, Shelly.

A day well-spent. 7:30 am to 9:30 pm.

Tags: Australia, Great Ocean Road, London Bridge, London Bridge Collapse, Melbourne, Travel, travels

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BONDI ON THE PACIFIC

Filed under: Australia, Travel, travels — 2 Comments

May 25, 2014

My first time in Bondi wasn’t exactly uneventful but I’ve got to say what stood out as a memory was being there in my winter outfit. Leather boots, woolen shirt and fleece jackets. NOT my idea of a beach outing. This time around late autumn in Sydney, we chanced upon a sunny break with temps hovering at 20 Celsius. Warm enough to take a dip or stretch out in the sand, under the sun. We grabbed the chance and off to the beach we went!

The teens with us braved the cold waters but promptly struggled out to join us by the shore. Toes digging under the sand, we set up our beach chairs, munched our chips and surfed the Net instead. Oh yes, there’s wifi in Bondi!

The crowd was manageable this time of year. Serious swimmers and surfers we are not, but we enjoyed the beach scene. After all, it was just lovely to jump out of our fleece and into our cotton shirts and shorts this Season. The teens love the graffitti and wall art scene as much as the sun, sand and surf. Me? I enjoyed my long black coffee while people-watching and repeatedly reminding myself to enrol in swimming classes when I get home. Ahhh. La dolce vita!

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Tags: Australia, beach, bondi, Sydney, Travel, travels

Ain’t 12 But 8 Apostles

Filed under: Asian Holidays, Australia — Leave a comment

Or was it 9? Can’t say for sure but definitely missing a few to make 12. Nature must have claimed the 4 Apostles. Does it matter? Naaaaaahhhhh. Them rocks are awesome. Geeesssshhhh, there’s that word again. On this roadtrip, the rocks make a grand show towards the end of the coastal, cliff-hugging drive where each bend promises breathtaking views one after the other. Just as well. It can be butt-numbing, as one may even suspect “boring” having to start as early as 7:30am and back to Melbourne CBD by 9:30pm. But it was a glorious day trip with a well-planned itinerary which combined mid-morning tea and biscuits at the beach, lunch in Apollo Bay, a walk through the Rainforest and meet-greet with the resident koalas (no luck with the kangaroos) and colorful birds, till that final leg of the scenic drive. (The Rainforest Walk was a great addition to the itinerary. Great to stretch those leg muscles and breathe in the cool air under the shade of giant trees. The Koalas and birds are a bonus.)

Even if there were only 8 apostles, you won’t find me complaining. Or whinging, as they call it here in OZ land. The view is only a tad “spoiled” because we had to take shots against the sunlight, but nevertheless awe-inspiring. Wind and water as architects of these natural rock formations dotting the southern coast of the Australian continent. So lovely. We didn’t do the helicopter ride but we certainly didn’t miss out nor feel cheated “settling” for this majestic vista from a promontory which can be reached through a short hike from the bus parking grounds. I’m telling you, by this time of day you’d certainly want to go for that walk. But I must say the heli-ride is great for beating the tourist crowd and getting those superb shots without those heads, shadows and glare. It will cost you though 😉 but hey, if you can afford it, GO!

Now, don’t even think the panoramic views will leave you beach-fatigued throughout the 150-mile Great Ocean Road. While I’m one who doesn’t grow tired of ocean vistas, I swear there are marked variations. Initially, the rough-hewn rocky coastline reminded me of our scenic drive along the Great Pacific Highway (from LA to San Francisco, California). Then the winding cliff-hugging drive and surf transported me back to my memorable Garden Route drive in Capetown, South Africa. Combine these 2 and throw in those apostles (12 or 8, who cares?) and voila! Truly, GREAT precedes this OCEAN ROAD. This is the highlight of our trip to Melbourne and for those visiting, I would venture to suggest staying overnight to break this 14-hour roadtrip southwest of Melbourne. That, plus the likelihood of shooting the Apostles at dusk or break of dawn. Now, tell me about that!

Tags: Australia, GOR, Great Ocean Road, Loch Ard, Melbourne, Twelve Apostles

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IN WAR, THERE IS DECENCY

Filed under: Australia, Travel, travels — 2 Comments

May 23, 2014

This Monument With An Eternal Flame Guards The Shrine

I have a friend in Melbourne who has not been to the Shrine of Remembrance. That is sad. Been there. But for the truly Great Ocean Roadtrip, a visit to this Shrine was the highlight of our Melbourne adventure. More so because we visited just before Anzac Day which was celebrated every April 25.

The Trenches of Gallipoli (Turkey 2009)

I have been to Gallipoli in Turkey back in 2009. I did not have much expectation of the site outside of it being sandwiched between my visits to Istanbul and Troy. Hardly read up on it (tales of Istanbul got me hooked!) and was thus completely clueless by the time we reached Gallipoli. . Our Turkish guide then was all passion and pride as he narrated to us the significance of that site. I pulled myself in and out of some trenches — preserved to this day — used by soldiers during the war to have a “feel” of the struggles, sacrifices and burdens of duty in a war that counted many casualties. That was my “introduction” to Anzac Day and Gallipoli. A very fitting one, indeed.

The Shrine of Remembrance (Melbourne)

Anzac Day honors the gallant men among the Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War. ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, whose soldiers were known as Anzacs. This national day of remembrance starts with a dawn service which was way “too early” for us. We went a day early and instead witnessed the preparations. We felt privileged to join a tour of the Shrine with a volunteer guide named Judy, who shared the same passion and pride as my 2009 Gallipoli guide from Turkey. Judy repeated the lines “In war, there is decency” as if we had to be reminded every so often. She mouthed those lines with so much fire & passion that anyone would feel guilty for enjoying the peace now resulting from the wars fought by men and women for love of country.

The Day Before Anzac Day (Melbourne)

The soldiers of both sides then were decent as they were gallant. The ANZAC force landed in Gallipoli on April 25 as part of the Allied Forces. They intended to knock the Ottomans out of war who were then allied with the Germans. Met with fierce resistance from the Ottoman Army commanded by Mustafa Kemal (later known as Atatürk, the Father of Modern Turkey), the confrontation resulted in a stalemate which dragged for 8 months. There were over 20,000 Allied casualties which included 8,709 from Australia and 2,721 from New Zealand. No real victors from this war. But as Judy repeated many times over, DECENCY AND RESPECT WON. Those soldiers from both sides observed the tenets of morality and good character. “In war, there is decency. There is respect.”

This is the view from the trenches of Gallipoli (Turkey)

In Gallipoli, I found this message inscribed in stone for all visitors to see, read and appreciate.

“Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives……….you are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore, rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets where they lie side by side here in this country of ours………..You the mothers who sent their sons from far away countries, wipe away your tears. Your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. Having lost their lives in this land , they have become our sons as well. ”

This Moving Monument in Gallipoli Speaks Volumes

Truly, a legacy so powerful it conditioned the minds of those who understand the pains and sacrifices of wars.

Tags: ANZAC, ANZAC DAY, Australia, Gallipoli, Melbourne, Shrine of Remembrance

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To My Dearest Sister

Filed under: Australia, Musings & Ramblings, Travel, travels — 1 Comment

May 21, 2014

Seventy Odd Years

We recall the early years
And thank God for these blessings
Such a delight this life
With triumphs and a few fights.

Ten years of separation and a whole ocean apart
Love spans many miles and travels over ebbs and tides,

Sisters at birth; joined at the hearts
Survivors, from the same bodily hurts.

What’s there to celebrate at 70?
God’s precious gifts of love & life

Family & Friends

Come, help us celebrate!

Tags: Family, Musings and Ramblings, Sisters

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SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE 24/7

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May 19, 2014

The bridge from a hotel window. Sunrise. On a clear sunny day. Late night. How good is that?

Harbour Bridge at 6am

Harbour Bridge at 11am

Harbour Bridge at 12mn

We booked a room at Harbourview Hotel in North Sydney and the hotel truly lives up to its name. I stared in awe at that lovely vista different hours of the day. At night, I noticed the lights were on way past midnight. The view is worth every cent of the hotel room rate.

Room With A View

The Hotel

What makes it even great is that the hotel is just a couple of hundred meters away from the metro and a skip and a hop from Sushiro Gourmet Fusion Restaurant where I had a delicious lunch with my elves. The dining place opens at 11:30am but we were there as early as 11am. We waited while we decided on lunch.

Sushiro Japanese Fusion Resto

Nice Touch.

We picked sashimi and sushi from the belt which weaved around the bar. We ordered from the menu too and also indulged in our fav green tea ice cream. Then off on a train ride back to the city. Voila!

SUSHIRO

Green Tea Ice Cream

Tags: Australia, Harbourview Hotel, North Sydney, Sydney, Travel, travels

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Category: Australia

The Au$5 tickets are available from Best of Souvenirs in the Melbourne Visitor Centre at Federation Square or from ticket machines located at each stop. The Visitor Center in Fed Square is just right across the St. Paul Cathedral where the red shuttle bus stops to pick up tourists.

Stop 1 Arts precinct

Stop 2 Federation Square

Stop 3 Sports precinct

Stop 4 Chinatown precinct

Stop 5 Melbourne Museum and Carlton Gardens

Stop 6 Lygon Street precinct

Stop 7 University of Melbourne

Stop 8 Queen Victoria Market

Stop 9 Harbour Town, Docklands

Stop 10 Etihad Stadium and Victoria Harbour

Stop 11 William Street

Stop 12 Southbank and Yarra River

Stop 13 The Shrine and Royal Botanic Gardens

Before long, the little ones easily found their way to the nearby gelato. We also just needed to cross the street to check out the arts and crafts stalls. Many interesting stores here. And the vibe is very “Berry” relaxed. It was so refreshing to be chatting with so many cheerful strangers!

We were all packed inside our cars and well on our way when we passed the doughnut shop. Hmmmm. Maybe next time 🙂

If you’re a chocolate lover, the name may sound familiar. And if you happen to be in the Blue Mountains area, you may want to consider dropping by this oldest known cafe in the whole of Australia. An absolute must to complete your Blue Mountains experience.

No, this isn’t the London Bridge in England. This one’s Down Under southwest of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia. Wish I visited long ago before the bridge collapsed but this pre-1990 photo sourced from the Net set side by side with my recent pic should give you an idea.

The teens with us braved the cold waters but promptly struggled out to join us by the shore. Toes digging under the sand, we set up our beach chairs, munched our chips and surfed the Net instead. Oh yes, there’s wifi in Bondi!

I have a friend in Melbourne who has not been to the Shrine of Remembrance. That is sad. Been there. But for the truly Great Ocean Roadtrip, a visit to this Shrine was the highlight of our Melbourne adventure. More so because we visited just before Anzac Day which was celebrated every April 25.

In Gallipoli, I found this message inscribed in stone for all visitors to see, read and appreciate.

Truly, a legacy so powerful it conditioned the minds of those who understand the pains and sacrifices of wars.

Seventy Odd Years

We recall the early years And thank God for these blessings Such a delight this life With triumphs and a few fights.

Ten years of separation and a whole ocean apart Love spans many miles and travels over ebbs and tides,

Sisters at birth; joined at the hearts Survivors, from the same bodily hurts.

What’s there to celebrate at 70? God’s precious gifts of love & life

Family & Friends

Come, help us celebrate!

The bridge from a hotel window. Sunrise. On a clear sunny day. Late night. How good is that?

We booked a room at Harbourview Hotel in North Sydney and the hotel truly lives up to its name. I stared in awe at that lovely vista different hours of the day. At night, I noticed the lights were on way past midnight. The view is worth every cent of the hotel room rate.

We picked sashimi and sushi from the belt which weaved around the bar. We ordered from the menu too and also indulged in our fav green tea ice cream. Then off on a train ride back to the city. Voila!

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We recall the early years
And thank God for these blessings
Such a delight this life
With triumphs and a few fights.

Ten years of separation and a whole ocean apart
Love spans many miles and travels over ebbs and tides,

Sisters at birth; joined at the hearts
Survivors, from the same bodily hurts.

What’s there to celebrate at 70?
God’s precious gifts of love & life