Robin had a sniffle and was feeling less than brilliant and Marianne wanted a relaxing day, so I took a tram into the city to see some of my old favourites.
I visited the Public Library back in 2011. It is my favourite building in Melbourne so I had to haunt. Here is a link to my 2011 visit which has more photos.
It is such a beautiful space, now full of light.
The Ned Kelly armor is still on display.
I told you so!
Shakespeare would have loved it.
As I walked past the Melbourne Town Hall, I remembered that I used to go to concerts there with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra back in 1973. There was an older bloke about my age in a uniform outside guarding the entrance so I asked him if it would be possible to go inside to take a look. When I told him my story, he took me inside to take a couple of photos. The room was set up for a function but it was easy to see the layout which was less oblong than I remembered.
Yes, I sat upstairs at times, but also at ground level.
The Orchestra used to rehearse in a building out near Caulfield Tech where I was working. At lunch we often used to go across the road to a pub for something to eat. The orchestra members were often there eating and drinking a beer. Included in their numbers was the Leader.
I walked on towards the river and detoured to the new part of the National Gallery that has many famous Australian paintings. There are some lovely buildings in Flinders Street including the Moorish looking Forum.
The Pioneer, perhaps my favourite nostalgic Aussie painting.
I strolled over the Yarra River and paused to look at the rowing sheds on the right. Back in 1973, a few of us decided to take up rowing so we joined a club and practiced on the river in the afternoon. It was a lot of fun but we were not very good at all so after a few months we gave it up.
Walking into Queens Park.
I had read that this Pop Up Globe had been erected near the Myer Music Bowl so I wandered around until I found it.
It is shaped as a reconstruction of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. More about the Globe here. It started off in Auckland, NZ.
The audience in the standing room secton. They were playing As You Like It.
Here is a good article showing how it is constructed.
On my way back to St Kilda Road, I came across a statue of Sir John Monash.
In some ways he can be credited with winning WWI. His meticulous preparation, tactics and concern for his men resulted in several victories that convinced the Germans that they had lost and should sue for peace.
His troops were really impressed when he arranged to have hot meals delivered to them in the front line of a battle.
Melbourne is a fascinating place and we have been glad to spend a week here.
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