Just on the heels of our trip to Canberra, we were off to Melbourne last weekend for the Spry Christmas party. Since we left on Thursday night, last week was a 3-day work week... nice!
There were delays flying in and out of Sydney due to a shortage of air traffic controllers. The staff are (quite fairly I think) declining to work overtime shifts. On the way out, we were delayed before boarding the flight which turned out to be good since we ran into friends Malcolm & Cath who were also on their way to Melbourne for a long weekend. We had dinner on the plane (best airline veggie food I'd ever had!) and went straight to the hotel and to sleep around midnight.
Friday was a cool day. We took the tram to St Kilda, Melbourne's harbourside suburb, that has a street famous for its cake shops. The 7 of us (6 adults, 1 baby) congregated inside a cake shop at little tables and "ooo'ed and ah'ed" over the sugary concoctions. After consuming a pastry lunch (spinach & cheese) and an enormous piece of baklava, we went our separate ways for the afternoon. Bernard and I walked around St Kilda a bit and then took the tram back to Prahran where I'd heard there would be good shops. The area was interesting and the shops were ok. Mostly it was good to be out walking off the pastry. Our last stop was a fresh food market where we picked up some fresh pasta, fresh sauce and salad ingredients for the very much healthier dinner that we all needed. Andy, Philippa and their baby joined us for dinner in our room. That was fun and a bit funny since it took all of the tiny pots from our room plus a couple from their room to cook 4 servings of pasta.
Saturday was brisk at 8 degrees Celsius (46F) when we woke up and a max of 13C (55F)... and it's supposed to be nearly summer! After breakfast at a cafe in one of the lovely charming laneways, Bernard and I took the tram to Fitzroy for some walking and shopping. Bernard was not keen. Besides a bit of hail during breakfast, it was raining in spurts and, as previously mentioned, cold. Nonetheless, we had a great day. We managed to be inside during most of the rain and the shops were good. After a stop for morning tea, we found ourselves late in the day without lunch and far away from the place that had attracted Bernard's attention, Vegie Bar. We decided to take the long way back to that cafe so we could see some different things. That led us to sheltering in a cute shop full of handprinted fabric goods. The one thing that we bought for ourselves came from there - a big green floor/couch cushion to give some contrasting colour in our living room (in the photo of cushions, the one we chose is the botanical print shown on the white cushion and it's printed in shades of green on the lighter green fabric that's also shown). We were still a long way from the intended lunch spot but the rain had stopped so we pressed on through the cold with the big cushion bag flying around in the wind and we finally arrived at the cafe... a large, warm, warehouse-y space with big serves of healthy looking, reasonably priced, vegetarian food... that it was full of university students is hardly surprising. It was so warm! We split a beer and a tasty pile of roasted veggies with tzatziki and hummus on the side.
Saturday night was the big dinner. I didn't know much about the restaurant except that their veggie menu sounded unusual. The restaurant was Jacques Reymond. It's in a lovely old house on the southern side of Melbourne and it's a hatted restaurant... 3 hats, the top rating in the Australian restaurant rating system. The food and wine was all excellent, over indulgent, but very nice.
On Sunday we were all feeling like we'd had a big night out so we went back to Vegie Bar for breakfast. After packing up and checking out of our room, Bernard and I wandered around a bit and had lunch at Greenhouse by Joost, a temporary cafe at Federation Square. It's made from all recycled/repurposed materials and they grow veggies on the roof that are served in the cafe. The outdoor furniture is made of street signs and the indoor furniture is reclaimed wood. The food was served on big slabs of wood that were left from making the chairs and tables and it was quite yummy. My coffee was served in a recycled glass jar and salad was served in a little metal bowl that was made from a steel can with the cut edge rolled slightly. This all sounds nutty but it was definitely an interesting experience. And then we were off to the airport and home in time for dinner.
Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Thursday, November 20, 2008
road trip :: part 2
Saturday morning, feeling very well rested and hungry, we started the day with a lovely big breakfast at the hotel followed by a visit to the Old Bus Depot markets recommended by Robyn. The markets were really good... great selection of foods and nice arts & crafts. It was clearly a popular place but also well laid out so it didn't feel too crowded. We passed on most of the food options since we'd eaten so much for breakfast. The one food item we bought was some handmade (or at least small business made) dried pasta and sauces... very reasonably priced compared with similiar options in Sydney. The pasta sauces which are packaged in flat bags are the most amazing rich red colour.
Next up was the Glassworks. We'd seen an advertisement and noticed it was close to the markets on the map but it turned out be right next door. We arrived just in time to observe a glass artist working with a commentator explaining to the audience which really helped us to understand what was going on. I wandered off to have a look at their gallery and shop while Bernard stayed to watch some more... this was the highlight of the trip for him!
We'd also decided to visit the National Museum of Australia and it was already getting to be fairly late in the day so we went directly there. The only quick lunch option at the museum looked disappointing from a distance but up close it turned out to be the freshest and tastiest concession stand food that either of us had ever had. We had a picnic on the museum grounds next to Lake Burley Griffin. The museum itself was a good experience for both of us and particularly for me since we saw lots of stuff that reinforced what I'd been studying for the citizenship test. Dinner was back at the hotel and we spent a relaxing evening with Bernard helping me study for the test while having dessert in our room.
Sunday morning was not so relaxing. We tried to take it easy but one of us expressed some panic as we were getting closer to test time and still at the hotel. Bernard has learned to take this sort of thing in stride so calmly guided us to the location, to parking and to the test office. Of course we arrived right on time. And we were in the office for a grand total of 28 minutes. There was a table in the waiting area so Bernard stayed there to read the newspaper. The longest part of the process was the paperwork and it took less than 10 minutes to take the test.
Since we'd arrived late on Saturday and didn't really get to visit any of the sites that day, we decided to stick around to see Old Parliament House which was a good choice since the building has been turned into an excellent museum. There was so much to see. One could easily spend the entire day there... we'd highly recommend it!
Finally we tore ourselves away and hit the highway toward home. Early in the trip I'd taken an interest in the pottery of a local artist who turned out to live in Collector (mentioned in road trip). I'd traded email with her over the weekend and we ended up spending about an hour at her studio on the way back... fun!
Since it was getting to be quite late, we stopped for dinner at Goulburn (Subway), marveled once again at the size of the Big Merino, had a peek at the courthouse and then drove on. And then we noticed that the car was low on petrol. Naturally, we started looking and passed a couple of closed petrol stations. The one we found open had handwritten signs on the pumps saying they were out of petrol. So, we continued on the highway toward the petrol station we knew was coming up about 25kms (15 miles) away... and we ran out of petrol. I don't remember driving a car in modern times that so silenty runs of out... no warning beeps that it's low and the gauge is way off toward the center of the car so not in direct line of sight. Anyway, we stopped on the shoulder right next to an emergency phone. Bernard picked it up and spoke with NRMA (AAA equivalent) who said "that'll be a $340 joining fee... do you have your credit card handy?" Next, we called the car share company to find out if they were already members of NRMA... they are but it's $120-180 to add the new car if it's not already on the account... it wasn't. Then, we tried to call Bernard's uncle Graham but his mobile wasn't in a coverage area and we didn't have his home number. So we called Bernard's parents to get the number and they didn't have new number since he'd moved but they did offer to bring us some petrol and we gratefully accepted and settled in with the hazard lights clicking to wait. It turns out that we don't know all of the lyrics to very many songs but we did laugh a lot. Thanks to the petrol rescue, we were home and in bed by 11:30pm.
And now we're off on another adventure that we'll tell you about in a few days...
Next up was the Glassworks. We'd seen an advertisement and noticed it was close to the markets on the map but it turned out be right next door. We arrived just in time to observe a glass artist working with a commentator explaining to the audience which really helped us to understand what was going on. I wandered off to have a look at their gallery and shop while Bernard stayed to watch some more... this was the highlight of the trip for him!
We'd also decided to visit the National Museum of Australia and it was already getting to be fairly late in the day so we went directly there. The only quick lunch option at the museum looked disappointing from a distance but up close it turned out to be the freshest and tastiest concession stand food that either of us had ever had. We had a picnic on the museum grounds next to Lake Burley Griffin. The museum itself was a good experience for both of us and particularly for me since we saw lots of stuff that reinforced what I'd been studying for the citizenship test. Dinner was back at the hotel and we spent a relaxing evening with Bernard helping me study for the test while having dessert in our room.
Sunday morning was not so relaxing. We tried to take it easy but one of us expressed some panic as we were getting closer to test time and still at the hotel. Bernard has learned to take this sort of thing in stride so calmly guided us to the location, to parking and to the test office. Of course we arrived right on time. And we were in the office for a grand total of 28 minutes. There was a table in the waiting area so Bernard stayed there to read the newspaper. The longest part of the process was the paperwork and it took less than 10 minutes to take the test.
Since we'd arrived late on Saturday and didn't really get to visit any of the sites that day, we decided to stick around to see Old Parliament House which was a good choice since the building has been turned into an excellent museum. There was so much to see. One could easily spend the entire day there... we'd highly recommend it!
Finally we tore ourselves away and hit the highway toward home. Early in the trip I'd taken an interest in the pottery of a local artist who turned out to live in Collector (mentioned in road trip). I'd traded email with her over the weekend and we ended up spending about an hour at her studio on the way back... fun!
Since it was getting to be quite late, we stopped for dinner at Goulburn (Subway), marveled once again at the size of the Big Merino, had a peek at the courthouse and then drove on. And then we noticed that the car was low on petrol. Naturally, we started looking and passed a couple of closed petrol stations. The one we found open had handwritten signs on the pumps saying they were out of petrol. So, we continued on the highway toward the petrol station we knew was coming up about 25kms (15 miles) away... and we ran out of petrol. I don't remember driving a car in modern times that so silenty runs of out... no warning beeps that it's low and the gauge is way off toward the center of the car so not in direct line of sight. Anyway, we stopped on the shoulder right next to an emergency phone. Bernard picked it up and spoke with NRMA (AAA equivalent) who said "that'll be a $340 joining fee... do you have your credit card handy?" Next, we called the car share company to find out if they were already members of NRMA... they are but it's $120-180 to add the new car if it's not already on the account... it wasn't. Then, we tried to call Bernard's uncle Graham but his mobile wasn't in a coverage area and we didn't have his home number. So we called Bernard's parents to get the number and they didn't have new number since he'd moved but they did offer to bring us some petrol and we gratefully accepted and settled in with the hazard lights clicking to wait. It turns out that we don't know all of the lyrics to very many songs but we did laugh a lot. Thanks to the petrol rescue, we were home and in bed by 11:30pm.
And now we're off on another adventure that we'll tell you about in a few days...
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
road trip!
This past weekend Bernard and I headed off on a road trip to Canberra. I needed to take the AU citizenship test and couldn't get an appointment in or around Sydney for months so we decided to make our way to the nation's capital and have a look around. This was a great learning experience for me just before taking the test.
For those who haven't been to Canberra, it's a very swoopy place to drive around... lot of big curved roads and roundabouts. The city was purpose-built as Australia's capital and was designed by an American, Walter Burley Griffin. There's lots of big open space in and around the city so you can be right in the thick of it and not feel like you're in a city.
Friday night, after staying at work far later than planned, I took a train from Chatswood to Artarmon to pick up a car from the car share scheme and headed home to pick up Bernard. At least I thought I was going home. I was actually driving around in circles and ended up back in Chatswood. At least I know how to go home from Chatswood. A quick swing through home to finish packing and retrieve Bernard and then we were off to spend the night with Robyn and Joe in Holsworthy. We arrived after 9pm and had some much needed dinner then stayed up late enjoying our chats with Robyn and Joe.
After breakfast on Saturday morning, we started the drive to Canberra. I think this is about a 3-hour drive but I'm not really sure... you'll see why. About 30 minutes down the road, we stopped for petrol and realized then that my phone was missing. Since we were expecting to be separated during part of the trip and needing to get back in touch, we turned around went back to Holsworthy to pick up my phone. Fortunately, the rest of the drive to Canberra was less eventful. We stopped in Collector near Canberra, population 150. On Elaena's advice we had lunch at Lynwood Cafe. Lunch was tasty and I think they make the best blueberry muffins... yum! Arriving in Canberra around mid-afternoon, we drove around checking out the architecture of the various embassies and consulates.
After resting in the hotel for a while, we started to head out and had a minor incident with the hotel safe. One of us read the instructions and the other didn't so it needed a service call to coax it open again. The concierge arrived to help... with a screwdriver. He really did try to pry it open. After calling the busboy to help him "open something," they consulted (partly involving the busboy figuring out how to change the Phillips head on the screwdriver to the flathead option for better prying) and decided to call for more help. Twenty minutes later, the concierge returned with the magic infrared device needed to open the safe. By then, he was as relieved as we were that it worked.
We made it out of the hotel in time to watch the sun set over Lake Burley Griffin and ate dinner at a tasty Thai restaurant in the city. On the way back into the hotel, we both commented on the relatively boring looking wedding festivities taking place there. We'd just settled into the room for the night when the wedding party started to rev up and we could easily make out the words to Elvis singing "I can't help... fallin' in love with you"... through the walls... yikes! When we called to enquire about how long the party was planned to run, the hotel staff were very quick about moving us to the quietest part of the hotel where we did have a very peaceful sleep. There were some definite bright spots in a day where both of us were on the grumpy, not feeling so great side as well as having a few hiccups. And, yes, we did laugh a lot as well.
Fortunately, Saturday was a brilliant day so more to come... goodnight!
For those who haven't been to Canberra, it's a very swoopy place to drive around... lot of big curved roads and roundabouts. The city was purpose-built as Australia's capital and was designed by an American, Walter Burley Griffin. There's lots of big open space in and around the city so you can be right in the thick of it and not feel like you're in a city.
Friday night, after staying at work far later than planned, I took a train from Chatswood to Artarmon to pick up a car from the car share scheme and headed home to pick up Bernard. At least I thought I was going home. I was actually driving around in circles and ended up back in Chatswood. At least I know how to go home from Chatswood. A quick swing through home to finish packing and retrieve Bernard and then we were off to spend the night with Robyn and Joe in Holsworthy. We arrived after 9pm and had some much needed dinner then stayed up late enjoying our chats with Robyn and Joe.
After breakfast on Saturday morning, we started the drive to Canberra. I think this is about a 3-hour drive but I'm not really sure... you'll see why. About 30 minutes down the road, we stopped for petrol and realized then that my phone was missing. Since we were expecting to be separated during part of the trip and needing to get back in touch, we turned around went back to Holsworthy to pick up my phone. Fortunately, the rest of the drive to Canberra was less eventful. We stopped in Collector near Canberra, population 150. On Elaena's advice we had lunch at Lynwood Cafe. Lunch was tasty and I think they make the best blueberry muffins... yum! Arriving in Canberra around mid-afternoon, we drove around checking out the architecture of the various embassies and consulates.
After resting in the hotel for a while, we started to head out and had a minor incident with the hotel safe. One of us read the instructions and the other didn't so it needed a service call to coax it open again. The concierge arrived to help... with a screwdriver. He really did try to pry it open. After calling the busboy to help him "open something," they consulted (partly involving the busboy figuring out how to change the Phillips head on the screwdriver to the flathead option for better prying) and decided to call for more help. Twenty minutes later, the concierge returned with the magic infrared device needed to open the safe. By then, he was as relieved as we were that it worked.
We made it out of the hotel in time to watch the sun set over Lake Burley Griffin and ate dinner at a tasty Thai restaurant in the city. On the way back into the hotel, we both commented on the relatively boring looking wedding festivities taking place there. We'd just settled into the room for the night when the wedding party started to rev up and we could easily make out the words to Elvis singing "I can't help... fallin' in love with you"... through the walls... yikes! When we called to enquire about how long the party was planned to run, the hotel staff were very quick about moving us to the quietest part of the hotel where we did have a very peaceful sleep. There were some definite bright spots in a day where both of us were on the grumpy, not feeling so great side as well as having a few hiccups. And, yes, we did laugh a lot as well.
Fortunately, Saturday was a brilliant day so more to come... goodnight!
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