Melbs.

Friday 23rd December 2016 - to Melbourne

No messing about today.  Our travel target was Melbourne.  We had to find Marg's house, drop off our bags and then get into the city to drop off the hire car.  It all went smoothly.  We found Marg's and after a cup of tea we got to the hire car depot and handed it in without a problem...phew.

Here are the girls, together again.  They could be sisters.  I don't think I will get a word in edgeways until we leave.  It is Victoria State Library in the background.

We had a quick walking tour of the city centre.  I was busy taking pictures in all directions.

The city had probably the best Christmas decorations of any city we have visited.  This is outside the Town Hall.  We had heard on the news this morning that the Police had raided several houses and arrested 7 suspected terrorists plotting attacks in Melbourne over the Christmas period.  We were approached by a reporter for the Melbourne Age newspaper, he asked what we felt about the news and were we frightened.  At first we didn't really know what he was referring to but of course we told him that we weren't worried and would carry on as normal.

This is St Pauls Cathedral.  It was lovely inside too.  

This medieval style sideboard was made in the Victorian era for Aldingham Hall, near Ulverston, Cumbria and is now in the cathedral.  It's a small world.

The river Yarra behind the girls. 

We managed a little bite to eat and a drink before going to the Art Gallery.  The photo below is the water wall at the entrance to the gallery.  It is the water pouring down glass and reflecting the trees opposite.  Cool!

One last picture of the city today.

Flinders Railway Station.  Captain Matthew Flinders was a British sailor and cartographer who was the first person to circumnavigate the Australian continent.

We have lots of things organised for us whilst we stay till after the New Year.  Very exciting.  Meeting up with Marg's grown up children, Sian and Josh and her brother Paul and his wife Kathy too.

We had a night out in a local bar.

Nice to get to know everyone.  I could talk lots of sport with Paul.