Melbourne

The weather on Sunday was overcast, cold and windy.    Typical Melbourne weather!   But not to be deterred, we donned our warmest clothes and left early for a day of sightseeing.

 

Before I go any further, I must comment on the bus drivers.   We believe that to become a bus driver here, you must demonstrate that you can drive very fast, especially around corners, weave in and out of traffic, and apply the brakes quickly and sharply.   We experienced this with three different bus drivers today, and other people from the campsite said that every bus trip has been the same.

Our first stop in Melbourne was at the Myer Christmas window displays.    And what a queue of people there was to view the displays, which was very impressive.   However there was no one in front of the nativity scene, which does not rate as highly as the Santa Disney characters, it would seem.

 The queue of people lining up to see the Myer Christmas Displays.

After a restorative cup of coffee we continued to walk along Burke Street.   The trams are very silent so you need to keep an eye out for them, otherwise you might get run over.

Walter posing beside some figures in Burke Street.   Walter looks considerably happier than the man beside him!

 We went to Russell Place to have a look at the Pieces of Eight Gallery, which belongs to Jackie's daughter in law.   The jewellery in the shop was simply gorgeous.    I did not ask the price of any of the pieces.  

 A beautiful nativity scene in the square on Burke Street.

 Finally we came to Flinders Street Railway Station, which is rather dwarfed these days by all the tall buildings surrounding it.    It is still an impressive building though.

 Opposite the Flinders Street Station, there is a remarkable group of buildings called Federation Square.    In the buildings there is the Australian Centre for the Moving Image and the National Gallery of Victoria, which is the world’s first major gallery dedicated to Australian Art.
 

We spent quite a few hours looking through both galleries, and they are impressive.   I had not realised that Australia had produced so many movies.   And it was interesting to view the development of film, TV and digital images from an Australian perspective. 

The Australian art exhibits were fascinating, as I had forgotten so many of the artists such as Norman Drysdale, Alan Streeton and  Sydney Nolan.  The heart rendering three part painting of new settlers which tells the story of the hardship of family life in early settlement was there.    We have a place mat with a copy of this painting on it.    I never use it, because I always feel sad when I see it.

A Vietnamese drumming group.

 A pleasant lunch at one of the cafe's.

 There was a remarkable gallery devoted purely to contemporary Aboriginal art, called Living Water.   I was fascinated to see so much art by the Pitjantjatjara people.   I remember working with the children when I was at Alberton Primary School in Adelaide.

And then it was back on the bus again for another dizzy ride back to camp.   One poor lady fell to the floor as the bus went around a corner too fast.    Naturally the passengers told the bus driver exactly what they thought of his driving.    He ignored them of course.