Monday, November 20, 2006
14 th November 2006 View from the top
14th November (Tuesday)
So, back into the city on the tram with all the other morning commuters and go for breakfast at Beleize in Australia on Collins again. Mainly because it’s the only café serving hot cooked food there. I’m using Australia on Collins because of the free wifi to try and upload photos and blog. Nice breakfast of 2 poached eggs on toast. Successfully logon on today and upload some photos, but it takes nearly an hour to do it!
Today I’m going to go up the Rialto Tower 253 metres to the 360 degree observation deck where you have a panoramic view of Melbourne. $12.50 and that includes a 20 minute film about the city. Which of course just turns out to be a tourist appetizer for what you can visit in and around Melbourne and includes the world’s worst sound track and song called “My Melbourne.” Take the express lift to the 54th floor, The Observation Deck and take in the wonders of Melbourne from approx 250 metres above street level. There are 2 outside platforms as well as the glassed observation level so you can view from the comfort of the inside, (comfort as in warmth, no wind and Oh my God I don’t feel safe up here) or the more raw, close to edge, look directly down below you outside view. I did them all and I think, got some decent pictures. Look out for the tennis courts on the roof of a tallish building, gardens on some others, water features, and a children’s play area on top of another. I quite like the shot of the model railway!
Had lunch for a change in the Observation Deck Café and ordered the smallest piece of quiche I could see in the chiller display and a pot of tea. How very English of me. The lady said she would bring it all to my table in a few moments after serving the other customers. A few minutes passed and she appeared by my table with my quiche………………………………....... which was surrounded by a huge salad! Small and sensible portions just don’t exist here in Australia. After large lunch waddle back to the lifts and wait my turn. I did suggest to the lift guy that the stairs might be more appropriate and he told me a small story. Once a year Melbourne holds the Rialto tower race where competitors take it in turns to race up the stairs and the fastest time wins. Last year the winner took 20 minutes! I have unfortunately forgotten how many stairs he said there are. The lift downwards option seemed a good idea after that tale.
Back at ground level, I decide to take a look at the South Bank which is across the River Yarra and houses a lot of the new arty areas of the city. Some good views can be found of the city as you look back across the river. The river front is a sea of cafes, restaurants and a small shopping arcade. As I make my way along I come to St Kilda Road and a building with a steel tower which really looks like a radio mast. This building is the Melbourne Concert Hall which has 3 theatres inside, each designed in a different style but with an Aussie theme. Had a good look round and took a look at an exhibition of photos depicting Aussie actors holding one object which was dear or important to them. Clever idea, might copy that.
Next door was the Victoria Arts Centre which I thought might be worth a look, I could enhance my culture levels possibly! But no, it was shut on Tuesdays!
I walked back across Princes Bridge and crossed over into Federation Square and down towards the Yarra River again to see an open air exhibition called “earth from above”. This is a stunning collection of aerial photographs which highlight the changing face of our planet, taken by a guy called Yann Arthus-Bertrand. There is a website about his photography and this particular project, which is at www.yannarthusbertrand.com or very similar. Google it and you’ll find it. These photos are truly remarkable, not just because of the fact they are aerial shots but because they are a commentary on how we, mankind, live our life on this planet and our wastefulness, selfishness and carelessness in protecting what gives us our home and food. Went back into Federation Square and had a glass of red wine at the Time Out café and rested my weary feet for half an hour before catching the tram back towards “home”.
Jon has had a telephone call from Donna saying that the trip on Friday has to be cancelled as Greg is not very well. It’s a big disappointment but Greg’s health is more important. She said she will phone later in the week to arrange for us all to catch up before I leave.
Went with Jon in the evening to watch him have a dance lesson with his instructor Julie and was also able to watch some other couples taking lessons or just practising. Not sure if I have mentioned this before but the house Jon is house sitting belongs to a family who have gone to Singapore temporarily. The eldest son, Craig and his girlfriend, Sriani have just returned from the UK where they have been working but also dancing and taking lessons from world class coaches to better themselves. Craig is a very personable young man and in the top amateur ranks for Latin dance in Australia so Jon has told me. At this point I have not really met Sriani but understand she is also a top ranked dancer and Craig’s girlfriend and dance partner. They are also at the studio tonight and working out a new routine. Now, I have seen some people doing dance practice, lessons and watched the competition at Williamstown on Sunday so if you like, I have a benchmark to which, in a very amateur manner, I can judge. Craig and Sriani are very, very, very good. They were only rehearsing but it was obvious that it essential they get every detail right and they wouldn’t be happy until it was. Managed to get a photo of Jon with Julie for the record.
So, back into the city on the tram with all the other morning commuters and go for breakfast at Beleize in Australia on Collins again. Mainly because it’s the only café serving hot cooked food there. I’m using Australia on Collins because of the free wifi to try and upload photos and blog. Nice breakfast of 2 poached eggs on toast. Successfully logon on today and upload some photos, but it takes nearly an hour to do it!
Today I’m going to go up the Rialto Tower 253 metres to the 360 degree observation deck where you have a panoramic view of Melbourne. $12.50 and that includes a 20 minute film about the city. Which of course just turns out to be a tourist appetizer for what you can visit in and around Melbourne and includes the world’s worst sound track and song called “My Melbourne.” Take the express lift to the 54th floor, The Observation Deck and take in the wonders of Melbourne from approx 250 metres above street level. There are 2 outside platforms as well as the glassed observation level so you can view from the comfort of the inside, (comfort as in warmth, no wind and Oh my God I don’t feel safe up here) or the more raw, close to edge, look directly down below you outside view. I did them all and I think, got some decent pictures. Look out for the tennis courts on the roof of a tallish building, gardens on some others, water features, and a children’s play area on top of another. I quite like the shot of the model railway!
Had lunch for a change in the Observation Deck Café and ordered the smallest piece of quiche I could see in the chiller display and a pot of tea. How very English of me. The lady said she would bring it all to my table in a few moments after serving the other customers. A few minutes passed and she appeared by my table with my quiche………………………………....... which was surrounded by a huge salad! Small and sensible portions just don’t exist here in Australia. After large lunch waddle back to the lifts and wait my turn. I did suggest to the lift guy that the stairs might be more appropriate and he told me a small story. Once a year Melbourne holds the Rialto tower race where competitors take it in turns to race up the stairs and the fastest time wins. Last year the winner took 20 minutes! I have unfortunately forgotten how many stairs he said there are. The lift downwards option seemed a good idea after that tale.
Back at ground level, I decide to take a look at the South Bank which is across the River Yarra and houses a lot of the new arty areas of the city. Some good views can be found of the city as you look back across the river. The river front is a sea of cafes, restaurants and a small shopping arcade. As I make my way along I come to St Kilda Road and a building with a steel tower which really looks like a radio mast. This building is the Melbourne Concert Hall which has 3 theatres inside, each designed in a different style but with an Aussie theme. Had a good look round and took a look at an exhibition of photos depicting Aussie actors holding one object which was dear or important to them. Clever idea, might copy that.
Next door was the Victoria Arts Centre which I thought might be worth a look, I could enhance my culture levels possibly! But no, it was shut on Tuesdays!
I walked back across Princes Bridge and crossed over into Federation Square and down towards the Yarra River again to see an open air exhibition called “earth from above”. This is a stunning collection of aerial photographs which highlight the changing face of our planet, taken by a guy called Yann Arthus-Bertrand. There is a website about his photography and this particular project, which is at www.yannarthusbertrand.com or very similar. Google it and you’ll find it. These photos are truly remarkable, not just because of the fact they are aerial shots but because they are a commentary on how we, mankind, live our life on this planet and our wastefulness, selfishness and carelessness in protecting what gives us our home and food. Went back into Federation Square and had a glass of red wine at the Time Out café and rested my weary feet for half an hour before catching the tram back towards “home”.
Jon has had a telephone call from Donna saying that the trip on Friday has to be cancelled as Greg is not very well. It’s a big disappointment but Greg’s health is more important. She said she will phone later in the week to arrange for us all to catch up before I leave.
Went with Jon in the evening to watch him have a dance lesson with his instructor Julie and was also able to watch some other couples taking lessons or just practising. Not sure if I have mentioned this before but the house Jon is house sitting belongs to a family who have gone to Singapore temporarily. The eldest son, Craig and his girlfriend, Sriani have just returned from the UK where they have been working but also dancing and taking lessons from world class coaches to better themselves. Craig is a very personable young man and in the top amateur ranks for Latin dance in Australia so Jon has told me. At this point I have not really met Sriani but understand she is also a top ranked dancer and Craig’s girlfriend and dance partner. They are also at the studio tonight and working out a new routine. Now, I have seen some people doing dance practice, lessons and watched the competition at Williamstown on Sunday so if you like, I have a benchmark to which, in a very amateur manner, I can judge. Craig and Sriani are very, very, very good. They were only rehearsing but it was obvious that it essential they get every detail right and they wouldn’t be happy until it was. Managed to get a photo of Jon with Julie for the record.
# posted by desmond22 @ 11:26 pm 
