Day 3 - Marvellous Melbourne

On getting a phone connection in Melbourne, we got the terribly sad news that one of our most stalwart volunteers at Parramatta Computer Pals for Seniors, and our very good friend, Michael Myers, had died suddenly the night before. We are quite shocked, saddened, and now even more mindful of our own mortality.

RIP, Michael, you’ll be sorely missed. And our condolences and love to his wife, Noelene, and their children, whose grief we can only guess at.

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Princess Cruises had organised for whoever runs Melbourne’s buses to run a shuttle from the terminal to the city, so after waiting for the “next” bus, (the first one already had two wheelchair passengers on board), we ventured into the city.

We have, of course, been to Melbourne before, but not for many years, and never to just “explore” so this was a chance to discover the Melbourne we didn’t know.

The bus dropped us south of the river, so we crossed via the Princes Bridge,

Princess Bridge

to

Federation Square

Federation Square, our first stop. 

The Square is across from Flinders Street railway station, and has a large tourist information centre where we had the choice of several self-guided walking tours and we chose “Arcades and Lanes”.

But first we explored Federation Square itself and immediately discovered why many wheelies have criticised it – all cobbles, all on a slope (so it can be used as an amphitheatre, we are told), lots of stairs, and the ramps, as usual, take the long way round.

Nevertheless, the architecture is stunning, if not to everyone’s taste.

Here is a map of the Arcade and Lanes route – it’s about 4km with no less than 31points of interest along the way.

It certainly worth doing – but be warned if you use a wheelchair – there is a set of stairs between Centre Place and Centre Way, and you need to back up and go around.

we had to find another route

 

There are also some cobble stones  

And many of the lanes are crowded and narrow. 

A restored arcade

Street art abounds 

And also artworks.

Here’s John being patted on the head – which he loves. 

Margaret had a coffee and lunch in the Galleria  but not pizza, on this occasion. 

We caught the wheelchair accessible tram back to near the cruise terminal.

 All very easy – just wheel on and wheel off.

Westgate Bridge in the late afternoon

A quick trip to the IGA and back on board.

A beaut day.

Next port is Adelaide on Thursday (day 5).