I was standing in the Elizabeth Arcade after the COTA meeting around 12-15 pm, looking at this marvelous icon, John Cleese was there just as google eyed as me. Leon shook his hand and was acting like a child with his first candy stick,Our reps from Diamond Creek and Eltham disbanded in several directions heading for the train at Flinders St to return home, a few of us ambled through the crowded laneways listening to the buskers singing, we stopped a bought a roll for lunch and we noticed all but three were vaporised into the future. Ken Daryl and Nick eating their lunch sat on the steps of a busy eat house and were asked by the security guard to move on, there is just no tolerance for the ageing. We missed the train home at Flinders Street station ,it was suggested by Ken and Nick to show me some more sites of Melbourne by walking to Jolimont Station a short distance away (bull dust) At my request we went under ground into the Hatters shop in Flinders St, part of my bucket list is now full filled, Jennifer therein was a delight told us the history been there 104 years with the original timber shelving, check the photo part in our blog to see how much fun i had in this shop with a bowler hat with its own 240 watt light. Past the station across Federation square we pushed our way towards the Yarra River banks and like two magicians Nick and Ken revealed to me a world only the privileged OMNI cyclists have found on their foggy rides into the heart of our great city. Bluestone cafes of immense proportions lined the water way, one was still being constructed, must have been union labour they asked could we help as they stood around, some thing us older buggers can do very well, further along was an art museum for children’s art, which two ladies kindly invited us in to view telling the story it was a building for training tram drivers which had previously housed two trams for training new drivers, Being big kids at heart, they showed us how to make shadow art by using lights and shadows. As we progressed along it was pointed out to me the country boy, there is the music bowl, the tennis centre and outside courts the huge tram terminus to disgorge patrons and fans to this mecca of sporting events. Walking to the Bridge of bells you could see the MCG and its huge light towers. The bridge was made in a modern form of steel with red gum planking leading directly to that great footy and cricket stadium. We missed the ringing of the bells just like we missed the train at Flinders St. We continued through parkland to another bridge spanning the ribbons of gold “railway tracks” that brought the wealth of rural Australia to the city, the bridge was alive with aboriginal music played through speakers imbedded in the railing whilst in front of us stood Melbourne’s Iconic ROCK the MCG you could easily see and hear the ghosts of many former greats revisiting their former team mates whilst bullshitting and having a beer. Across the empty parklands to the Jolimont trainlink where we meet Wayne from Montmorency, and he new some one I play golf with, small world? A lady sitting next to us got a real inside into our men’s world. 3-30 pm when I got home filled with the joys of life.
Train trip $7.00 Lunch $4.50 new thongs $3.00 But think what it costs other silly buggers from overseas to visit the best city in the world.
Thanks heaps Ken and Nick for the tour and verbal info as we ambled along the banks of this infamous river.
I dedicate this MEMORY to Ken and Nick two old buggers that help other old buggers keep going.
……Sir Daryl 2014