March 14, 2023
At sunrise we docked in Melbourne. As soon as the gangways were in place and we were cleared I was off for a fun day adventuring in Melbourne.
A river cruise on the Yarro River started the day. The river is lined with parks; bridges and the sports complex that includes the arena used the Australian open. What a peaceful way to start the day!!
Then off to Blender Lane, home to some of Melbourne’s best street art. Melbourne is rated 3rd in the world (behind NYC and Berlin) for the quality of their street art. They have dedicated areas for street artist to create in hopes of reducing graffiti (that hasn’t worked). Banksy even created a piece that has since been destroyed. My favorite is the Koala with the fire hose that was created after the fires last years that killed lots of Koala’s as a thank you the firemen who fought so hard to save the Koalas.
Next was a trip to Melbourne’s tallest attraction, Eureka Skydeck 88. This 92-storey tower is currently the tallest apartment building in the world. It also has the fastest lifts in the southern hemisphere go from ground to Level 88 in a mere 40 seconds. It provided a spectacular 360 view of the city. In a couple of pictures, due to the angle of the sun, I was able to capture me taking pictures!!!
The Shrine of Remembrance is a war memorial. It was built to honor the men and women of Victoria who served in World War 1, but now functions as a memorial to all Australians who have served in any war.Fitzroy Gardens planted in 1860 is laid out in the shape of the Union Jack.. The cottage is the family home of Captain James Cook, the English navigator who explored the southern hemisphere and first ‘discovered’ the east coast of Australia.
The Shrine of Remembrance, one of the most recognizable landmarks of Melbourne is dedicated to all who have served Australia.
The last adventure of the day was to explore the beach and shops at the port. It was late afternoon and I was starving since breakfast had been at 6:00 am and it was almost 3:00pm. I looked at all the options and nothing was looking good until I found an ice cream shop that had double chocolate vegan ice cream. It was so yummy that I savored every bite!!!
I was back at the ship just in time for the all aboard at 6:30.
The sail away and sunset was a perfect ending to a fun day in Melbourne. This is the first city of this trip that I would consider visiting again for a longer period!!
Next port is Kangaroo Island!
The photos are marvelous! I like the one with the reflection of you overlooking the city, but it is also a little ghostlike and creepy. Fun. Love the koala street art. I guess now Melbourne has to be added to my must-see cities. Hugs.