Singing in the Rain...

As Natalie put it I was now off 'my leash' and would be able to venture out around Melbourne seeing what I wanted to see.  So I decided to head out to the Fitzroy Gardens near downtown Melbourne and with my cameras and backpack in hand off I headed to the train station.

Near as I could tell I would head to Flinders Square on the train and then walk over to the Fitzroy Gardens.  As I was soon to find out I would have probably have been better off if I had gotten off at Parliament Station but figuring it shouldn't be such a long walk I stuck to getting off at Flinders...silly girl I am!

Cook's Cottage

It was a bit more of a walk than I expected and the muggy day was now becoming overcast and it looked like possible showers but I continued on.  Finally I arrived at Fitzroy Gardens and took one of the pathways into the gardens and found myself by Cook's Cottage (also known as Captain Cook's Cottage).  This cottage was constructed in 1755 in the English village of Great Ayton in North Yorkshire by Captain James Cook's parents and in 1933 was sold to the highest bidder which was Russell Grimwade of Australia who, in turn, donated the cottage to the people of Victoria.  The cottage was taken apart brick by brick and shipped to Melbourne where it was reconstructed at what is now Fitzroy Gardens and has been a popular tourist attraction since then.

From Cook's Cottage I headed to the heart of the gardens as I saw that there was a cafe located there and it was past time that I had a bite to eat.  I ordered a sandwich and as it was still nice enough though overcast and threatening I went out onto the patio area and upon looking around saw a corner of a table that might be available and asked the gal sitting on the other end if she minded my sitting there.  Much to my surprise (and delight) she invited me to join her while she had her lunch. I noticed she had a Nikon digital camera on the table as I set my Canon Rebel near hers and in no time at all we were talking photography and places we had been, where we were from and everything in between. 

Rohani was from Malaysia and was just finishing up a working holiday and had, like me, decided to go to the gardens for the day.  We talked for quite a while and had just finished our lunch and the heavens decided to open up and we found ourselves in a downpour.  Fortunately we were able to position ourselves under several umbrellas and stayed put while most everyone else around us scrambled for indoors.

It turned out to be quite a pleasant afternoon despite the rains sitting out under the umbrellas chatting with a complete stranger about each of our travels in Australia and photography.  Rohani had been having problems getting clear pictures with her camera and it really was a simple fix as she wasn't allowing the camera to finish focusing before she took the picture. 

We must have looked quite silly each with our cameras in hand focusing on plant leaves and rain droplets and even her latte' that had a wonderful design on it and comparing our pictures.  I am not a guru with cameras by any means and if you start talking technical with me my eyes will glaze over...I just am not technical...I just take what I see and how I see it and let the camera do the work for me but Rohani made me laugh with her excitement at finally getting clearly focused pictures with her camera with just a simple adjustment.

We sat there probably a good three hours as the rains continued until they had dwindled to a drizzle.  In one of my smart moments I had put one of those flimsy rain ponchos in my backpack so I wasn't going to get too wet and also had a plastic bag I gave to Rohani to cover her camera and we bid farewell.

I was soon going to be very glad that I had a rain poncho on as the rains started to increase from the drizzle to a gentle, soft rain as I struggled to find my way back to Flinders Square.  It probably took me a good hour to finally find my way back to Flinders Street in what should have been a 15 or 20 minute walk but I had a guardian angel of sorts watching over me as I kept running into the same gal I had asked directions from initially...I actually think she was just keeping an eye on me to see that I found my way and finally I was to the station.

To say my internal compass was all messed up in Australia would be an understatement and my inability at reading any type of map while there it was really quite amazing that I never found myself wandering into the outback.  If I had been there longer that just might have happened but this day was probably the most mixed up I had gotten.  Even so I was still able to find my way back to Natalie's after a fashion.  Of course...days earlier I had managed to get turned around heading back to her place but come to think of it I never did tell her about that time..shhhhh!!  Anyways...

Until next time...wherever you are...have a great day!!

If you would like to see what few pictures of Fitzroy Garden I took here is a link to that photo album on Picasa:  Play slideshow

Miss Flora MacDonald & Elvis

Our stay in Ballarat seemed to pass in a blink of an eye as most days had since my arrival in Australia and we found ourselves heading back to Melbourne via a few side stops...that being Lavandula, Daylesford and Hepburn Springs.

Back in the 1850s both Italy and Switzerland were having tough times with bad weather causing crop failures and food shortages and also political and social unrest...then came the news of gold being found in California and Victoria...and the rest is history as we would say in the U.S. 

Lavandula barn

Lavandula is a Swiss Italian farm located just north of Daylesford first settled in the 1860s by Aquilino Tinetti.  He and his wife Maria Capriroli raised 13 children on this farm and for four generations the Tinetti family ran a dairy farm here.  Twenty or so years ago Carol White bought the property, restored the buildings in the Swiss Italian integrity and Lavandula was 'born'.

Walking up from the parking lot to the barn you can look out over part of the manicured grounds that resemble a European garden in all it's beauty.  As we came out from the barn we were gleefully greeted by none other than Flora MacDonald who was ready to accompany us as we strolled down to the gardens.

Some of the manicured gardens
at Lavandula

I imagine Flora greeted all of her visitors with the same gusto but I personally would like to think that we were being honored by her presence as we walked down the gently sloping hill to the gardens.  You see...Flora was the resident Cairn Terrier and I got a kick out of her having to 'show us around.'  She strolled throughout the gardens going in and out of the shrubbery until she found something that was far more interesting than us and headed off on her own leaving us to wander down by the pond where the resident geese were.

There wasn't much lavender left standing as it was already the start of autumn and you could see some red beginning to show in the leaves here and there on the trees and vines.  Even so it was peaceful to wander throughout the farm listening to the calm.  I could have spent the day there just because of the peace and quietness and would love to see Lavandula in the midst of summer or the high point of autumn and maybe some day I will but for now we had to continue on.

Stopping at Hepburn Springs is where I met Elvis.  No...not the 'King' but rather Elvis the schnoodle.  He was accompanying his mistress down to the springs where she said they came frequently so that he could get his fill of the favored mineral waters.  Quite like Flora MacDonald, Elvis had a great personality and I found myself starting to really miss Gertie my Jack Russell. 

We strolled along a couple of pathways before heading on to Daylesford where we walked up and down the main street wandering in and out of the many quaint little shops there and for a town of a little over 3,000 it was quite busy but it was also Australia's Labour Day weekend.  I don't think either of us was in a real shopping mood and after the quiet of Lavendula I was ready to move on and leave the crowds behind.  Ironically (which did not happen often on this trip) I was not in the mood to take photos so I've none to post of Daylesford.

On our way back to Melbourne we stopped to visit with Natalie's Uncle John and his family.  You knew it was going to be a fun visit when, as you are walking up to their house, we see her Uncle John blowing off the driveway and as he sees us he shuts the blower off and with great gestures yells at us to "piss off!" several times.  It seems we were a few hours earlier than they had expected.  Needless to say the afternoon was quite entertaining filled with much chat and a few drinks to boot!!  Too soon it was again time to say our goodbyes.

It was back to the Natalie's home now as most of our planned travels across Victoria were completed.  I was starting to get this little nagging feeling in the back of my mind now as reality was starting to sink in that I'd only a handful of days left of my great Australian adventure and I was not ready for it to come to an end but I needed to put those thoughts aside and enjoy what time I had left.

Until next time...wherever you are have a great day!!

If you would like to see more pictures of Lavandula here is a link to that photo album on Picasa:
Play slideshow
If you would like to see more pictures of the Lavandula geese here is a link to that photo album on Picasa:  Play slideshow

A little note:  As I finish this blog today I realize it has been one month since I left Australia.  It doesn't seem like this could be real but time has a way of rushing by and looking out the window seeing the falling snow outside I am definitely ready for an encore visit...wonder if Natalie is?! 

Out & About in Ballarat

Black swan & her cygnets

What to do after Sovereign Hill?  We found ourselves back to Lake Wendouree as I so wanted to get some pics of the black swans...bless Natalie's heart for putting up with me on this.  I nonchalantly walked up towards a black swan with three cygnets and thought I wasn't being aggressive but when she started to 'flare' her feathers to look bigger and I could hear this soft hissing coming from her I knew I was pressing my luck. 

Growing up one of my uncles had a gander that would chase you and I surely did not want to revisit one of those terrifying scenes cause I knew I could not run like the wind to get away...at least as kids we thought we were running like the wind.  So...I backed off as she herded her three babies to the safety of Lake Wendouree.  Even so I was able to get some pics of her and her babies...have to laugh over the feather stuck on the top of her bill lending her a comical look for an unhappy mother!!

As the Ballarat Botanical Gardens were across from Lake Wendouree we again found ourselves strolling through the gardens and also going through their little gift shop.  Sadly they were still setting up the Pavilion for the weekend show so we again could not go inside.

The Avenue of Honour

One of the things that stuck out to me as I was traveling was the war memorials to those who have served in the military for Australia in the different wars starting with World War I.  Ballarat was no different.  There is a 14 mile long tree lined Avenue of Honour with each tree representing an individual from the Ballarat area who has served and I am forever humbled at any war memorial in Australia or here and probably would be elsewhere too as I well remember the deep turmoil in this country during the Vietnam era.  I was just a kid then but I did not understand then nor can I now when anyone discredits one's service and sacrifices to their country (whatever country that might be) and am deeply moved by memorials...as it should be in my opinion as it is not my intent for this blog to become political by any means. 

Before we knew it the day was coming to an end and there is much more to see in and around Ballarat than what we got to but we weren't going to be able to see everything...that would take far longer than the month's time I had.  

Until next time...wherever you are have a great day!! 

If you would like to see more pictures of the Black Swans here is a link to that photo album on Picasa:  Play slideshow
If you would like to see more pictures of the Avenue of Honour here is a link to that photo album on Picasa:  Play slideshow
If you would like to see more pictures of Strolling around Ballarat here is a link to that photo album on Picasa:  Play slideshow


A little side note here:  Rob...thanks for a pleasant chat today about your travels in Australia...funny what we find out when we just strike up a conversation with someone standing in line at the post office.  I am envious that you got to spend a year there...a month was way too short!!