Melbourne Jan-Feb 2013

We reached Melbourne at night and finding free parking was a real chore.  We drove around a big park near the zoo and found free parking on a residential street nearby and called it a night.  In the morning, we didn't dare leave our choice free spot and soon the commuters had us surrounded.  We took the tram/train into downtown and then joined up with a free walking tour of the city already in progress.

This public art is along the Yarra River in Melbourne. 

 The huge spire is on the Art Museum in Melbourne.  The tour guide claimed the designer thought he needed a landmark on the building so folks could find it.

 Red is such a nice color for artistic sticks, don't you think?
This is one of the historic old wooden trolley cars that run around the downtown area for free.  They're noisy and clack everywhere, but some of the drivers are pretty good tour guide announcers.  It's a fun way to see the downtown area.

Dappled grey horse and carriage complete with footman outfitted in period costume is another way to go for transportation.

 The Melbourne area has lots of things named for Batman, a real person, though, not the cartoon character.  Batman Avenue from the trolley.

Jason investigating some colored yarn woven around a tree trunk.  All the trees in this entire plaza had these colorful wrappings knitted around them.  Just another form of public art, I guess.

 This little house, just at the bottom of Federalist Plaza, is woven out of  willow branches and is just there for the fun of it for a few days.
 A closer view of the willow branch house.  The round windows are a nice touch, I think.

Jason outside the willow house near Federalist Plaza.

 Karen in a window of the willow house, Melbourne.
 Looking up from inside the willow house.  It reminds me of a rose window in a church, but with vines instead of mosaic.

The Federalist Plaza in downtown Melbourne.  The folks lounging around are watching the SuperBowl on a huge jumbotron screen across the plaza.

SuperBowl 47 was being broadcast in Melbourne on this huge screen outdoors.  It was the size of a drive-in movie screen.

We took a bus to the local brewery to go on a tour of Carlton United Brewers.  We missed the tour, but they welcomed us into the tasting room anyway.  We had our choice of 4 of their 8 offerings on tap and the bartender threw in their premium Carlton Black Crown and the local microbrew for free, too.  A tasty afternoon and we snagged some free carpet squares from a dumpster on our way back to the campervan.

  Some pretty flowers in the city.  I picked some of the firecracker peppers at the bottom and spiced up our dinner the next night, too.