Melburnians and tourists have fun in Melbourne at a major horse racing event, the Melbourne Cup.
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The majority of attendees arrive by train, for many the only train trip they take for the year. Trains only run on this branch line for special events and it is such an easy way to get there and home.
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Massed and ready to board, with diners across the river stuffing their faces at Afloat, formerly Arbory Afloat.
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Arbory above Afloat is where Platform 11 at Melbourne Flinders Street once saw trains from St Kilda and Port Melbourne. The lines were converted for light rail trams. With hindsight, it wasn't a great idea as these lines now require quite intensive trams services, whereas less frequent trains could better deal with the number of passengers.
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Banana Alley vaults under the railway viaduct have various businesses, and this one is where men go to meet up with men. In these times of internet hook ups, as I sat on a seat outside, I was surprised how many men were coming and going. I suppose if you connect with someone using a hook up site, it is a cheap place to meet up if a home isn't available.
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Phyllis' driving lesson went ok, with only one alarming moment when I reached for the steering wheel. While he rode a motor bike in India, he really is starting from absolute scratch for car driving. But he is smart and quick to pick things up. Next weekend he is not working for four days and I will take him for a lesson each day.
Next Monday is a public holiday to celebrate the King's Birthday, which actually isn't next Monday. It's the 14th of November. I have promised myself that every time I say Queen's Birthday, I will donate $10 to a charity. I am $10 down already.
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Good luck with the driving lessons. You are a brave person to take on that challenge ... at least, compared to me...😱
ReplyDeleteJayCee, I think I can do it, but why on earth did I put myself in a stressful position.
DeleteI thought that going for a "Subway" meant going for a sandwich but clearly in Melbourne it means something entirely different!
ReplyDeleteYP, nourishment starts with the mouth.
DeleteIt is good to see through Melbourne through your lens
ReplyDeleteLikewise, Roentare.
DeleteWhat a creative way to donate to charity. Good on you. And good on you for the driving lessons:) Take special care.
ReplyDeleteSandra sandracox.blogspot.com
Sandra, I made the error on Monday and not done so since. Maybe not much for charity.
DeleteYou are indeed brave. And good to those boys. I have never felt the urge to go to the Melbourne Cup. And yes, I find myself slipping into the Queen's Birthday weekend phrase too. It wasn't her birthday either.
ReplyDeleteEC, no it is not close to her birthday and I assumed the birthday of one of preceding monarchs, but I think Hels below has it, her coronation.
DeleteGdaughter has driving lessons from the VIC automobile school, thank goodness. Son then takes her to get her hours up. Kids don’t need to learn parents bad habits .Son has a tendency to brake too much in my opinion . Someone tooted me twice yesterday from driving too slowly. I wasn’t. He was driving too quickly …..I thnk!
ReplyDeleteI don't want to teach bad habits, and I am fairly aware of my minor bad habits. Phyllis will have professional lessons. I'm just giving him a start, and then after professional lessons, I will help him get his hours up. If you are sitting on the speed limit and not driving on a freeway in the right hand lane, bugger the person behind you.
DeleteI hope started out in an empty parking lot before letting Phyllis go out on the road.
ReplyDeleteKirk, it was a quiet road around the lake. Lots of curves, which was good, a couple of challenging parts. The lack of experience really showed though.
DeleteAw its a king now, I keep forgetting too. You're the dad now, teaching the kid to drive. Don't lose your cool, or your car. I've seen videos of those wild and crazy jam packed streets with motorbikes weaving all over in India. He must have fast reflexes to have survived that and no doubt will be an easy learn at car driving.
ReplyDeleteStrayer, very much the dad. His father is the same age as me. Thanks for the mention of reflexes. That is an important thing that I did not think about.
DeleteThere cannot be too many Australians (or other members of the Commonwealth) who are old enough to remember the queen coming to the throne in 1952. So all younger people will accidentally call it Queen's Birthday Holiday for years.
ReplyDeleteWell Hels, so we celebrate the royal birthday near the date of the Queen's coronation. I am so pleased I saw our Queen during her last Australian visit.
DeleteMelbourne looks like a hive of social activity, though Subway Sauna doesn't look very salubrious.
ReplyDeleteJB, I'm saying nuffin about Subway Sauna.
DeleteNice to see the photos. You are very kind to take him for a drive and to teach him too, he's ever so lucky.
ReplyDeleteMargaret, we are both lucky to have connected.
DeleteMy middle brother had incredible patience at teaching people to drive, he helped me, he taught several of my friends to drive manual transmissions. He is a terrible driver, but a good teacher. (He was a driver for Disney for 40 years.) I miss the Queen. She had class.
ReplyDeleteTP, I really don't get how your bros could be a good driving teacher but a bad driver. You would have had a little bit of farm driving experience before taking your test. That is, you started driving at a younger age.
DeleteI remember trying to teach Jack's mother how to drive. OMG it was terrifying. Fortunately she failed her driver's test. She even scared the shit out of the poor man who took her out for her driving test.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad Phyllis is doing well.
Pixie, with what happened subsequently, it is a very good thing that she failed.
DeleteMy mum taught me to drive and I passed the test the first time which was a thrill. It was so long ago now.
ReplyDeletePat, I have a hunch that women might make better driving instructors, especially if it is within a family.
DeleteIt's funny how royalty insists on celebrating birthdays in the northern spring, whereas in Australia it would probably make sense to celebrate in November!
ReplyDeleteThere is no reason to celebrate on any day for us Steve. A public holiday in June is welcome for most people. November is Melbourne Cup holiday, so we don't need another.
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