FREE!

Bobby the cab driver informed me that public transportation is free in Melbourne all of April (and it turns out, May too) to encourage people to use it more given higher gas prices in the wake of the war in Iran. I keep waiting for someone to hear my US accent and thank me, but alas, not yet. So far I have been walking everywhere. This is a very walkable city. It seems a shame to not take advantage of free trams. 

Speaking of which, last night I had a glass of the free wine they gave me in my hotel. 

It was ok. I'll continue to drink it. I have yet to use the free drink card they gave me to use in the hotel bar/restaurant, which is where I ate dinner Monday night. But I digress.

I was going to talk about Tuesday. 

If I had known it was going to be 70s everyday, I would have packed differently. 

Yesterday (Tuesday) I went to the cafe for coffee and breakfast and then hung out in my room until I met Melita at 12:30. Melita and I met some years ago at our mutual friends Stacey's home. Stacey has told me that Australians are very efficient and organized, but Melita and I had some contrary experiences. Still, it was a lovely day.

We went to a great Asian restaurant called Chin Chin (which was recommended in my guidebook) and then we walked to two NGV's (National Gallery of Victoria (there are three of them.)) Everything we saw was free. There are exhibits that charge, but we saw great art without paying. 

I have no idea what this is:

The first one, NVG International, had a gallery 13 which was impossible to find. Because one of the wings was closed we were told to go up, take a ramp, go to 20 and then 14 and then we'd find 13. Problem! The galleries were not numbered and none of the other gallery staff seemed to know where we wanted to go, or even, perhaps, that the galleries were numbered. Ok, we did not make it to 13, and if I'm being honest, I forgot why were were going there to be begin with. Still they had a Picasso and a Dali and this cool ceiling.

 

Then we walked to NGV Australia, in Federation Square, which is a gallery and performance space.

They had a great exhibit about motherhood. I might go back and spend more time there. 

It was great to spend time with Melita again! Thanks for showing me around!!!

I walked back to the hotel and passed some souvenirs shops (sorry Dad, no mug yet) and a yarn store. My friend Kelly had sent me a youtube video of a lovely, very talkative young woman reviewing Melbourne yarn stores. The biggest and closest one was on the way home. They had some great yarns but unfortunately (or maybe fortunate for my wallet) they didn't have enough skeins in the colors I liked to make a sweater. So I got this one lonely one which I will undoubtedly make an interesting hat with (after I am done with the current interesting hat... and the two sweaters.) 

So that was that. I read and knit and got room service like an adult.

I was in bed from 8pm to 7am. I am hoping my body has finally acclimated to the time change. There is a Queen Victoria Market here, which is kind of famous. I found out last night that for four weeks they have an Asian style night Market on Wednesdays. So I plan to go to that. I hope I can stay awake.