On Sunday we got rolling early and headed down to Southbank to buy tickets for a ferry ride to Williamstown. Williamstown is a suburb of Melbourne southwest along the bay - think Oakville.
The ride takes about an hour on the Yarra River and along the way we saw some very low bridges, some very high bridges, some very large ships, an enormous ferris wheel, huge cargo cranes, hundreds of beautfiul yachts and sailboats and finally Williamstown.
The tour guides talk about Williamstown as having more designated heritage buildings than anywhere in Oz. It was the original area that settlers founded before Melbourne began to flourish and was mostly an area of sheep farming.
Today's cultural comment comes from an observation that Australians seem to have a need to establish the things that they have or build as being significant on a world or at least southern hemispheric(?) scale. We have been witness to the highest residential building, longest bridge, highest bridge, biggest ferris wheel, etc. all with the apparently impressive suffix of "greatest in the southern hemisphere". As a friend remarked last night, we're not too sure who they are in competition with. Capetown? Buenos Aires? And? Anyway, it seems that anywhere you turn, whether it be ice cream, buildings, bridges, or bands everyone is always laying claim to being ranked number 1. Then again, I guess we Torontonians are quite proud of our CN Tower, too.
Back to Williamstown. We strolled the main drag buying small bags of lollies and settling on a passable meal of fish and chips and not so passable seafood bisque at one of many cafes along the way. We then made our way out to a local park and beach and strolled the beach - our first in Oz - for shells and sea glass, while dodging the many jellyfish that had been washed ashore. A quick play in a cool local park and then some grey skies and rain sent us running back to the ferry, but not before buying a couple of books at a nice local book store.
A brisk ferry ride back to Southbank and then we were on our way home for our first neighbourhood dinner with some potential NBFs. A very nice dinner with an interesting couple and their six year old son in a very nice home literally a stone's throw away from ours. Nice conversation, an offer of using one of their cars, some good wine, our first taste of quince and only one bloody nose - for Colin, compliments of a kicked ball - and by all accounts a lovely night that we hope to reciprocate shortly.
Fell in to bed exhausted - after watching a little bit of footy - ready for another busy week!
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