Melbourne #1

We spent three weeks in Melbourne, chilling out, being super touristy, and riding trams around the city while Travis worked away on his project.  Day 1, as requested by the youngest member of our family, we hit the beach.  

FFM at St. Kilda beach

Day 2, we hit the famous Queen Victoria Market where we lunched on sausage rolls, meat pies, and lamingtons for dessert.

The historic City Circle tram, our friend for getting around city centre/center.

Melbourne always has something interesting on, festivals and the like.  You never know just what you'll see when you are roaming the streets...like a flock of rainbow body suited teenagers running around.  They were leaping from benches, scrambling up stairs, and jumping over people (kneeling, etc).

Back to St. Kilda for dinner and dessert...Acland Street is lined with cake shops showing their wares in the window.

We toured the Melbourne Museum (fantastic!) a couple times during our stay, did some shopping, and visited the aquarium.  FFM saw these same penguins the last time we came to Melbourne in April 2009.

The weekend arrived, and Travis got to hang out with us again.  It also meant we could travel places by car so off to Phillip Island we went.  Phillip Island is home to a large Blue Penguin colony (aka Fairy Penguins) and you can see their nightly migration from sea to land from special viewing platforms.  While killing time waiting for sunset we did things like...

Play with some kangaroos!  FFM LOVED petting and playing with the kangaroos.  We were the only ones around so he got lots of attention from his new mates.

Catch your very first fish!  It was a frustrating fishing season here in Colorado, and the joy on his face was worth trading a wild caught fish for a guaranteed catch.

Then, once sunset arrives hundred of people gather on bleachers to watch the penguins come ashore.  The come in large groups called rafts, and you can see the large dark patches in the waves just before they land on the beach.  

Sunday was Aussie Father's Day, Travis picked a decadant pancake house for breakfast and he got lamington pancakes and FFM had strawberry with ice cream.

After breakfast, we headed out of the city for a drive in the nearby Dandenongs (a low mountain range) for some scenery, tea, and yes, a park with a whole lot of trains.