So – from where I left off: I walked across the River to the gardens. (On my way I found *trumpet blast* A USED BOOKSTORE! Kill City, which specializes in crime books! Yay! I got 3 books for what 1 would cost me a Borders. A Kathy Reichs, the only Aaron Elkins I haven’t read, and American Gods. So my backpack will be heavier, but I’m sure it’ll be worth it.) Once past the river, I walked through the Alexandra, King’s Domain, and Queen Victoria gardens, which were all nice and lovely. Despite it being a Sunday, not too many people were about because it was drizzling intermittently. I decided to stop by the shrine of rememberance before going to the Royal Botanical Gardens. Ok – I assumed it would be a statue, maybe with a flame and a pool. Well, there was a statue with a flame (the WWII statue), outside a GINORMOUS temple. Seriously – it’s bigger than the one in Edinburgh. I knew Aussie’s took remembering ANZAC fighters seriously – but I was still pretty blown away by this. ANZAC, btw, stands for Australia New Zealand Army Corps. I had to ask (I assumed it was Aussie National Army Corps – but the Z was confusing me. Its kind of cool that the two countries fight together.) The visitors’ center under the shrine had a bunch of medals and artifacts from people who served, as well as an exhibit on honor drives, and some amazing WWI and WWII propaganda posters. There’s also a crypt, and the Changi flag which is the union jack kept by POWs in Singapore. Inside the shrine is a plaque sunk into the floor (so you have to bow your head to read it) reading Greater Love Hath No Man. Apparently at 11am on the 11th of November, a ray of light shines through an aperture in the roof and illuminates the word love. Outside was also the Gallipoli memorial, which was a man and his donkey. No, really.
(Okay – full disclosure: its actually a very touch story of a soldier and his faithful donkey who brought water and rescued wounded soldiers until they were both killed by shrapnel. *sniff*) I need to see Gallipolli, btw. I’ve heard its very good.
So – then I went to the Royal Botanical Gardens, which were very lovely. I think I read somewhere that they were second to Kew Gardens in – I’m not sure. Age? size? number of plants? They reminded me a lot of Kirstenbosch gardens actually. I wandered around for a while, and then got some earl grey tea and scones at a tea house overlooking the ornamental lake while it was raining. Yumm… Very relaxing. They had some very good water conservation gardens and a California garden, and they had lots of water conservation information up everywhere (they won an award for reducing their water consumption by something like 60% in 10 years). Then I walked back over the river and caught the city circle tram, which is an antique (and free!) tram car that circles the CBD and a guy onboard yells out the landmarks as you go past.
Next I headed to the Gaol, which they decided not to light. No, really. There were overhead skylights, but it was growing dark and it was already overcast, so the whole place was in semi-darkness. And the cells (which I would like to point out were only marginally smaller than my single in Smiley junior year) without exhibits were just open, and completely dark. It was tres creepy. They had the death masks of about 40 people who were executed at the gaol, including Ned Kelly, and this guy whose name I’m blanking on. Deeter? Deemter? He was a serial killer, and believed by some to be Jack the Ripper. However, apart from those 2, almost all of them were my age. They also had the original gallows there, Ned Kelly’s pistol that he used at the stringy bark shootout, and a hangman’s original chest and instruments. They also had a section on the prison’s uses in WWII, which included housing a serial killer from the American army (Edward somethingorother). I left the place pretty fast. I did not want to be the last one in there.
Then I walked up past the Queen Victoria market, which is absolutely HUGE, to go eat a vegan buddhist restaurant, only to find it closed due to a family emergency. So I walked to the greek district, to find everything there overpriced (can I mention how much I miss that little family run place in the village in Claremont?), so I ended up getting a bento box near chinatown. Now I’m watching some daily show and I’m heading off to see Penguins tomorrow. (My legs are about ready to FALL OFF!) I feel like there was something else I was going to post, but it escapes me. Oh well.
Leave me alone (I’m lonely) – Pink (I am addicted to this song)
Tags: Travel
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