For the last night of our trip we had to get a hotel because our time share time ran out. We found a place just south of town. Here’s the view from our room looking toward the city.

To get there, we took our 3 suitcases, laptop bag, diaper bag, toy bag and stroller with Baby from the hotel to the tram stop about 100 yards away. Rode the tram, unloaded said items with a great amount of help from the super friendly Aussies and dragged our stuff to our new hotel, about 50 yards away. We promptly decided not to do that again and take a cab to meet the bus for the airport.

Anyway, we spent the early part of the day looking at the War Memorial. It was built to honor the soldiers who fought in WWI, but has since grown to include the other wars as well.

Mark and Britton on the steps

Daddy helping

Ceiling of the rememberance room

I’m not sure what the official title is, but in the center of the big memorial they have a square room built to honor the soldiers. There is a stone cut out, so that on 11-11 at 11 a beam of light from the sun rests in the center of a memorial in the center of the floor. At certain times of the day, everyday, they hold a mock ceremony with an artificial light. It was pretty cool.

Balcony View East

Balcony View North/East

The odd-shaped thing in the middle-right is the entrance to the visitors center.

View North

It was sooooo windy up there! Brit was pretty excited about it though.

After that we went to the Botanic Garden. No, not botanical. It’s botanic, because it has a herbarium with it.

It is a really large area, with many walkways and differing landscapes. It was started just a few years after Melbourne itself was settled, so it’s about 150-160 years old or so. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable about the plants and the garden itself. She’s owns a landscaping business, so she knows a lot. This first part is by the children’s garden. It was inspired by a children’s fairy tale that take’s place under the sea–no, not The Little Mermaid. These are the seaweed and kelp

Under the sea

Lakeview Terrace

Where's the bird?

This bird just kept squawking and squawking, really loudly. It definitely wanted us to know it was there.

That's another lake

The terrain and foliage was varied. Sometimes you felt like you were in an English garden and others in the tropical forest. We saw people with picnics and just hanging out and we were sad it was our last day for touring.

After the tour, we got some food. Brit was pretty tired…see, he does cry.

Noooooooo! I hate it all!

But, then he found birds…

Oh my goodness! Birds!

Hi Shadow, nice to meet you

But, then he found a new friend and they followed each other everywhere.

That night we went to St. Kilda, a beach town a couple of miles south to see what we could see.

Sunset

After walking down their ridiculously long pier, we made it here to the rocky harbor and fishing area

Pretty boats

Harbor

Yes, I am cold. It was really windy and pretty much freezing. The only reason I don’t look miserable is because I have my hat. And, don’t worry, Brit is fine because he has some of Mark’s strange genes that prevent him from feeling cold. See, still smiling. Strange boys I have. =)

It is a really cute area with cute houses and apartment buildings. We ate dinner at a Thai place and then headed back to this view: