May 3rd: Three Score Year and Ten

Day 30 (Day 5 in Australia)

Today is my 70th birthday. It feels very strange to wake up on the other side of the globe and nine hours ahead of all my family, except Julie. 

Phil and Carolyn continue to spoil me/us. After a leisurely cooked breakfast and opening cards (2!) they gave me a baseball cap - an authentic “R. M. Williams” Aussie one. 


Then they drove us into South Melbourne where we:
- drove the entire Melbourne GP street circuit
- browsed around The South Market (like Borough Market in London but MUCH bigger!)
- cruised the streets of the posh houses (who doesn’t like to do that?)
- then back home for doughnuts!

This evening we drove back into Melbourne for a celebration dinner with Phil, Carolyn and their daughter Sophia  First stop was for drinks on a barge on the Yarra River in a very vibrant inner city on a Friday evening about six o’clock. Julie ordered the drinks and it was champagne all round!


Moving on we found ourselves at an Italian restaurant that our hosts had yet to try. And what a find it was. Phil noticed a wine on the list by the company he works for (see photo below) and so he and the sommelier hit it off from the start. So much so that the latter in choosing a red wine for us.

Three excellent courses were consumed by the five of us. The biggest surprise to me was me ordering goat for my main course. Slowly braised it was delicious.

Chateau Tanunda





Amado Rosso Sicilia
We travelled back to where the car was parked on the famous Melbourne tram.

Back home and there was time for a video chat with Chris and Arlo a bit of dancing from 20 month old Rosalyn to her favourite song. “Reeling’ in The Years” by Steely Dan. That girl has taste and looks!

It’s almost 12:30am as I type and it’s been a brilliant day. Many thanks for all the birthday wishes I have received. Early start tomorrow as we drive 3 hours north.

Warning: this post has not been proof-read by Julie yet’



Comments

  1. Anonymous3 May 2024 at 10:30

    Such great reading, and so many memories for us. Sending love to you all.XX

    ReplyDelete
  2. Jayne6 May 2024 at 00:58

    Food looks good. Great cap too x

    ReplyDelete

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