We slept fairly well and then had breakfast at the hotel which was very good. We then decided to take the free tram that took you around the city in a loop, stopping at sites along the way. The buildings in the city are so unique and it was very enjoyable not to have to walk to see them but just sit back and enjoy the ride.
There are lots of McDonald’s around (called Macca by the locals) so if course we checked it out. McDonald’s first opened in Australia in 1971, and it wasn’t long before the locals started calling it “Macca’s” – a nickname that has stuck ever since. There are several theories about how this came about, but the most likely explanation is that it was simply a shortened version of McDonald’s. The menu is the same except the breakfast menu is called Brekkie. We didn’t try the food, but I did have to pose for the picture.
We each purchased two myki tram cards totaling $26.40 Australian ($17.42 US) which allowed us to ride any tram anywhere for the rest of the day. We decided to travel to St. Kilda beach.
The tram was crowded but we finally reached our destination and walked to where the sand and the water meet. The beach was nothing exciting to see, but watching the sailboats and breathing the sea air was very pleasant.
Our friend Debbie was already there and we all sat down and had lunch right on the water. Allan and I had the fish and chips which was very good.
We sat for awhile chatting and enjoying the view and then took a tram back to the hotel to get ready for the orientation meeting where we would meet the rest of our group.
At the orientation meeting, we met our guide Susan as well as all the folks that will be on the trip with us. We all introduced ourselves and told a little about ourselves and Susan gave us a lot of information about the upcoming days and what to expect. There are 14 folks on the trip and they all seem like they are a lot of fun.
Susan gave each of us a small packet of Vegemite, a thick, dark brown food spread made from leftover brewers’ yeast with vegetables and spices added to it. It was developed by Cyril Callister in 1922. I haven’t tasted it yet, but apparently it has a salty flavor similar to beef bouillon, as well as a bitter malty taste. People spread it on their toast for breakfast. I probably would like it because I love salt rather than sweet and I love anything malty. Will let you know when I sample it some day.
After the meeting, one of the couples told us about an Italian restaurant they came across…A25… And so after a drink in the lounge with Debbie, the three of us went for an Italian dinner. I had the Napoli with homemade fettuccine and Allan had lasagne and we both enjoyed a red wine to go with our meal.
Tomorrow, we will be changing out of daylight savings time and our clocks will go back one hour.
We ate at the Beachcomber restaurant on the water.
The Yarra river
Of course… The obligatory Macca pic!