Melbourne, Part Deux

So, on our second day in Melbourne, we decided to take a leisurely day of shopping and turn it into an endurance mission. As you do. We met up with Janie and Alice and ended up collapsing at a fabulous chain they have over in Oz called Theobroma, after theobromide, which is one of the active chemicals in chocolate. Mmm, chocolate... Unsurprisingly, then, the cafes make a point of their hot chocolates, which are basically just hunks of chocolate in a mug, with hot milk on top and a wee candle underneath to keep it warm:

Sort of like fondue, but without the dipping and consequent spilling and burning and pain. Or maybe that's just me?

Later that evening, mum, Ali and I went to a fabulously strange play, ostensibly based on the last days of Queen Elizabeth I, and afterwards decided the only sensible thing to do was go out for cocktails. The bright lights of the Crown Casino and Entertainment Complex beckoned, so we went in, played the slots (it's only polite) and Ali turned out to be a regular pokie Queen!!!

The next day, in search of something entirely more wholesome, we preceded breakfast at Melbourne insitution Degraves with the ANZAC day parade, which was crazy huge:

Later on, continuing our healthy theme, we went for a bike ride with Alice, Jane and Melbourne-dwelling cousin Katie Hart, whose band the Young Heretics recently scored a record deal in Japan, of all places! If you so wish, you can download their album for FREE by going to their website and linking back to it on Facebook, Twitter or other social media of your choice.

It was an artistic day all round really, as the bike ride took us past lots of Melbourne's gorgeous public sculpture:

Some of which is very tactile and fun to play with/in:

Last post will follow in a couple of days, I reckon. :)