Showing Some Character

We had another busy day today in Melbourne.  For those of you who do not know me personally, or somewhat personally, we are visiting the city for a few days while Matt has business here.  We'll be returning to Sakhalin soon, no worries!

Our day began with breakfast and a visit to Saint Paul's Cathedral.  Miss Thing really enjoyed hearing the organ and seeing paintings of The Man.  We then hopped onto the Circle Tram and rode up to visit the Melbourne Museum.

The tram stop is in front of Carlton Garden, so we walked right on through there to get to our destination.  Miss Thing chose to show some, err, character along the way today.

Posing

At one end of the garden is a huge fountain...well liked by dogs, apparently, as one was quite wet from playing in it...that Miss Thing loved.  We had to take a closer look and have a photograph.

Cheesing

Our main goal at Melbourne Museum:  see dinosaurs.  While she was a tad bit confused as to why we couldn't see them or where they live and instead had to look at their bones, she seemed okay with the state of things.  Something she was not sure of was the small glass-top display in the floor.  It took her about three minutes to get across that thing - apparently ones feet must touch the whole way.  She shouted a triumphant "I did it!" when she completed her journey.

Are you sure about this, Mama?

There were many excellent exhibits at the museum, but her favorite section was the Children's Museum. She could be measured and weighed - in wombats, of course.  She worked puzzles, climbed on animals, built with blocks and placed Australian animals on a magnetic wall.  She was sad to leave.

How Many Wombats Tall are You?

Wheeeee!

When I told her that we had to ride the tram back to our, as she has named it, hotel-house, she informed me that she was to have pizza and a lolli-pop for lunch.  Who am I to disagree?  Off we went to ride the tram once more, pick up food, and eat in our room.  We then took a nap.

Afterwards we headed back out.  Today was a very Houston-like day in Melbourne.  The humidity was through the roof and the temps were up as well.  Icky does not really begin to describe it.  At least we're used to it.  We had quite a walk to the Royal Botanic Gardens, where we hunted out the Children's Garden.  It was full of child-sized plants and those named for their shapes, etc.

Let's Move It!

One section was a bamboo forest.  She is exhibiting some Mama-like tendencies lately.  This is not surprising since she spends most of her time with me, but I am talking about those I exhibited as a child - ones that she knows nothing about.  For example, every time we have to walk into a slightly darkened area, she hesitates and considers not going.  Then she wants to hold my hand or, better yet, to send me first.  You know, so I can take one for the team if need be.  The bamboo forest was one such locale.

Bamboooooooo

We exited the Children's Garden and found this huge ball near the visitor center for the main gardens.  Miss Thing was very interested in it; she really wanted it to roll.  Perhaps she thought Clifford could play with it?  She just had to get out and see if she could push it.  Then when she failed, I had to take a turn, which she thought was very funny indeed.

Puuuuuuuuush!

On our way home we walked over to the Shrine of Remembrance.  Miss Thing liked the eternal flame quite a bit.  From there it was a sticky but not so long walk back to the hotel where we cooled off and de-stickified ourselves before heading back into the wall of humid to get some dinner:  hot dogs and cupcakes.  Mmmmm.