Today was great. I went for a run along the Yarra river. It was gorgeous out. There is a pretty steep hill that people sprint up for cardio training. I decided to give it a few goes. When I am doing cardio work I find unpleasant I often do arithmetic to distract myself. Any number times another, minus another, divided by another, and we’re at the top. It’s incredible how confused I can get when I’m exhausted. It’s hard to explain, but today I briefly thought that 8 could not be multiplied by 5. It was not possible. I can’t really explain this if you haven’t tried it, but I heartily recommend anaerobic arithmetic for anyone feeling overconfident.
I didn’t see the black swans on the Yarra this time. I did see several pairs of ducks, but these ducks were different than mallards I’ve seen in the US in that they had very small bills. This made them irresistibly cute. I recommend immediate bill reductions for all American ducks. There were also many crew teams out training on the Yarra. Watching them row, I came up with a new idiom for the useless and counter-productive: heavy coxswain. Give that a shot at work. “The new temp is a real heavy coxswain.”
Speaking of idioms, I’ve been getting a lot of requests to share any new Australian slang I’ve picked up. I haven’t heard too much yet. The slang I have heard is all of the same variety: Take any word, lop off all but the first syllable and add a Y. You might think this is just baby talk, but adverts for insect repellent promise to keep “mozzies” at bay. Soup kitchens implore the public to consider becoming a “vollie”. It’s odd.
After my run, Mom & Dad called to tell me about the freezing weather in Maryland and confirm my enthusiasm for Melbourne.
After that, I spent the day exploring. I had lunch and a coffee at an outdoor café near my hotel. Then I took the tram (an unlimited ride day-pass for all trams, trains and buses is A$6) to Faulkner park where tryouts for Team Box will be tomorrow. I wanted to make sure I could find it okay and see how long it took to get there from my hotel (20 minutes). While in the park I watched a cricket match for a while. I bought a lemonade from a stand and the proprietor asked if I was having a nice day. I commented on the gorgeous weather (sunny, breezy, 75F/25C). He shrugged and said, “Sure, except for the humidity.” There was basically no humidity. This wasn’t the first person in Melbourne I’d heard complain about the non-existent humidity. Maybe it is some kind of code. All I know is that they wouldn’t survive a day in Washington DC.
I left the park and hopped back on the tram to head out to St. Kilda beach. The St. Kilda area was full of chic looking café’s bars and restaurants. I walked out on the St. Kilda pier and admired the waves. There were wind surfers and para-sailors. It would have been a really nice bike ride. (I miss Deirdre, my 12 speed Schwinn Dad gave me for my 13th birthday. She is on the way over.) I found a place where you can take a tour by ferry to see the penguins!!! (I will go back to do that soon. I like penguins. The tour is only at sunset and I didn’t want to stick around until 8 PM.) There were some bands playing outside near the pier for some kind of festival. !!! is coming in a few weeks. I’ll go see them again.
The houses that line the streets’ in St. Kilda have elaborate gardens and wrought iron terraces that remind me of the French quarter in New Orleans; really gorgeous places. I stopped in a causal wine bar to read the paper for a while and have a glass of white wine from the Yarra wine country (north east of Melbourne.) I’m sure I’ll spend more time in St. Kilda.
I headed out to get back on the tram. At the St. Kilda Junction tram underpass I saw a huge collection of incredible graffiti. I’ll go back with my camera. Top notch work. Worth the trip on its own. Sadly the tram came and I quit admiring the work. I took the tram back into the CBD and headed to the Melbourne Aquarium.
The Aquarium was impressive. They have a large shark tank. There was also large tank of seahorses, which are my favorite animal, and I watched them for a while. It reminded me of the Chattanooga Aquarium exhibit I saw when I was in Tennessee for Paige and Marc’s wedding. My favorite exhibit today however, was a series of tanks of jelly fish. They were pulsing hypnotically in what I would have sworn was choreographed formations. It was beautiful.
I left the aquarium and picked up some take away sushi for dinner on my way home. Irony? Suggestion?
Now I’m back in the hotel recharging for a little bit. My plan for tonight is to head out to the Crown Casino and look for poker tables. Wish me luck.
5 comments:
I was in D.C. for all of one day about a year and a half ago. I interviewed for 2 jobs. I saw no sites (though David did spend the day at the space museum, whatever it's called - I refused to learn because I was jealous and bitter). I wore a suit. In July. Walking 5 blocks produced as much sweat as some 4-hour dance rehearsals I've been through. I remember it with a kind of twitchy insanity.
wow what a day. i felt like i was there too. fantastic. i want to come right now.
14 and windy here. scott is keeping his eyes closed.
sj
hmmm... clues are 'david' and 'dance rehersals'. no guesses. you got me. thanks for visiting my blog anon.
oh, also hello Mom, who likes to go by "SJ" which is neither sarah josephson nor the society of jesuits.
I forgot I was anonymous.
My name is Dennis and I'm easily confused.
oh dennis! of course. my apologies. thanks for checking back in. i hope you are well.
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