Wednesday 6th April 2011

Another lovely day so I declined the idea of going into the city again, and headed out to St Kilda to look at the Botanic garden, Acland street and any other bit I may have missed the last time.
Had a great time. First looked at the Botanic gardens – unfortunately the lake is being repaired so it is drained and a building site. However, I went into the Conservatory, and walked round the rest of the gardens, which include a formal rose garden.

Then on to Acland St and very interesting and amazing too. I had reports of cake shops and many and gorgeous they were. In addition, a general sort of hippy feel, with Indian style clothing, shoes, music shops and so on, as well as café and restaurants. Pretty interesting and I walked up and down a few times. Finally had to go into the café called Abbey Road !

Then I had to go to the beach of course.
And another lovely coincidence – I had seen on a map a community garden but thought I would not find it, and lo and behold, here it is. So a slow perusal of this unknown phenomenon. I suppose the nearest I could come to describing it would be allotments but not in the sense we know them. Many small plots, all completely delineated, all in different ways. Individualism on top form here. Some plots are rectangles parallel to neighbours; some seem any old shape and stuck in somehow like a rather random jigsaw. All were well looked after, all had a postbox on a pole. Some had flowers, most had vegetables. I could see this was not the best time of year – a few stray tomato vines with the odd old tomato, worn out squash plants – could have been courgettes, or some other member of its family. The remains of what would have been a good season’s crop I reckon. And all set out higgledy-piggledy, but in someone’s ordered way. At the sides were various enclosures with birds, rabbits and hens. On the other side was a community kitchen area. The whole thing had an old world / hippy / good life feel, very refreshing and remarkable.
The down to the sea of course and a walk along the prom. Many folk around today, far more than last time, but it is a hot day. Sunbathers and swimmers and cyclists and sit around-ers. Lovely.

Thought I would go to see the park where the Grand Prix was held and started to walk. Just goes to show that I am not experienced at hot weather. So I got the tram. It ran past the site pretty quick so I only got a quick glimpse of the stands. So a transfer of trams and I came home, glad of a sit down.
After a rest, I went round to see the family.
Russ arrived at teatime and we left when they were settled.
And so again early to bed.