A flying visit to Melbourne

I've just spent a few days in Melbourne, visiting the trade shows. It's been a long time between visits, and I'd forgotten what a beautiful city it is. I had my youngest daughter with me as well, and we had a fantastic time, wandering through the laneways and visiting the hundreds of cafes and eateries along the way. Here's a little snippet of our trip...<br /><br /><br />Here she is, leading the way (we were on a mission to <a href="http://haighschocolates.com.au/">Haigh's</a>). Needless to say, we had to buy an extra bag to bring our choccie stash back home.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSFK-Xw51KEOwkx4TxrotKEmE5ERzPeuQtJ1_-8x2pSAedgi0NxUfljcGwaHMuiPWE0tGl1V375jUwzoiOCwHRPrXcst1jxqLIn1kwuNlkJ2IGTgZxVxxjJrArtL3muDn8l8ZSY9JJOjBl/s1600/photo+%252810%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSFK-Xw51KEOwkx4TxrotKEmE5ERzPeuQtJ1_-8x2pSAedgi0NxUfljcGwaHMuiPWE0tGl1V375jUwzoiOCwHRPrXcst1jxqLIn1kwuNlkJ2IGTgZxVxxjJrArtL3muDn8l8ZSY9JJOjBl/s640/photo+%252810%2529.JPG" width="476" /></a></div><br />Wall to wall cafes...<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiydR6t0UJGbT8BZDLDr0msebnjZ8mS4LN4g45gc1oztbEaFVDmpgsV4Ef8AIr8eUWs7MZOlnJps29ipNOCCT-3qAppyQb0AFMgaWXfIfdTBlJ5b24uYNUvTe0l7rAr_JlKdJL1O8Qca7tm/s1600/photo+%252811%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiydR6t0UJGbT8BZDLDr0msebnjZ8mS4LN4g45gc1oztbEaFVDmpgsV4Ef8AIr8eUWs7MZOlnJps29ipNOCCT-3qAppyQb0AFMgaWXfIfdTBlJ5b24uYNUvTe0l7rAr_JlKdJL1O8Qca7tm/s640/photo+%252811%2529.JPG" width="478" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgodTd6qFPIvPb-FBiArEkLhYZfJ_WX2iawX1Qo01hzuOQNw43zCUrt1-VKyO9nU8OwNpTGhLVoBxa7qPeRSHvYw0z_ZOnuHnpSbjk8ucUXmD3w766FpgQrWrnrOCtrFN35sGo276cHg8_s/s1600/photo+%252813%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgodTd6qFPIvPb-FBiArEkLhYZfJ_WX2iawX1Qo01hzuOQNw43zCUrt1-VKyO9nU8OwNpTGhLVoBxa7qPeRSHvYw0z_ZOnuHnpSbjk8ucUXmD3w766FpgQrWrnrOCtrFN35sGo276cHg8_s/s640/photo+%252813%2529.JPG" width="550" /></a></div><br />a spot of shoe shopping (of course, not for me)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcCMvGNYviKWKRC99jlzYCCcqWvH8W748IKQ6B67wCbMTEZYoys4Osipi_GigiA4wFgNqAm4EbP9XzXiQaATfSxittaKHaeP-g6EQ5pikIyezmgjP-mDkv06J_8zCbOiuJwFob2IXH9kl_/s1600/shoes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcCMvGNYviKWKRC99jlzYCCcqWvH8W748IKQ6B67wCbMTEZYoys4Osipi_GigiA4wFgNqAm4EbP9XzXiQaATfSxittaKHaeP-g6EQ5pikIyezmgjP-mDkv06J_8zCbOiuJwFob2IXH9kl_/s640/shoes.jpg" width="478" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>A quick stop at the Lindt cafe...<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUUytr9O9zg2Jb2AXPo-I0ZznCPyaU8B8G1bUaIB1_K1p8BKAi0xdTrY8ULWZQaH_j8Y4RftKfMyPlEZsVhi3RQ2JQX3FoYsB1RD_OA4r-zB_Lf3gDpQWq4tYe6Xm_4hWEzJ1JxtDZjDre/s1600/lindt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUUytr9O9zg2Jb2AXPo-I0ZznCPyaU8B8G1bUaIB1_K1p8BKAi0xdTrY8ULWZQaH_j8Y4RftKfMyPlEZsVhi3RQ2JQX3FoYsB1RD_OA4r-zB_Lf3gDpQWq4tYe6Xm_4hWEzJ1JxtDZjDre/s640/lindt.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>for the best hot chocolate.ever.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLMYYDKqQO7IzIOO9hF_WRA-d7aOG5T_7kLJNEVuTXL4g6AJEdk9-eeB0G5egfmK-dEICp2djd7sE1IoD8BcrpWzAQIuUOtw3unCD2LIm-DUl5vd1nflG90CAUc4MQ060_N1Q9x2Vt0BEA/s1600/photo+%252812%2529+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="596" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLMYYDKqQO7IzIOO9hF_WRA-d7aOG5T_7kLJNEVuTXL4g6AJEdk9-eeB0G5egfmK-dEICp2djd7sE1IoD8BcrpWzAQIuUOtw3unCD2LIm-DUl5vd1nflG90CAUc4MQ060_N1Q9x2Vt0BEA/s640/photo+%252812%2529+-+Copy.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I only wish I had a few more days there. This gorgeous old building took my breath away..</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiglPVZTWNYi_OFzqKb9ywTWPeIDns81jr-G-0cGICYjlY3QvfulK-1zEOaCx2ufh_tujXHknA-WGyDoMJ_-WOGXUaYGUnBlJf9rwqappYJ3C1Rpep8qj2aP7CKzf91kazD1qYmOBSOMLmD/s1600/333+collins.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiglPVZTWNYi_OFzqKb9ywTWPeIDns81jr-G-0cGICYjlY3QvfulK-1zEOaCx2ufh_tujXHknA-WGyDoMJ_-WOGXUaYGUnBlJf9rwqappYJ3C1Rpep8qj2aP7CKzf91kazD1qYmOBSOMLmD/s640/333+collins.png" width="482" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> 333 Collins St Melbourne</div><br />...and inside, this original banking chamber dome..<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbJERt9MOyMUWt7L9urJzRxG_2FO5SB6LkVLyKWpqOBERwtJ0ngPm4_uNjlQUpeRia-HPq0udIzje5DeqNPxNGzJ4SgmJ5TVw_ky3lwa3fzHjbFjQAP3IJuvgvlE_amPwksxHgwtqtjQMI/s1600/333.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbJERt9MOyMUWt7L9urJzRxG_2FO5SB6LkVLyKWpqOBERwtJ0ngPm4_uNjlQUpeRia-HPq0udIzje5DeqNPxNGzJ4SgmJ5TVw_ky3lwa3fzHjbFjQAP3IJuvgvlE_amPwksxHgwtqtjQMI/s640/333.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />...originally the CBA building, built in 1891..<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDBXPqQ2xIMXHYle-OvIoiJyoZBQjlOQVnckLG3f47SYRKYD1tDLgnLitDk8ZXcWTokqd_sY5paZwmJmMvrs9B9ehzHHzeoIj5V9l85Yp0TtTQFYGKFLUFFZe6VAymN0FQr3InaclSpizP/s1600/333CollinsRender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDBXPqQ2xIMXHYle-OvIoiJyoZBQjlOQVnckLG3f47SYRKYD1tDLgnLitDk8ZXcWTokqd_sY5paZwmJmMvrs9B9ehzHHzeoIj5V9l85Yp0TtTQFYGKFLUFFZe6VAymN0FQr3InaclSpizP/s640/333CollinsRender.jpg" width="468" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">beautiful, don't you think?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Of course, we wore out our shoe leather (and our poor feet) at the shows as well...so much to see, and take in. I <i><b>really</b></i> wanted to visit <a href="http://katrinaleechambers.blogspot.com/">Katrina</a> and Aimee at <a href="http://homes.ninemsn.com.au/theblock/">The Block</a> (go girls!!), but just couldn't squeeze it in (and the 30,000-strong crowd was a bit too much to tackle). Regardless, it was so nice to re-visit Melbourne after all this time, and I can't wait to go back again. Next time I'm shopping just for me :)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85794/shatay01/57292ae3db79c6d939a1f2a85508a076.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a></div>

A flying visit to Melbourne

I've just spent a few days in Melbourne, visiting the trade shows. It's been a long time between visits, and I'd forgotten what ...

Read more »