END OF MELBOURNE TRIP 2013

21/3/2013

Times flies and the trip was coming to an end tonight as I would be flying home at midnight.

Both of us woke up late and took relaxing  morning breakfast at home.  May had to go down to the hospital and do some of her things.  So since my bags are already packed, I dropped over at Vicky's place as she had taken a off day too.  Spend the morning  chatting with her over the wedding and updating of the news back home.

 Her love for cats are evident here! Her 2 "girls" (her cats) are called Louise and Thelma, both of them too shy to come out from under the bed.

Her husband had just renovated the kitchen for her- I am really envious of her new Miele oven! 

The deck outside the kitchen - lovely place to unwind after a hard's day work.

 Her lemon tree - but the lemons are not ripe yet, so did not pluck any. Lemon is actually a winter fruit and it must be the weather that causes the late blooming.

Bill's "toy" - he likes tinkering with cars and is currently re-modelling this car. 

May came back and we went down to Boxhill for lunch together.  It was so good to bond together once in a while. What the best way except to share some good food together.  

 It started to rain when we reached Boxhill. We went to this Vietnamese restaurant for our pho.

 Rice rolls filled with vegetables and served with slices of  Vietnamese ham roll.

 Big plate of  beansprouts (which we asked to be blanched instead of being raw)  and basil - accompaniment for the pho.

Tender slices of beef  and tantalising beef broth.

Nothing beats a bowl of hot Pho with lots of the veggies.

May's order of soft warm  Rice Noddles with crispy fried Vegetarian Spring rolls- slightly sourish with the Nuoc Mam sauce with chillies and garlic.

The clouds are gathering and thickening as we headed home.  On the way,  I suggested that we visit this Schwerkolt Cottage situated beside the highway . We alighted from the car and  it was so windy as we walked towards the place.   This is another Heritage site and just imagine that we have passed this umpteen times (it was near May's house) and had never visited it and it takes a windy rainy day for us to do it!

 However this cottage is only open during the weekends and public holidays and admission is free.

This rustic cottage was built by a German immigrant.

 This is the smokehouse. The buildings here are built using the stones quarried from the Mullum Mullum creek.

The well  and the surrounding garden.  Vicky said she had seen wedding being held on the grounds here.
The nearby surroundings are the parkland and walking and cycling tracks of the Mullum Mullum creek.  This is one of May's favourite walking tracks as well.

 Display of old carriages and farming tools

 Even an old pillar box and these clay pipes as well.

We went for dinner at my brother's house and his wife had cooked Bak Kuat Teh for us.

 Finally it was time to say goodbye to May's cat-  Briskie,

and Alvin.  

Hope they will remember me when I next come by again.