Alan in Oz: Melbourne retroactive post: Day 3

A look down the Beach Trail.

Here we go...

Day three was spent walking the beaches around Melbourne. As I've written before, I don't come from a land of sandy beaches, so this was fun. But before we get there...

This was taken along the Australian Heritage Bridge (actually on Day 2, I just forgot to put it up). Its a depiction of an Aboriginal. Across the bridge there are similar structures representing the various people who have come to Australia. Its pretty cool to see.

Keeping with the aboriginal theme is this eagle. In Aboriginal mythology, the Eagle was very important. Its patriarchal (while the matriarch is the black swan) So, a gigantic one watches over the Docklands.

It wasn't all beaches...I also walked through an environment reclamation project, which offered up that cool view of a bridge. But, you want to see sand so, here you go.

Here's Port Phillip Bay...behold its awesomeness. As I've written before, I love the ocean because of its size. Its just awe inspiring that no matter how tall we build a skyscraper, no matter how huge we build a stadium, the Earth comes up with something to tower over it. Here's two pics that (somewhat artistically, but not really) sum that up.

Note the people in the foreground and the ginormous body of water in front of them.

Fun with piers!

Anyway, enough of me trying to be artistic. The Beach Trail is fun to walk along. Beautiful people, waves crashing (a very soothing sound) and it was a sunny day. And lest you forget you're by the ocean (how could you...its right there.) there were lighthouses.

As I continued down the beach, I stumbled across something I had never seen before. Kiteboarding. I explained what it was already, so here's the photographic evidence.

Don't sop believin...hold on to that parachute, kiteboarder dude!!!

In terms of insane things I'd like to try once in my life, I think kiteboarding may have made the list. It looks like a good time, when you get the hang of it.

Moving along the ocean front I found this statue of Captain Cook.

Cook is kind of a big deal down here, as he discovered the place. I think that warrants a statue. Not far from Cook, was an Australian War Memorial, also very worthy.

Keeping with the war theme, not for from the Aussie war memorial, there was a St. Kilda War Memorial which I found to be inspiring.

St. Kilda was quite nice. I bought a painting at a street market down here and mingled for a bit. I also stumbled upon Luna Park, which was terrifying.

That clown will eat you...and your soul.

After looking at Luna Park, I began the long walk home. Not sure how far it was, but I walked for seven hours that day. But, as a result, on my way back to the hostel, I got this cool (albeit blurry) pic of Melbourne at night!