Time after time after time I do this. I thought I knew where the Rathdowne Street bus went from and I was wrong. With an arrogant confidence, I did not check any details. Yes, it runs along Lonsdale Street, but does not stop outside QV. The stop is on the western side of Swanston Street. I ignored this and walked to the next stop, over Russell Street.
Hang on, isn't it supposed to go up Russell Street and follow the old cable tram route to Rathdowne Street? I made a mistake there too. Anyway the 250 bus turned into Exhibition Street and quickly I was staring out the bus window at the beginning of Rathdowne Street. It is a lovely street with many two storey terrace houses and the western side of the Melbourne Museum and Exhibition Buildings.
I spied the Carlton Clinic, which I had heard of. I bet Mutant thought that visiting the clinic was the purpose of my visit. Wrong. It is in what was an old pub. Seems to be rather a lot of old pubs now being used for another purpose........just like Lonsdale House could be.
There are some nice bits of parkland along the way. Not too big, but friendly parks. There was a huge cleared site and I don't know what is to be built on the site. I am guessing it may have been where there were low rise housing commission flats? It is not part of the monster College Square is it? Is that what protesters were on about a few years ago?
I did what I had to do in Rathdowne Street and decided on brunch in Rathdowne Street. I walked past a few cafes before choosing one called Paragon. I had a breakfast of bacon and eggs, toast and coffee. It was alright, but not great value really. Why are such places always so mean with butter? There was not nearly enough for two large slices of toast. A meal could be otherwise perfect, but I would leave feeling annoyed about meanness with butter or dips or whatever.
Paragon probably had a surcharge on its menus for the ambiance of Rathdowne Street. It almost felt like being in the country, not a mere kilometre or two from the heart of Melbourne. In the country, I find the noise of cars very intrusive, but I did not find them at all intrusive, although there were enough of them passing by. I took a few snaps and headed towards Lygon Street to catch the tram back to the city. I deviated a bit on my way to Lygon Street.
The contrast Between Rathdowne and Lygon Streets is dramatic. Lygon Street feels busy and noisy, from Carlton through to East Brunswick, yet it is five minutes walk between the two streets.
Back in town, I took snaps of Londale House and then entered the horrid Melbourne Central to catch a train. Actually I did not really enter Melbourne Central. I was checking out a laneway murals and found a door to slip through and get in. I am suddenly interested in some of these hand drawn bits of artwork, stimulated by
Girl in Melbourne,
Beth in Newcastle Upon Tyne and
Fitzroyalty.
Eventually I found the station. Now why do our City Loop trains never go in the direction I want them too? I studied the screens carefully. Here we go, Glen Waverley train is going straight to Richmond via Parliament. Three minutes. I made my way smartly down to Platform 4 and along it came..........going the wrong way. Well it was right, and the screen on the platform indicated so, but the one high above at the gates said it went via Parliament. I resigned myself to a trip around the loop and a wait at Flinders Street. It came to pass. Then I still had to change for a train to South Yarra. If it wasn't for the bum steer from the display screen, I would have caught a train directly to South Yarra, via the Loop.
While I was waiting for the bus in Lonsdale Street, I noticed the Princess Mary Club. Odd name, and I took a snap to check it out later. I have no idea what it is about, but then later when reading the paper on my way home I saw a reference to it and that it is to be demolished.

As you can see in the photo, Rathdowne Street is very wide. Where the central median is, cable trams would have rumbled past before turning into Elgin and then into Russell Streets before terminating in Lonsdale Street. Great to see some old verandahs still intact.

Now if your house is made of decorative polychromatic bricks, do not stucco over and paint them. You are liable to be shot, perhaps by me.

This multi dwelling building also has polychromatic brick work, but I don't like it too much. It is harsh looking and better suited to an English climate.