Last Sunday we took Jo into the city and had lunch at Riverland, a bar on the edge of the Yarra River and it was a very pleasant day. We then thought to take her to ACMI, The Australian Centre for Moving Images, but it was closed. Ok, lets go listen to the Federation Bells, upside down bells on a hill in a park. Well, maybe later. We'll take Jo into the most important Protestant church, St Paul's Cathedral, in Melbourne. No, closed. Myer Christmas windows? Removed. Buskers in the Mall? None. Still want to visit the bells R? No, tired now and hot, so we came home, R and Jo had a swim in the pool and then Jo created some artwork.

It was Sister's suggestion that on Monday we catch the relatively new ferry service to Portarlington on he Bellarine Peninsula near to where she lives and she would meet us there and take us for lunch. We caught a couple of trams to get to the ferry departure point at Docklands. Unfortunately the temperature was forecast to be 37, nearly 100F. But the trams we caught had air con and the ferry was very well air conditioned. Generally I took photos through glass. I wasn't standing on the decks in the heat.
Portarlington is bottom left of screen.
This is perhaps the only old wharf left now, with the rest demolished to create Docklands. Unfortunately it has been declared unsafe and businesses had to close and move out. I told Jo we used to go to dance parties in the shed up until the late 90s, along with several thousand other gays, lesbians and those in between.
The ferry departed right on 10.40 as scheduled. It was quite impressive and the $30 return fare for oldies with
Port Phillip Ferries was quite reasonable. Unfortunately the speed limit in the river is very low but once out of the river into the bay, the catamaran flew along. The Melbourne Star Observation Wheel has great views of the occasional movement in the docks area, along with the occasional shunting freight train in the railway yards.
Wattle was once a tug boat.
Thingies to remove containers from ships.
Approaching the Westgate Bridge. It is very high to allow container ships sail under.
Now out in the bay with the city skyline in view.
Approaching Portarlington. On a clear day it is just visible as a mound on the horizon from home. The trip takes seventy minutes.
I've never seen so many people on this beach. It was even busier when we departed at 4.30.
The meal was good. I am not a cider drinker so I had wine. R had a paddle of four different ciders. His favourite was the chilli cider. Only a few brave people in the heat outside, no doubt proclaiming how glorious the heat was. That did not include us in the cool but moaning about the heat.

We went back to Sister's place for coffee, a chat and in R's case a nap. Sister, Jo and I watched a couple of episodes of Derry Girls. The trip back was uneventful and we were home by about 6.30, exhausted but it had been a good day.