Trip to Melbourne - miscellaneous

Last day in Melbourne.
I had a little more time until checking out my hotel. I got up early to go Queen Victoria Market. Fortunately it was close to my hotel.



Sun rise was around 7: 30 am. Still dark, but many people including local came to the market for shopping groceries. Half of shops or cafe were stll closed.
Looking around in the market was always fun.  I bought macadamia nuts, had breakfast, got cheese for souvenirs for family.




This was my last breakfast in Melbourne.
Seems famous shop, but no waiting people, sometime business man got this tasty hotdogs with tons of sauerkraut.

Bratwurst Shop & Co  http://www.qvm.com.au/shops-and-stalls/bratwurst-shop-co/


I was done my suitcase packing, checked out hotel. I took Skybus to the airport. 
I transited at Kuala Lumpur, finally got to Japan. It was busy and tough trip.

However, my trip is always fun.

Trip to Melbourne - One day trip to Great Ocean Road

On second day in Melbourne, I went to Great Ocean Road by bus tour. This is an aim I came to Melbourne this time.
Not rainy day, but cloudy. Weather is important to enjoy a trip.  Bus driver told us always shower in here, don't need to worry about it.

I know summer is best season to enjoy, but about thirty people were in a bus tour. It takes three hours for one way and take a break on the way, so very tight schedule. The driver is funny guy, and guides us with historical and funny talk.



This is a road map. We are going to drive a coast until Port Cambell and come back on forest road.



  

On the way to road, we had a morning tea time with cake. This made us warm for cold day.
We started to drive again to Great ocean road, took a break on some nice view points, actually it was very long road. I enjoyed window view as much as I can.
I love window view from a car or train. Nothing to think about, no phone, no talking with people or no reading just watching outside. Outside view makes me be calm and relax all the time. I love this time and sometime need it because escaping from the daily life.

     

We had one hour lunch break at Apollo Bay. Small peaceful town, so we felt easy to have lunch. There were many small shops, cafe or restaurants besides main street. I enjoyed walking around street, seaside after lunch.

  

Twelve Apostles is main break point. Many visitors were there to take pictures walking.
Getting windy, so wild here.


















   

Loch and Gorge and Gibsons Steps is break points.
The driver gave us about thirty minutes at each points. Getting off or getting on the bus was a little hard, but I wanted walking outside so I really enjoy this.

Last points was Port Cambell.



The sound of wave was so pleasant. I never realize this before. I am a kind of moutain person. Green trees, grasses or forests makes me relax. Now I can understand to feel the sea and the sky for a long time.

We came back to Melbourne around 7:30.  Great Oceans Road tour is over.
I want to go again sometime to feel that sea breeze.
I want to go again sometime to take someone to feel together.

Trip to Melbourne in Australia

I visited Melbourne last week.
This was a spontaneous trip and super short days but had so much fun there.

First day in Melbourne, after I checked in my hotel, this was comfortable to stay, I went to South Melbourne Market.

South Melbourne Market is easy to access from CBD (center of Melbourne), we can use tram. Take #96 tram, get off at #127 stop. Walk up some steps from the tram station for 1 minute.



I love local market. I can enjoy shopping as I live there. Watching veggies, fruits, meat or fish section, excites me because I can feel to be adapted to local life.

       

The best one in this market is oysters. We can buy even one piece or dozens, and we can eat here!  When I asked a salesperson about kinds of oysters, prices or taste, she told me very kind. After I got 6 pieces of oysters, of course for eating here, there are ketchup, lemon, sauce on the counter, so many people enjoy eating fresh raw oysters.  I chose middle size, salty and creamy for 3 each. This is in heaven!!

      

Absolutely I was satisfied with oysters, but I was so hungry this time because last time I ate was on flight, so his was not enough. I walked around to eat lunch more.




I ordered pork bánh mì. I love Vietnamese food.
This is a kind of sandwich which is vegetable, meat, patty, herbs and fish oil etc. with soft baguette.
I knew it was too large but finally I ate it. I was full and I got energy.

I explored in the market, probably twice, enjoyed a lot. There are many local shops which is for food, goods from Australia. I think this is the best place to buy souvenirs for travelers.

When I left South Melbourne Market, I come back to CBD by tram.
I still have much time to walk around the city during the day.



This is Flinders Street Station, Very historical classical building.



There are many small allies. Walking on these allies, I can find many cafes I want to stop by.


  

I stopped by Crumpler to look around the Australian made casual bag.
Fashionable and comfortable to use, I love it. Cute logo mark!

http://www.crumpler.com/au/



I came back my hotel, a little bit early because I was tired and was probably going out in the evening again.

My hotel is booked with Expedia. I was trying to use airbnb, but I didn't. Too late to get the answer for my requests. I didn't enough time to wait. Airbnb is reasonable but when I am hurry, it is not convenient.

http://www.oakshotelsresorts.com/oaks-on-william/

I stayed very comfortable here. If I come to Melbourne again, I want again.
Actually, I guess it is convenient anywhere in CBD. Melbourne is easy to access to anywhere. We can walk in CBD, go to supermarket, cafe, and use tram which is very useful.

Grape Tart

       

Every year I am happy to get pione, which is a kind of grape, and so excited to have it.
Pione doesn't have seed inside, very sweet, juicy and looks very pretty, gorgeous and beautiful.
Okayama prefecture is famous area for pione, so we can pick grapes in vineyard.
Relatives who live in Okayama send to my family this piones and peaches every year. I am definitely lucky.

The best way to eat is just wash pione and dig it!
Last night I ate it this way but today I got an idea. Yes, making pione tart.

Tart is the best of my favorites. 

**Grape Tart recipe**

<tart dough>
1/6 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup powder sugar
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup flour
a pinch of salt

Put room temperature unsaltedbutter in a bowl, add powder sugar and mix them together. After that add a pinch of salt.
Add an egg yolk and mix them.
Add flour and mix them well, and put those in one.
Hold it with wrap, and place it in the fridge for one hour.
Take it out from the fridge, make a dough sheet and press the sheet the sides and bottom of a tart tin.
Bake the tart in the preheated 200° oven for 15 minutes.

<almond filling>
1/6 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup powder sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup almond powder
rum

Put room temperature unsalted butter in a bowl, add powder sugar and mix them together.
Add an egg and mix them.
Add almond powder and rum.
After mix all ingredients, put the filling in the tart.
Bake it in the preheated 180° oven for 30 minutes. If top of the surface is gets burn, cover with tin foil.

<custard filling>
1 cup milk
1 tbsp of milk
1/3 cup powder sugar
1 tbsp butter
3 egg yolk
2 tbsp flour
rum

Simmer 1 cup of milk in the pan, and add half of sugar in it, stir for a while until just before boiling.
Put egg yolks and 1 tbsp of milk in a bowl, and mix them. Add the left sugar and flour and mix gently. Don't mix well.
Add warm milk into the bowl and mix them.
Strain mixture, remove the residue, and put back all liquid ingredients to the pan.
Stir it for a while, add butter and rum.
Cool it down.


<decoration>
Put custard on the tart with petit knife.
Decorate tart with pione.

Chia Seed Pudding and Granola

Healthy food stream has come to around the world, recently into here.
I tried some of them, it is a little bit long time to get used to my life. Eventually I settle down on homemade granola and chia seeds. Easy to make them.

I am going to dig them very quick and fly to Melbourne tomorrow!

Anime Figure - Otaku Culture-

    

Every month I go to Nipponbashi in Osaka, usually go to Hotel Hillarys on Sakaisuji St. to get my nails done. When I arrived Nipponbashi Sta., go down the street, on the way there is a huge shop for anime figure.

I already knew the shop, I am not interested in the kind stuff like that, though, but I was looking around the shop yesterday, I noticed there were so many foreigners around the shop. Taking picture with a big anime figure in front of the shop, young people were getting into the shop one after another.

That seemed so weird for me. I just didn't know here is famous spot for tourists.
This was electric appliances, especially second hand shop decades ago.
Now there are much foreigners than Japanese here. That means tourists pick up accommodation, sightseeing area or shopping spots around here probably it is very reasonable and convenient because Nipponbashi is close to Nanba.

If you have a chance to visit Osaka, come here.
http://jungle-scs.co.jp/sale/    (Japanese)
You can enjoy Japanese culture, and reasonable stay in Hotels around Nipponbashi.



When I came back to home, I found a figure. A little shocked.
 My son is Otaku? I believe not.





but looking carefully, this girl is so cute, "Kawaii" !

My Favorite Music -from the sound in NCIS -

There are many music I am impressed in NCIS.
Those are no visual of NCIS episode here but only listening of music reminds me the each sceans in past episodes.



#1. All We Are by Matt Nathanson in season 5 "Family".

#2. Nothing more by The Alternate Routes in season11 episode 11, Christmas Special.

#3. Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley/Leonard Norman Cohen in season13 episode13 Scoop".

#4. Hello world by Lady Antebellum in season8 episode 12 "Recruited"

There are more than those.
Always NCIS picks up good music. I can be comfortable to listen those.