Melbourne, Australia - 2018

We look forward to our visit to Melbourne after Sydney.  It was just a short flight from Sydney and we're glad to make Melbourne our last destination before returning home. Melbourne is also a special place to visit as it's one of my best childhood friend, Van calls it home since the day she left Vietnam in late 1970s.

Van and her husband, Chi met us at Melbourne airport. I was so excited to reunite with my dear childhood friend. Van's family and my family used to be next door neighbors on Co Giang street in Vietnam. Last time I saw Van was some time in early 1975 before I left Vietnam for the US. Needless to say, we had so many memorable moments and stories of old time to talk about. Chi was our wonderful friend, driver and tour guide for the next 5 days while we're in Melbourne. Thanks to Van and Chi, we were able to visit many tourist attractions in Melbourne and the nearby "in style". 

We stayed at the Ibis hotel in Melbourne downtown, a few blocks from the famous Melbourne's iconic market: Queen Victoria Market. This market is a major landmark in itself in Melbourne. We're glad to go there everyday for breakfast and shop at the open air market any chance we got.

 

So glad to reunite with Van after 43 years😂

Chi, Van, Tien and Paul at Melbourne airport

The last "night market " of the season at Queen Victoria Market. It has the largest Asian food court we have never been to. 

Mostly Asian dishes and freshly prepared per order at the Queen Victoria night market.

We enjoyed a lovely day visiting Churchill and Phillip Island after stopping at a Vietnamese community markets in Melbourne to pick up our lunch and snack for the day. Churchill Island is a combination of a big working farm, a beautiful botanical garden and adjoins Churchill Island Marine National Park. It's part of the Phillip Island Nature Parks. The Koala Conservation Center and Phillip Island Nature Park provides these native creatures such as koala, kangaroos, wallabies, echidnas etc...their natural habitat as well as the conservation efforts to protect these Australian marsupials. Phillip Island is also known as home of Little Penguins where tourists from all over the world come to see "penguins parade".

(Galah) Cockatoo

On Churchill Island

Churchill Island

Koala Conservation Center on Phillip Island.  

Koala taking a nap! Really?

The Koala in their natural habitat

A Wallaby - Koala Conservation Center 

A Wallaby ?

Another sleeping beauty

Summerlands - Phillip Island

Phillip Island - Waiting for the "Little" Penguins

The penguins would come to this beach at sunset

Here they come. The famous Little Penguins of Phillip Island. So little and so cute!

Taking it easy the next day, we walked around Melbourne downtown and business center. We took the City Circle Tram and Tourist Shuttle Bus to get around. We found a Costco near Docklands area to have a nice lunch and browsed. The Bourke Street Mall and China Town is a fun area to explore and shop. We had a very delicous Chinese dinner after attending an Evensong service at St. Paul's Cathedral.

The popular doughnut truck with long lines at Queen Victoria market

Paul's favorite breakfast

China Town on a busy Little Bourke Street

Melbourne China Town

Grand Shopping Center in Melbourne

The Graffiti Alley in Melbourne

Graffiti Alley

Docklands station

Melbourne Docklands

The Forum - Melbourne

St. Paul's Cathedral 

We were lucky with the beautiful spring-like weather we set out to do the famous Great Ocean Road drive. We started from Melbourne to Geelong, our first stop and to Torquay, Bells Beach, Anglesea and Aireys Inlet in the Great Otway National Park was our last stop before heading back to Melbourne.

 

 

The Great Ocean Road Chocolaterie and Ice Creamery near Torquay

The biggest one scoop ice cream I ever had!

Van @ East Geelong

Torquay Beach

Anglesea

Anglesea

Split Point Lighthouse - Aireys Inlet

Van and Chi @ Split Point Lighthouse

Van and Tien 

Split Point Lighthouse

Aireys Inlet 

View from Aireys Inlet

Aireys Inlet

With Chi and Van

The Great Ocean Road - Eastern View

Our last stop on the famous Great Ocean Road

With Van's daughter, Cam Tu and family

 Van, Chi with Cam Tu's family

What a wonderful trip!. We had a great time visiting all famous attractions in this Victoria State. Best of all, I enjoyed the reunion with Van and met her husband, Chi. We had a nice afternoon over a delicious dinner at the lovely home of Van's daughter, Cam Tu and family. 

        ***Thank you, Van and family for a memorable time and a remarkable visit in Melbourne***