Two weeks in

I've been in Melbourne for two weeks now. Not sure where the time has gone but I have busied myself every day, but neglected therunningwave rather a lot. The weather has been awful. Really cold, gale force winds and some rain. The sun finally came out earlier this week and at last I have been able to get out and about to take some photos. Here's a selection of some I like best.

Here's the first bit of blue sky I saw, and a Melbourne tram on Swanston Street.

I went down to stay with friends on the Mornington Peninsula earlier this week …. and the sun went in again! We had a walk past locked up beach huts by a cold grey sea.

If you look hard you can just see the Melbourne city centre skyline in the photo below - well, I can because I know it's there!

Wonderful rocks looking a batik silk scarf!

And a great place for a picnic if you don't mind the icy blast coming off the sea.

After that chilly walk on the beach we went to Lilo, a cafe just outside Mornington, where everything is green, including these

and a rather creepy lady hanging around in the loo.

Back in Melbourne and the city's coffee and culture continues to thrive. So glad, the cakes are just delicious, and I was born to eat cake. I am delighted to say that both my granddaughters were also born to eat cake. They both take it very seriously and the little one here in Melbourne is very used to the cafe culture.

Going out for Sunday breakfast is a weekly event.

The cafe below is Beatrix, a tiny place on the corner of Queensberry and Lothian Streets in North Melbourne. I love the old kitchen whisks on the walls. A bit odd putting a table in front of the cake display cabinet, but the place is so small, seating about 12 - 14 inside, every square inch is precious!

The cakes and pastries are different every day. On Thursday there were Kramers (milk chocolate and pretzel cookies), also carrot and toasted pecan cake with white chocolate cream cheese filling, peanut butter caramel whoopee pie with a peanut cookie crumble, and salted chocolate caramel and walnut slice. So hard to choose. To make it worse there was a lime syrup cake or an orange chiffon cake. Where was a girl to start? I went for the quince and brown butter tart. Good choice.

After that I went down to St Kilda. The sun was shining but the wind was very strong and cold. I walked out to the kiosk at the end of St Kilda pier, which was a bracing exercise to say the least!

School children are on holiday for two weeks here. I thought this poster outside Luna Park was a little odd!

Last time we were here Luna Park was closed for renovation. The old wooden roller coaster is up and clattering along again and proving popular, judging by the screams and squeals coming from inside the park.

And here we have people being thrown around in various directions, as well as up and down, leaving tummies behind and producing blood curdling screams!

Then I crossed over the road to one of my favourite places in Melbourne. The old peanut farm in St Kilda which is now home to some of the craziest allotments on the planet. There's lots of produce on the site, despite the fact it is winter. Spinach, chard, cavolo nero and broccoli, herbs and other bits and pieces, plus a mix of flowers which seem confused as to which season they are in. And in amongst it all are some clever and bizarre bits and pieces of sculpture and metalwork, and other random stuff. It all adds up to a stimulating and lovely place to visit. The sun was shining and I sat down and enjoyed just being there for a little while.