2004 February archive at kozaru

Yesterday was our 6th Wedding Anniversary. We spent the night in a leaky room in a small hotel in South Yarra, a spit from Melbourne. More on the leaky room later.
It was a hot night, so we decided to go out and wander Southbank, one of Melbourne CBD’s coffee districts. I took a few pictures (on the gallery) of Melbourne at night. Many came out well, but I learned that I should either not drink when I’m going to take pictures, or buy a monopod at least so that it doesn’t look like a 7.0 earthquake.
Speaking of drinking, we had a beer at a bar called the Llama Bar. You can’t walk past a place with a name like that and *not* buy a drink. Next it was on to the Irish pub that Spirit-Wolf and Waylander would remember – PJ O’Briens. Kilkenny of course.
I like Irish pubs, because the serving wenches are predominantly Irish, which means they understand what the raised-eybrows-with-a-slight-upward-tilt-of-the-chin-look means, when issued in a pub. It means “I need beer, look at the stupid faces I’m making while I’m sober”.
Because it was Valentine’s Day, there was on offer $2 kisses from your favourite barwench. Under the circumstances, I decided it was best if I didn’t partake of a little Irish charm…
Anyhoo, on to the magic shop.
A young man behind the counter offered us a simple magic trick involving a ring, a box and a small plastic sword (I know how he did it).
Next, the manager came out and offered a card trick. I pointed out the reverse card as he rifled the deck; “Oh, uh, that happens sometimes, never mind”
He got to sign a seemingly random card and then reshuffle the deck; “Now, remember that.” “What?” I said, “My name?”
I was then labelled as a “Smartarse”. Next, a second seemingly random card was signed by my wife, and the deck reshuffled. I noted that the card she signed was the same as the one reversed and commented that the fact was “Quite a coincidence”. He scowled and continued the trick.
Next he showed us both cards, apparently back to back, which, as if by magic, became one card. I noted that it was odd how the reversed card at the start, now seemed to be reversed again, and suggested he either rifle the deck faster next time or do it face up, so as not to confuse the subject.
He stomped off muttering “I have to get the smartarse…”
He then came out with another trick that I picked apart. Same result, only he didn’t try it again ;)
So, onward and upward through the heat we went, into the Crown casino complex, to almost stand on the toes of an old friend, Titania. She tried to ignore us at first, but my wife’s excited calls of “Tany!!!” meant that eventually she had to turn around.
A short and uncomfortable conversation ensued, where we exchanged pleasentries, marvelled at the height of children not present, stood in awe at the thought that last time we met was like, 5 years ago. I also congratulated her on her ADSL.
News Flash: Tany is still skinny.

We wandered a bit more, looking in shops, looking at street performers, then went back to the hotel.

It rained. As Melbourne is wont to do, it changed its mind and thought “Nah, hot sucks. Let’s go cold again!” And started a rain shower to do just that.

Now, I don’t know how long the ceiling had been dripping before it woke us up, but at 5:13AM it did just that.
I’m not even sure how the ceiling *could* drip during rain, because we were on the second floor of a three-storey building. I suspect that rooms 67 and 27 have similar stains on their ceilings.

We dozed till breakfast, after putting a towel on the floor so at least deaden the “slap……slap……slap” of rain on cheap carpet. Breakfast wasn’t bad, but certainly didn’t make up for it all. See, they forgot to give us our glass of complimentary champagne on arrival.

I should mention that this was all done last minute on a budget of about $150.00, because of various of reasons I won’t detail here.