Market, Shrine, and Gardens

We finally got the chance to sleep in today and it felt great.  I woke up and went for a run and then met my parents at Victoria Market (they found it all on their own!).  I showed them around and they were very impressed with everything it had to offer.  Because they got up late they didn't eat breakfast so we quickly saw everything we wanted to before heading to Stalactites, the Greek restaurant I went to a couple of weeks ago.  It was really good but I walked out feeling overly full.  

Earlier in the week my mom and I went to the Vodafone (my cell phone carrier) store to purchase a couple of internet sticks because the hotel doesn't have free wi-fi.  Since then my parents have been trying to install them and get them to work but with no luck.  The guy that helped us today was able to get everything situated and now my parents are happy campers and have the ability to sort through the hundreds of emails they've accumulated over the past couple of days.

From there we struck out over the bridge crossing the Yarra River.  This is the first time my parents have been to that section of town and I'm glad they were able to see it because I think one of the most picturesque parts.  We eventually made our way to the Shrine of Remembrance and through the Royal Botanical Gardens before it began to sprinkle.  We walked a lot today and were exhausted by the time we sat down to dinner.  We were so tired that none of us really ate; instead we drank lots of water and hopped on the tram down to Uni so that I could show my parents the accommodation I was in when I first got here (UniLodge, bleh).  After sitting down and chatting for a bit we parted ways.  I just love the company of my parents and though I've mentioned it before, I really can't say it enough.  We will be meeting up in the morning and I'll be treating my parents to breakfast ("my shout" in Aussie-english) before I head to the airport to pick up my brother!  He's in Hong Kong right now waiting for his connecting flight and will be here around noon tomorrow.  I'm hoping he won't be too wiped out but it's a very long trip so we'll see.