A Geelong Weekend

We had a couple of nights in Geelong (a regional town west of Melbourne city) to attend the Melbourne Urban Sketchers' year end sketchmeet plus we made it a weekend to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary! 

What glorious weather for sketching at the Geelong waterfront. Sketching some sketchers was a challenge, wish they would stay still!

The Carousel (housed in the Information Centre at the waterfront) was constructed in 1892 and is only one of 200 Armitage Herschell steam driven carousels left in the world. 24 of the 36 horses are actually original (now painstakingly restored to their former glory) and even contain real horse hair in their tails. Children were allowed in at intervals to ride on the carousel.

Here's a few photos of myself and the group. (Thanks Helen Wilding for the photos).

It was good eating in Geelong as well. On Friday night we went to Mav's (voted best Greek restaurant in Victoria and Tasmania by the Restaurant and Catering Association). Crowded, long tables of happy diners, absolutely jumping. Very noisy but the food was good, the chargrilled scallops exquisite!

A northern Italian place for Saturday dinner which was just excellent! I had wonderfully smooth tender black linguine for the first time. I believe it's made with squid ink!? Why is my home cooked pasta nothing like this? 

And a ham, cheese and tomato toastie for Sunday breakfast (we only needed to order one!). 

Sunday was a day with lots of adventures during the tedious trip home due to train line works. It must have been the worst possible day to use public transport but altogether made for a memorable weekend.

Below is the ferris wheel along the Geelong waterfront.

#Sailorfude pen, watercolour, #Stillman&Birn Zeta Sketchbook, 7.5”x 7.5”.

Marker pens, Handbook Journal 5.5" x 5.5".