Ice Cream & Pirates Aye

I've been a big sook about the miserable Autumn weather.  No, don't deny it, don't try and make me feel better, I know I've been a whinge.  I've whinged about the weather, I've whinged about the crappy autumn colour.  I've also whinged about politics but mostly to the family. I wouldn't put you poor sods through that. Political whingers are boring.

But Saturday was a vast improvement.  Politics didn't change, but the weather did!

It was gorgeous and warm.  

Sonofagun No.2 had a birthday celebration to attend.  It was bouncing fun at a trampoline fun park, followed by lunch in the lovely south west suburb of Williamstown.

Williamstown is a lovely old suburb with a maritime history back to the early to mid 19th Century.  In the last 10 years or so it has had a facelift and become a popular tourist spot, but doesn't get too overrun. There's pubs, hotels, ice creameries, cafes and in permanent residence at Gem Pier is a restored World War 2 mine sweeper, the HMAS Castlemaine.  For a small fee you can go aboard and check out all the historical bits and have a chat to the volunteers.  I took the Sonofaguns aboard a year or two back and started talking to this distinguished older gentleman who looked a bit like Bob Hope.  Not only was he a volunteer who assisted with the upkeep, but he told me he actually worked on the vessel during the war!  

After flattering him a little (86? You don't look a day over 65!), he took us on an impromptu tour around the ship and let Sonofagun No.2 ring the ship's bell on the hour!

One of our favourite things to do after popping down for lunch or coffees, is to drive around the suburb perving at all the beautiful old houses. Some restored, so not, some art deco style, some over a hundred years old. They're flippin expensive and probably haunted. That's what I tell myself when I feel sad that I don't live in one.

Commonwealth Reserve was just waiting for us parentals to take our kids screaming through the park, but there was serious business to attend to first.

Ice cream ain't no laughing matter.  After stuffing ourselves on pizzas for lunch, I sadly declined but Sonofagun No.2 and his friends had the best time choosing just the right cone (plain waffle cone, choc dipped waffle cone, choc dipped with sprinkles waffle cone etc and that's JUST the cone)

We had lunched at La Porchetta which is a pizzeria in one of the old original hotels.  The stained glass windows around the front door were amazing!

I had been here before but never noticed them!  

Ice creams in hand, we walked over to the park to find it was overrun with.... pirates!

The replica tall ship 'The Enterprize' was docked.  The Enterprize is a replica of the original ship which brought the first white settlers to Port Phillip Bay in 135 from Hobart.

The Enterprize was docked opposite the HMAS Castlemaine and there were pirates, and wenches and people dressed up as piratey wenches and people dressed up to look like they were from the olden days without quite knowing what they were supposed to be, but hey, slap a bandanna on and who'll notice?

Captain Jack Sparrow was suitably Sparrowish without appearing completely plastered, and even cracked a few jokes about illegally importing puppies!

Then one of the poor sailor lads was accused of stealing chocolate. There was some sword fightery on the Enterprize where we all cheered and booed at the chocolate stealing blaggard and his accuser in equal measure.

Up until this point, the crowd was all keen to see if he'd really do it! It's bloody freezing and possibly polluted. Blech.  His reaction at hitting the water was more authentic than most of the acting up to this point.

Thar she blows! (or something like that)...

A round thing that holds ropes but looks cool.

You know they're genuine pirates and ye olden days people when a real life person dressed as a random olden days person is playing piratey sounding ditties on a piano accordion!

Isn't it beautiful though!

Thar she be, The Enterprize in all her glory.

It was clear and sunny enough to appreciate the view of the HMAS Castlemaine against the backdrop of the Melbourne CBD.

This is another fun thing to do.  These cute little river ferries travel from Williamstown, up the Yarra River into the city to dock near Flinders Street Station.  

The SSS Steve Irwin, a Sea Shepherd vessel was docked, no doubt having a very well earned break after saving Antarctic whales from the evil Japanese whaling ships.

Now that's one hell of a skull & crossbones!

How was your weekend?

xox

Louise

The Red Haired Amazona