Touring Swanston Street 2
Chocolateria San Churro
On our first full day in Melbourne, we had breakfast in a Spanish themed coffee shop called the Chocolateria San Churro on Swanston Street. It was a Japanese owned place and very chic. It looked more like a mix of European design than Spanish. At any rate we had chocolate con churros here. Gosh, now I miss Spain!
This reminded me of the times when my friends and I frequented restaurants in Madrid around 5 am and had thick chocolate con churros after dancing the night away in dance clubs on Friday nights until the wee hours of Saturday mornings.
This is the ceiling of the covered alleyway next to Chocolateria San Churro. Definitely artsy and pretty. How I love Melbourne. From here we went inside a mall which had a Woolworth store inside.
One of the buildings I really liked along Swanston was the State Library. It was close to our hotel. We passed by it every time we started and ended our day in Melbourne.
State Library of Victoria
The dome of the State Library
The reading area. quite impressive don't you think?
Taken from the topmost floor of the State Library of Victoria
While walking along Swanston Street I couldn't help but take pictures of the buildings. I loved the design of the colonial structures and there were many of them everywhere. The pictures of buildings that follow are all located along the stretch of Swanton Street between the State Library and St. Paul's Anglican Church, opposite Federation Square.
Walking along Swanston Street, one is sure to stumble upon these three statues of the Three Businessmen
Many of the old colonial buildings have been converted into retail stores.
Another old colonial looking building whose ground floor likewise been turned into a SUBWAY and 7 Eleven
The colorful pole along Swanston Street, in front of the Westin Hotel
There were Asian restaurants galore along Swanston Street catering to the many Asian students studying in Melbourne.
Besides restuarants, there were tons of souvenir stores owned by Asian merchants. Honestly, I was pleasantly surprised to see lots of Asians in Australia, especially Melbourne. I never knew there lived many Chinese nationals there.
A building built in 1904. Pretty old, huh?
Just look at those yellow looking chimneys on top of the bldg.
Here are the towers of the Town Hall and St. Paul's Anglican Cathedral
The Town Hall of Melbourne
St. Paul's Anglican Cathedral
The nave of St. Paul's Anglican Cathedral
Mosaic at the altar inside St. Paul's Anglican Cathedral
The stained glass window inside St. Paul's Anglican Cathedral viewed from inside the cathedral
This is the other side of the stained glass door of St. Paul's Anglican Cathedral viewed from outside
Walking further down Swanston Street and very near the Flinder Street Station we passed by a cross street named Union Lane which was simply full of street art or murals. I saw them in a local travel magazine and we couldn't let the opportunity pass by without taking more pictures for my photo album.
More scenes from Union Lane, full of murals or street art
Flinders Station is without a doubt a Melbourne Landmark. We took the train to the Melbourne Zoo from this station on our second day of vacation in Melbourne. Even this public train station has its share of artwork on the walls. I was quite flabbergasted really at the extent of art all over Melbourne. Simply impressive.
One of the cross streets to Swanston. I believe that Parliament building is at the end of this street.
NGV in Federation Square
Federation Square opposite Flinders Station