18th August 2023 Friday - Geelong (day 7) seeing everything and everyone (almost)

Ryrie Street, the glass blocks in the floor allow light into the basement floor, where we once rented a studio to do a group project in Year 5.

Today, we begin our Geelong adventure - to retrace our steps through this little country town that was our home for close to 6 years in the 80's. I had a route in mind, which would take us through the landmarks from our past, stop and look into the windows, try and remember names of shops and people long gone.  

Moorabool Street, we never noticed the individual and articulate elevations of these shops before, that's what 30 years away does to your appreciation of the mundane. 

Our former home, now taken over by the heating store. Pauline has a records store downstairs, we lived in the 3 rooms upstairs with a kitchen and living room downstairs and at the back of this shop. 

Our main entrance which is actually a back alley (off Cullen's Place) through the chain-link gate

There used to be another brick structure in front of the blue wall, with a toilet in it. Our former home is now the office for the maintenance people at the hospital, we were told by one of the staff whom we met here. 

Walking past the hospital onto Gheringhap Street down towards the Library and Town Hall.

This is a prominent corner though I don't remember what was here before, it is a coffee shop now so Sam and I did what we promised ourselves we would do - have a drink or meal whenever we felt like it, we are on holiday.

Marge, I would like to be alone with the sandwich for a moment. @Toasty Cafe

The Arts Centre appears to be designed in two halves; one by Hassell and the other tacky half by ARM

I dislike this intensely, I don't think it would pass Year 2 studio

We used to walk pass these buildings to get home from the train station

The new Geelong Library is by ARM as well, I forgive the 'eroded sphere jammed into the existing building' design, because books have a calming effect on me, especially when I am able to buy some second magazines. 

(I tried to pay for them at the counter only to find out that it is a view window from the cafe adjoining the library's reading room, the lady I mistook for a cashier is someone enjoying her morning coffee)

The staircase and lift core are located outside the floors containing the gathering place, the reading nest, inspiration, the vault, staff admin. and the high ground (outlook and viewing balcony)

Gordon Tech, City campus

The train station seems unchanged from all those years ago, new stations have been added; Waurn Ponds, Avalon, etc

One summer, I took the 6am train to Melbourne to work at the Ministry of Housing; sometimes I would sneak into the first class carriage, lean back the seat and have a good nap.

West Park - during my stay here, I have only gone into the park once, when the lady from the milk bar knocked on our door early one morning and told us that Debbie was in the park, and 'she is kissing the statues'. 

220 Pakington Street - my address in Year 1, above a fish-n-chips shop; three rooms in a row facing the street one window each, mine was the middle room.

Geelong West Town Hall - with a forecourt and a library; quite quaint yet modern.

A modern building with a forecourt, to set the entrance away from the street. I wonder why we did not wonder into the building, perhaps because we were op-shop hunting, and also because Dezi was on his way to find us, to take us for lunch.

This is the new Convention Centre at the top of hill behind the campus - this is a nice corner of the Centre overlooking a river/stream

These two have a conscience and decided that we should attend the tour since we had signed up for it. There are no photos of the tour because it was quite badly organised, and because we left half way through to pick up Kathy and to have a beer with her. 

Ann, and Greg Carden (Cardie) greyer but otherwise unchanged. I forgot to ask where he worked. 

The very nice architecture school.

After the networking night at the campus, we got into the Davidson (a bit of clever wrangling from Dicko) and enjoyed a nice evening with old and new friends. After the dinner, the locals decided to go elsewhere for more drinks, while the two Asians declined and walked home hand in hand. A bit of deja vu as I am sure that was what happened when we went the Davidson with Di and Brenda all those years ago. 

Although we were here for two whole days only, it made think about how fortunate we are. Not many people are able to return after 33 years and still share a personal history; many have separated, or divorced or simply lost touch.