This post is dedicated to my lovely granny.
Dear Ah-Ma: Thanks so much for motivating me to practice piano even when I strongly resisted - and because of you, I'm able to pursue a diploma in music performance. Thanks so much for watching TV dramas with me (I really, really enjoyed that!), having TV dinners with me, and of course, teaching me Hokkien - minus the vulgarities of course. Thanks so much for showering me with so much love and transmitting so much positive energy to me. And of course, thanks for bringing me up throughout my entire childhood (and half my teenage) years! Gam sia, gam sia...!!!
I intentionally decided to write about Shrine of Remembrance off St Kilda Road, Melbourne (near the National Gallery of Victoria), and to commemorate my granny's 5th death anniversary. The Shrine of Remembrance serves as a war memorial to the men and women of Victoria who served in World War I, and is also a site to commemorate all Australians who served in the war.
This is actually my second time visiting the Shrine of Remembrance. The first time I went, I was in first-year. It was quite pleasant that day, and I witnessed 2 weddings around that area!
For the first one, the bridesmaids were surrounding the bride (like bodyguards) and she crossed the road way earlier than they did. Here they are, possibly talking about the plans for the day.
And here are two of them waiting to cross the road.
And here's the walkway - leading towards the Shrine of Remembrance.
The surroundings. It was definitely a far cry from the city - although this place was right in the middle of the city (in some way or another), it was really quiet and tranquil.
And here's the Shrine of Remembrance itself!
Grass patches around the steps of the Shrine.
And more pictures of the Shrine - mainly the back doors and the Doric columns supporting it. There're 3 types of columns - Doric, Ionic and Corinthian, Doric being the simplest and chunkiest and Corinthian being the most elaborate and thinnest.
And this is approximately where I witnessed a second wedding - or should I say wedding photo-taking session? The photographer actually had an assistant to direct the bride and groom! And his ideas were pretty interesting...the Shrine's actually a good place for wedding photographs.
Errmmm...nope, this is not the wedding photographer. This is a random photographer who cycled to the Shrine for some snapshots.
As for the couple in the background featured 2 pictures ago, they happened to be taking their little dog out for a walk...and they're featured again - with their boisterous little pooch.
View of the cone-shaped trees from the entrance, before going up to the viewing gallery.
Many flights of steps later....I'm finally at the Viewing Gallery! I only had about 10 minutes to spare - as it was going to be closed for the day.
Snapshots of the city and some of the suburbs from (almost) all angles...
Oh, and did I mention? It's pretty fun stalking people from above! Hahaha...just kidding. I was actually fascinated by the shadows cast (it was about 5pm then), so I decided to attempt these: What people do around the Shrine of Remembrance.
Taking pictures (oh yes, lots and lots of people do!)
Cycling (not many but oh well, the grounds are pretty spacious)
Thinking of what pictures to take (I swear this person took a shot of me taking a picture of him!)
Walking their dogs (quite a number that day, actually)
And here is the wedding photographer I mentioned before! And the couple of course...
Last but not least, a family picnic not too far away from the Shrine.
By then the gallery was about to be closed, so we had to leave.
Walking down the stairway, towards the ground floor of the Shrine.
Some snapshots of the ground floor of the Shrine.
Oh, and just to mention, the columns within the Shrine are Ionic columns - characterised by the spiral-shaped decoration on top of them, as shown below.
People slowly streaming out of the Shrine...
And a final, wide-angled shot of the Shrine before I went back to college. "We will remember them" - the people who were involved in the war.
And on a final note: I will remember you, Granny. Love you loads!