Umbrellas in the morning

I woke to a drizzly kind of Melbourne day. Thought about making it a museum kind of day, but knew that I really wanted to be walking- and it wasn't cold.
Headed up Bourke St and stumbled into Parliament Buildings. Thought of a guided tour to escape the rain- but I was ten minutes too late.  Oh well, lots of others were out and about with umbrellas. It turned out the umbrella was the most useful item I had packed in my suitcase, and here I was feeling a bit silly packing it! (In fact they had a supply of 'loan' umbrellas at Reception as well.)

 Looking back down Parliament steps to Bourke St.

 And then the rain got heavier!

 Lots of varied sculpture in Melbourne. There were a series of animals on large rocks outside a building behind Parliament.

 Impressive entrance doors to St Patrick's Cathedral.

 Gargoyle, said to be of Jeff Kennett, on the Catholic Cathedral.

 Beautiful interior of St Patrick's Cathedral.

 Pilgrim's Pathway up the hill to the Cathedral- running water- more than 'usual'.

 Sculpture of Bishop Mannix outside the Cathedral. Turns out he was born in Charleville in Ireland- where my grandmother was also born!

The Irish of St Brigid in the trefoil.

St Patrick's really was a beautiful Cathedral- built at a time when money from the goldfields was awash. Many beautiful mosaics and marble floors inside. And the outdoor grounds are also full of interesting sculptures and points of devotion.