Trapped in a Holding Cell in Toronto?

In the city of Melbourne we visited an old gaol (jail) used in the 19th century that housed thousands of criminals.   It took up an entire city block and contained exercise yards (both men & women), hospitals, a chapel, a bath house and accommodation for staff.  It was eerie to walk through the prison and peer into all of the cells in the 3 level block where many stories were listed about the prisoners that were housed there. 

The most infamous was Ned Kelly - the hero/rogue/bank robber/murderer of the late 1800's that has had 2 movies made about him, and he is still referenced in modern retail stores (like this wine store).The scaffolding where he was hanged (hung?) in the prison still exists today.  Creepy.

We then did a tour of the watch house, which is basically a holding area for inmates awaiting trial, or drunk/disorderly people being held overnight by the police.  When we entered we were ordered around by the sergeant on staff and he directed a number of each of us into large cells that he locked us into and turned the lights out on us.  Nobody spoke a word in the darkness.  I could sense how the "prisoners" felt in Stanley Milgram's psychology experiment of inmates & guard behaviours, now in a movie called 'Das Experiment' (highly recommended).  I was committed for having a bad hair day.

Syd was committed for shaving his yeti beard.

Also during our stay in Melbourne we enjoyed Little Italy (pasta & gelato), walked along the southbank of the river (reminiscent of the Thames in London), took the tourist bus around, and then visited the botanical gardens - where I saw a tree that had a bum! ;o)  

This city felt eerily familiar.  With its frequent streetcars (trams) and their dedicated lanes, its condominiums on the harbour, its cubism type building (like the ROM), its raised freeway 10 stories above the city, its streets/sidewalks, its arena right next to the train tracks with a retractable roof, and its tall skyscrapers.  I could swear we were home, except in summer weather! ;o)  A nice feeling. 

We stayed in a suburb called St. Kilda for the next 2 days.  This beach made Melbourne different from Toronto.  It was really nice, with soft sand, with oceanfront cafes and a killer sunset, as well as an old amusement park built in 1912 (called Luna Park).  In addition, the water was warm and clear and no jellies! 

We have a bit more piece of mind about our 5 weeks in Oz now as we just booked our greyhound ticket and excursions up the east coast - so its no worries mate!  Off to Sydney!