Utter Nutter Peanut Butter

My last day in Melbourne was more like a last half day. I'd enjoyed my first run in Melbourne and saw such beautiful sights that I really wanted to run through that area again.

I have been tired at the end of the day, and thought it might be a struggle waking up. Unfortunately, the struggle was the OTHER way around, falling ASLEEP to begin with.

I've been staying in Student Accommodation, and throughout most of the week, the students have been well behaved. Naturally, on a Friday night, it was a bit much to ask them to be quiet and not act rowdy to enable Marshy to get some sleep on her last night in Melbourne. A group of rather loud, raucaus boys were laughing and squealing (yes, squealing) all through the night. In fact, when I'd decided I'd had enough at 6am, they were still going.

It was easily one of the most stunning mornings in Melbourne since I've been here. And throughout my run, I got some beautiful photos to make up for the other days where I'd either forgotten the camera or the batteries died on me.

How gorgeous does the MCG look reflected in the Yarra river with flecks of orange dotted around the sweeping grey clouds? PURDY!

The gorgeous, ghostly effect of the naked trees that line St Kilda Road. On the mornings when there's a bit of a fog, it's a disturbing, haunting beauty. Today, not so much, but use your imagination, kids.

Distance markers along the famous Tan...

And the sun rising behind various monuments.

Not sure how clearly you can see it from the photo, but there's a pair of parent duckies with their several ducklings here, SO gorgeous. Such a beautiful sight to see on my first adventure through the Queen Victoria gardens.

Now how awesome is THIS. The sun rising over the MCG, and streaming through the trees.

I didn't pay any money to see this!

The naked trees on the banks of the Yarra reflect on themselves on the river's surface.

The skyline of Melbourne has highlights of gold on the building's edges as the city is slowly unveiled.

By far my favourite photo that I've taken on this trip.The MCG and the Melbourne Tennis Centre are in silhouette, and the sun is a striking, glowing ball which is reflected on the Yarra. Also, check out the morning exercisers - there's a rower on the river, a runner on the river's edge, and a cyclist on the track. It's the sort of photo that when you take, you have no concept of how beautiful it is. It was only when I looked at it later and went "HOLY CRAP" that you appreciate how gorgeous that moment in time truly was.

I headed back to the hotel, but not really wanting to given that out of all of the days I'd been out running, today was by far the most beautiful. Also, I wasn't sure if the noisy hooligans had calmed down, but there was no need for me to worry; at 7am when I got back to my room, they had finally quietened down.

I packed up all of my gear, and then checked out. There was still a couple of hours to kill until my airport transfer arrived, so I had a final wander around Melbourne Central and QV malls.

I went into the Max Brenner in Melbourne Central and thought, "Well, I've bought a bunch of pralines to take home, why don't we buy a couple to actually TASTE." I bought two pralines - one was a chocolate ganache with spices, the other, a peanut butter praline. I slowly savoured the spicy one, mmm, was lovely. I loved the tickle of flavours that the nutmeg and cinnamon that was added therein gave to the chocolate. It wasn't quite as aggressive as a chilli chocolate - which I love - though it was a nice, interesting flavour combination that worked well.

Then I tried the peanut butter praline. And OH. MY. GOD. In my head, I've always imagined that I would love Reese's Peanut Butter cups. Then I actually bought one and I was thoroughly unimpressed with what I tasted - the peanut butter had added sugar to it so it didn't feel genuinely peanutty in the slightest, and the chocolate itself had little chocolate flavour though more importantly, it had a horrible texture that clung to the roof and sides of your mouth. It was almost like a small sandpaper effect.

Even though I clearly do not like Reese's Peanut Butter cups, the idea of it still appeals to me. So when I tasted the Max Brenner Peanut Butter Praline, it was like my Peanut Butter Cup fantasy had finally become true. The praline tasted EXACTLY what I thought the peanut butter cup would taste like.

I had to have another one. But I felt embarassed going back into the store just as I had left it. It was early in the morning, so I would definitely have been recognised and most likely served by the same person.

So! Knowing that there was a Max Brenner in the QV mall across the road, I headed on across the road, into the Max Brenner there, and got myself another peanut butter praline. I sat down outside and tried to savour the thing as slowly as I could, making it last as long as possible.

Yet again, I wanted another one! I began rummaging through my coins, trying to piece together using everything I could to get enough together to get another peanut butter praline.

I began heading back across the road and into Melbourne Central to get my final praline, when I walked past a homeless man. He's been at that spot outside one of the entrances to Melbourne Central every day since my stay - he looks a lot like The Wizard of Christchurch. He stands there, day in day out, holding a styrofoam cup, asking people for spare change.

In my insensitive holiday mood, I would rush past him, ignoring him, thinking to myself that I needed my coins being an overseas traveller.

Today, for the first time I had seen, the man had fallen asleep while standing. There were a group of people in their 20s, standing around him, pointing and laughing.

Suddenly, my peanut butter praline didn't seem like such a necessity after that.

I had no hesitation of putting all of my coins into his cup. He felt the coins clang at the bottom, and he woke up. I saw a brief sparkle in his eyes as he thanked me.

I may be vain, but it felt good. It was a lovely way to say farewell to the city that has treated me so well for the week that I've been here. I'll definitely be back.