Monday, February 15, 2010

MY WORLD ~ Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne

The Royal Exhibition Building was completed in 1880 for
Melbourne's first World Exhibition which was a great seccess.



It has a splendid ballroom where in my university days I even
got to dance with the Governor of Victoria a somewhat more
pleasant occasion than sitting for my matriculation exams
with a thousand other nervous student.

The Logo takes you to the rest of the world.

Thanks to the MY WORLD Team, we can all show our corner of this world.

15 comments:

  1. I don't know what's going on today but I can't see half the images from blogs today so I will visit again. I want to thank you for your kind comment dearest Arija. I don't know either and quite frankly I don't know why I do them sometimes. I can't articulate the reason, I just do it as if it has always been a part of my life. See you again later.

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  2. What a magnificent building and such great captures, Arija! And it would seem to hold lovely memories for you -- the best of all! Hope you are feeling better! Have a good week!

    Sylvia

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  3. What a stunner. Love old buildings and it sure looks good all lit up!

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  4. It's a beautiful building, Arija. I like the lighting and the dome. And what a neat memory you have of this place!

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  5. Arija, this is a spectacular looking building all lit up. I love your memory of dancing there.

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  6. Thank you for your kind comments, would you believe it, I took that with a tiny hand held camera?
    Well, I did, just held my breath and leant against a tree.

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  7. I love memories of times I have danced!

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  8. WOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOW! What a magnificent photograph. I don't know whether I am cold tonight but I have been to three photoblogs today and at three times I had goosebumps from seeing the photographs and now I am itching to take out my camera that has languished in it's bag for almost six months. This is beautiful Arija.

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  9. Great memories and a lovely building too, nice post.

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  10. Beautiful colors of the night photo.

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  11. What a terrific image of the Exhibition Building, not Buildings as we always say.

    The Royal Exhibition Building was established to commemorate the grandeur of Victoria’s success following the gold rush, but it wound up being used for fourth fifth and sixth form exams, as well as the exams set for certain Melbourne university students and continue to be so used to this day.

    In the sixties and seventies it would seem there was room enough to occupy all senior school students.

    I cannot drive past the back of the Exhibition Building and think about this time. This surreal time of sitting for my final three school years exams in November, enclosing myself in a cocoon where the only contact I would allow myself was between me and the text books I had been studying and my notes.

    I crammed the information into my brain, the powers that be crammed the school students into the available space underneath the tin arched roof at the back of the grandeur of the building.

    People ate lollies during their exams, they drank water, they visited the toilet. I did none of these things determined, as I was to use every second of my time to my advantage.

    The floors were made of concrete; they were cold against my feet. It was hard at that time of year to find the right level of clothing,not too hot, not too cold. My school uniform provided the best sanctuary against climate. I laughed inwardly at the female students who had come fashionable dressed and generally shivered their way through an unexpectedly cold day.

    Did you sit your exams there too Arija? It's not something you ever forget.

    Thanks for this.

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  12. and did you dance with the boy who danced with the girl who danced with the Prince of W[h]ales?

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  13. Wow! Reading your description and Elisabeth's comment, this building sounds like it played a major role in so many people's lives.

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  14. Ces,
    when you bother to put your paintbrush down, your photos are magnificent.

    Elisabeth,
    I did mention sitting for exams. Since I went to MacRobertson Girls High all exams except the final year were in house. As I recall, we must have sat ours in the ballroom but that was some twenty years before yours in 1955. Our Uni. exams were in Wilson Hall.

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