Melbourne, Australia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We marked our 2 months’ travel while in Melbourne.  Hard to believe.  The last time I traveled this long I was 18 backpacking in Europe for 2 1/2 months.  LONG time ago!  And although traveling lighter this time, not backpacking.  Our one experience at a Backpackers’ Hotel was enough.  So to mark our 2 months away, we assumed that the fireworks outside our hotel room the first night were for us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We really enjoyed Melbourne.  We spent 5 days and could have spent a few more – so many restaurants, so little time.  And although it’s a large city, approximately 4.4 million people, it had a smaller city feel to it.  Lots and lots of small neighbourhoods.  We couldn’t believe the number of restaurants and cafes, in all shapes and sizes, that Melbourne accommodates.  We had some of our best meals here.  Thank you to Christine, Christian and Kiera for showing us around and extending the Aussie hospitality our way.  They introduced us to two of their favourite restaurants (and now our favourite too!).  Christine is the sister of a friend of ours, Ric Glowienka, from Canada.  Thanks Ric for connecting us!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The city has so many laneways, some of them are just what most of us think of as laneways, i.e. a place to deliver goods or take a piss in (not that we would ever do that), and others are graffitti lanes – really amazing – and then others are packed with cafes, restaurants, etc.  You could walk around forever in these lanes, never mind all of the other sights around the city.  The city also had wonderful shopping arcades.  The most lovely one was The Block Arcade with beautiful floor tiling.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For those AC/DC fans out there, there was even an AC/DC laneway (after all they are Australian).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We spent some time in the city’s Southbank and the district of St. Kilda.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some of Melbourne’s great architecture:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The city’s wildlife (not in a zoo):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next stop:  Tasmania