My first week of travels was spent in Melbourne, a vibrant Australian city where new and old ideas coalesce. The flight to get here from Canada is brutal, but once here, it’s a paradise of sensational beauty and excitement.
Within any given neighbourhood, but particularly within South Yarra, the array of architecture boasts a beautiful blend of new and old, with every building being its own unique work of art. From picturesque English cottage-style homes to those boasting old-rooted French colonial and Victorian architecture mixed in with dabbles of blocky modern and contemporary square-edged homes in between.
It was the beckoning allure of friendship that enlisted Melbourne as the first stop on my multi-month journey. My childhood bestie moved here from Canada many years ago and created a life here ever since. Lucky me, she lives in the beautiful, and classy, South Yarra neighbourhood, steps from the city’s botanical gardens and the renowned party hub of Chapel Street.
Having done most of the tourist stuff last time I was down (check here), I felt under no obligation to rush around and pack as much sightseeing into a short amount of time, as is the way I usually feel. Instead, I could take my time enjoying the present, allowing the day to unfold naturally. Days began with early morning walks and ended in liquor fuelled fun.
Walking along the Yarra River promenade with a delectable flat white in hand, trying not to be run over by the cycling morning commuters on their way to the CBD, or strolling through the lavish Royal Botanical Gardens condoning my obsession with this southern foliage and watching strange birds graze on the sprawling manicured lawns were the perfect ways to start the day. I could get used to this.
On one evening we caught the sunset in Elwood with her friend, and together we walked along the waterfront to St. Kilda for a dinner of chicken parm followed by one too many ciders in the adjacent pubs. The walk along the waterfront boasted a bedazzling city scape of sparkling skyscrapers reflecting the staggering orange and pink hues of the setting sun. As the fiery orange ball melted into the ocean, city goers came out in droves, where the building energy of excitement and a promise of a night yet to be determined imbued the darkening, city-light speckled sky.
Another night had us going out with her partner and friends which started in the innocent daylight of a Friday evening and ended in the broad daylight of the following Saturday morning. I think it’s safe to conclude that Melburnians know how to party.
