Melbourne - Culture City!

Last week, we spent the week down in Melbourne. Note: pronounced "Mel - bun" It was strange to think we were flying South, yet needed to bring warm clothes. Seems backwards here! So, we rummaged around and finally found the coats and scarves we haven't needed for 6 months now and packed ourselves up. When we moved over to Australia, we could have chosen to live in Melbourne or Brisbane, so it was going to be interesting to compare the two cities.

We stayed in "Southbank", just over the Yarra River from Flinders Street Station. Melbourne seems divided up into various neighborhoods with shops and cafes everywhere. They really enjoy their public spaces and have all kinds of statues and places to stroll around. And Museums! We spent the week going to various museums and exhibitions: Australian art, Picasso's War Years, Leonardo Da Vinci's machines. There was alot to choose from. We strolled around the Botanical Gardens and went up in the Statue of Rememberance. It was also funny to see Captain Cook's Cottage transported from England and a Mock Tudor Village.

Elliott did pretty well schlepping from one thing to the next. He did need most of one day to just laze around in the hotel room - Culture Overload! We both missed our computer game, but it is good to go without for 5 days! Today at home, Elliott is enjoying his last day before "Back to School." He is refusing to leave the house as he wants to make the most of it.

Melbourne seems like a very European city. I can see why English people would really enjoy it. It seems much more cosmopolitan than Brisbane. However, I did have my winter coat on most of the time. We think that we would have lived well outside the city in a suburb. So would suburban life be that much different whether you are in Melbourne or Brisbane? Hard to say, but probably much the same. Brisbane does have the fantastic weather going for it for sure.

I seemed to have technologically regressed and am struggling with the camera downloads. I'll try and do photos sometime soon.