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| Watching the tennis at Federation Square |
Federation Square
I chose the right week to visit Melbourne. There was a real
buzz in the air with the Australian Open showing on the big screen in Fed
Square.
Melburnians and tourists alike congregated to watch the matches that
were being played just down the river at the National Tennis Centre.
I spent my last evening in Melbourne, before the less
luxurious lifestyle in Borneo, watching the final.
The skyscrapers as a backdrop to the big screen as the sun was setting was
beautiful (even though Murray didn’t win!)
The tennis combined with Australia Day on the 26th
gave an extra buzz to the square. Cafes were full of cheerful natter and picnics
were laid out on blankets on the chilly summer’s day.
The fireworks couldn’t be compared to New Year in Sydney but I don’t think anything can be! It was still good fun; waiting
for a break in the tennis the sky light up as everyone dashed to the South Bank
to get a better view.
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| Melbourne |
South Bank
With a resemblance to Putney in London the Yarra river is home to
Melbourne's rowing clubs. Strolling along the banks watching the rowers train
it was easy to forget I was in the second biggest city in the country. The palm trees scattered through the lush green gardens were, however a
quick reminder I was nowhere near Putney Bridge!
Heading back to the hustle and bustle of the city the promenade
was lined with bars – full of people having a drink after work or like us,
tourists enjoying the sunshine in January!
The Lanes
Wonderful small streets lined with coffee shops and quirky
shops were a far cry from the clean, almost swarve nature of Sydney. Settling
into one of the many cafes we watched the world go by in the characterful
street.
If I had it, I could spend a lot of money round here with
the boutique shops selling art, clothes and lovely little trinkets.
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| Kite surfers in St Kilda |
St Kilda
Just 20 minutes on a tram lays Melbourne’s beach.
Mesmerised
by the kite surfers we wandered along the promenade – seeking shelter
from the wind in a beach side café before venturing out again to explore this
beautiful area.
The shops lining the streets behind the sea are what made me
love this place, more so than the actual beach front.
Not normally one for
window shopping I found myself whiling away the afternoon poking in and out of
the little independent shops – always
greeted with a friendly smile.
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| Sunset in St Kilda |
St Kilda is famous for its colony of 1,000 tiny penguins and
I was eager to see them as they came in for the evening to rest on the rocks by
the pier.
Unfortunately the well organised viewing platforms and helpful guides didn’t assist in our viewing and I saw just one penguin popping out of the
water (at least I think it was a penguin…)
Penguins or no penguins St Kilda was my favourite place in Melbourne. As for my favourite city… I think I’ll have to take another
trip to Sydney before I confirm my choice…
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