Needless to say, my expectations were exceeded during my first trip in Oz outside of Sydney. Melbourne is in fact an extremely cool city and I would highly recommend it to anyone who asks. Here's why I loved Melbourne (pronounced 'Mehl-behn').
The people - Overall folks in Melbourne were more laid back and a different kind of hip than a lot of the people I've met in Sydney. They take a great deal of pride in their city and make more comparisons to how it's better than Sydney in nearly every conversation. I loved how they say (even more than people do here) "no worries" after nearly every one of their sentences. With the exception of one really obnoxious cab driver, everyone I met in Melbs was super friendly, eager to tell me why I should love their city, and apologetic about the grey weather. Finally, it was really great to meet so many people who were actually from Melbourne; or Melbournian as they say. It's really hard to find a local Sydney-sider and when I do, they're most often not as hyped up about their city. My great friend Rivka e-introduced me to her friend Chris who she met while she spent time in Melbourne a few years back. Chris was an amazing tour guide who showed me the best of Melbourne and had me walking & eating my way through the city. We ended our day by attending an AFL (Australian Football League) game to see 2 local rivalries duke it out. Here's Chris and I at a footy game on Saturday. nb: I thought a Black/Yellow scarf (for the Richmond Tigers) was a versatile choice that could also be used to cheer on the Pikksburgh Stillers back in the states!
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The Bars/Cafes - Everything I love about bars and cafes could be found in Melbourne. Like Sydney, Melbourne takes its coffee culture very seriously and makes a mean cup-o-joe. I saw more coffee shops in a small block than any other place I've ever been. Each place took great care in making me delicious flat whites with soy. I think I'm still charged up from my one this morning (pictured below). |
Besides awesome coffee, I didn't have one bad adult beverage in Melbourne. My favorite drink was at a bar called Misty which was on an alley way hidden behind some city buildings. There were only a few people in this small bar and the cocktail menu was limited to using fresh fruit from that day's farmer's market. I settled on a kiwi elderflower drink that was absolutely divine. Kia, who I was traveling with from work enjoyed a fresh raspberry bellini. Kia's husband, Byron, settled for a white russian. Here's a picture of our 3 awesome choices & Byron/Kia enjoying some delicious wine we had as well.
The Scenery - Have I mentioned how absolutely gorgeous Sydney is? I found Melbourne to be awesomely stunning in a totally different way. I loved how the architecture was really diverse; old with new, lots of old buildings, hidden alleyways, more narrow streets, etc. I felt much more 'at home' in Melbourne because I've never lived in any city that's as gorgeous as Sydney. Melbourne felt a bit more gritty, a bit more European, and a bit more like places I've lived/loved before. I can't quite put my finger on it yet, but, here are some pictures I took to try and capture some of the sites I enjoyed.
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| The City Library - Absolutely gorgeous inside |
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| An apartment building that was really cool looking |
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| A bar in an alley way that fit about 15 people |
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| A crowded backstreet |
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| Pedestrian bridge over the Yarra River - we had a drink at the bar below it |
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| Little old me with the city in the backdrop |
And now I'm back in lovely Sydney. It really did feel like winter in Melbourne so I wasn't too upset to come home to 60 degree weather and not a cloud in the sky. Mom and Dad get here in less than 72 hours...let's get the party get started!
xo,
s
ps: just booked a 5 day trip to the south island of new zealand for the end of july. any tips & companions are welcome :)
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