TRUE LOVE DOWN
UNDER
Melbourne
is both dashing and romantic
LOVE IS fickle. I have
experienced this myself, so I speak with authority. For years, I believed that
Manhattan was my ‘The One’; that I would love it for eternity. And then I went
to Melbourne, and discovered that love is fickle. Melbourne is my ‘One True
Love’.
I first visited this
Australian city five years ago. Since then, I’ve been back at least once every
year, and the more I explore it, the more I feel like Romeo with his Juliet.
Here’s why.
RIVER
OF PEOPLE
The city is stunning in
every way. I make it a point to stroll by the riverside – and it doesn’t matter
which bank I pick, as both sides of the river are packed with cosy cafes, fancy
restaurants, street exhibitions and little riverside parks, where the vibe is
amazing.
You can spend hours
taking a stroll, and observing people. When you need a break, then go for hot
chocolate at the Lindt Café. People-watching can be a major pastime in
Melbourne, and after the riverside, the place to meet a friend or just chill on
your own is Federation Square – the meeting place for all of Melbourne. Take it
from me, all plans between pals in Melbourne begin with “So let’s meet at
Federation Square and then...”
For me, the “and then”
part of the sentence invariably leads to the exhibitions at Acmi next door.
This is a magical little place that hosts the most fascinating exhibitions from
all over the world. Every time I visit, there’s something amazing to see. This
year, I watched six different short films created to have Cate Blanchett play
the central character. It was mind-blowing.
VIEWING
GALLERIES
When I need to see the
city as well as have a good meal, I take the tramcar restaurant tour. This is a
brilliant concept, where you enjoy a four course meal in the tram as it
traverses the beautiful city, and it’s totally romantic.
If you want to do some
sightseeing, such as visit the zoo, the botanical garden, the war memorial, the
shrine of remembrance and the totally awesome aquarium, then take the red
hop-on-hop-off bus. I admit it’s a touristy stereotype, but this is my
favourite thing to do anywhere I go.
However, you must climb
up the Eureka Tower for a 360-degree view of magnificent Melbourne, and then
grab some grub at the Queen Victoria Market – a pop-up market with a great vibe
and even better food!
Speaking of food,
Melbourne’s Chinatown has the most awesome street food stalls, which I
discovered thanks to my homie Ling Ang. In fact, Chinatown is also the best
place if you’re looking for late-night meals, because most of Melbourne’s
eateries shut early.
TAKE A
CHANCE
You could, if you want,
grab a bite at the Crown Casino by the riverside. It has restaurants at several
levels, each giving you a different angle of the river view. The casino
functions Vegas style, so it’s super fun and I highly recommend it.
But I
suggest that after a night at the casino, you take the next day off and chill
at St Kilda beach. Do nothing but lie about, eat great food at the Beachcomber
restaurant, get drunk on Aussie beer and then spend the evening wondering if
you’re seeing spots in front of your eyes, or if there are
actually penguins among the rocks. And if you’re feeling sprightly enough
after all that, stroll about Fitzroy Street, buying knick-knacks and snacking
at a cafe.
OUT AND
ABOUT
A must-do when you’re in
Melbourne is the Great Ocean Road trip via the lighthouse, which ends at the 12
Apostles – 12 magnificent rock stacks that rise out of the ocean. This is truly
one of the most amazing drives in the world. For a spectacular view of the 12
Apostles, walk down the Gibson Steps to the isolated beach below, and just
revel in the might of nature.
You could also take a
trip to a gorgeous lavender farm called Lavendula, just out of the city at
Daylesford. Spend a day there with friends, lying around, eating amazing
home-made cheese and drinking lavender lemonade. The fields of lavender will
stay in your memory forever. And don’t forget to do a Yarra Valley wine tour,
even if you prefer spirits to the juice of fermented grapes. Yarra Valley
produces some of the most amazing wine in the world, and though the rule book
says you should just sip the wine when you’re on a tasting trip and not drink
it, go right ahead and knock it all back. Because Melbourne is all about being
on a high.
by Rick Roy
HTBR 2APR17
No comments:
Post a Comment