Walking, Strolling, Wandering, Exploring, Meandering, Sauntering, Roaming & more Walking - Part 1
I've walked around Melbourne so much that my bum muscles hurt.
Well my legs muscles are good & sore and it's creeped up into the glutius maximus area, too.
On my first full day on my own in Melbourne, I started the day off by walking through the city centre (amongst a hoard of pressed-suit-wearing-briefcase-clutching businesspeople - so out of my element) and the amazing Federation Square, which is built on top of 'the world's largest trampoline' - a massive series of underground cables, beams and springs designed to absorb the vibrations from the train system below from traveling to the surrounding performance spaces. Pretty cool. Then I walked all along the Yarra River, first on the city side, then crossed a bridge and walked along the South Bank. Then it was through the Southgate Mall and on to the Alexandra Gardens, Queen Victoria Gardens and ultimately, the Royal Botanic Gardens. Totally knackered (read: exhausted), I took advantage of the city's free transport for a bit on the way home, and hopped on the bus up to the National Gallery of Victoria, where I got some cool shots of the waterfall glass art entrance way, and the stained glass ceiling in the foyer. I spun some poi in Carlton Gardens, then met up with Signe at night and we wandered Chinatown and the city centre together.
Day 2, I got to experience the real Melbourne tram for the first time, down toward St. Kilda, but not before spending a few hours strolling through Albert Park. I have to say I've never seen so many active people all in one condensed place! The park has a lake in the middle, around which there are running tracks, bike trails, a golf course, the famous Grand Prix circuit, playgrounds, tennis courts, baseball diamonds, soccer and rugby fields, a rowing club, sailing school, and cricket ovals. All in 225 hectares.
After finally finding my way out of the park (it took longer than expected), I sauntered down to the famous Acland Street of one of Melbourne's coolest suburbs - St. Kilda. It's known to be home to many a writer, designer, musician and poet, so it's pretty arty-chic but also the home of Melbourne's closest beach. I found one of the best little cafes I've ever been to on Acland Street. Before I got to the main cafe & restaurant strip, I was drawn into this little place that spilled loud music and smiling people out onto the street. It didn't have a big sign out front, so it looked like an exclusive club of some sort...that I really wanted to be part of. The servers were all friendly to me for the hours I spent there (one even gave me a free donut treat because I told her the meal I'd just eaten was one of the best in a while, thanks to budget backpacking cooking), and the coffee was great too. Make sure to check out Il Fornaio if you ever find yourself in St. Kilda.
I walked further down Acland, and all of a sudden it was like a cafe bomb exploded, and the debris was crammed into an adorable, thriving stretch of road, lined on both sides with thrumming cafes, bakeries, restaurants, clothing stores and knick-knack shops. It's more of a middle-aged bohemian demographic than some other places in Melbourne, and definitely a sensory overload walking down that street. But in an exciting way. I relaxed and regained my senses again in St. Kilda Botanic Gardens, which has an awesome fancy sculpture of a man under an umbrella in the middle of a pond.
'Rainman is a solar-powered water feature in harmony with its environment. In utilising the sun's energy, the variations in light are reflected by the flow of the water. On a sunny day rain will fall onto the figure from under the umbrella, the figure's hand stretched to feel the day beyond. A cloud passes over, it starts to rain, the solar power ceases, a dry Rainman reaches from beneath the umbrella to feel the rain.'
The walk along the beach back toward Fitzroy Street (another awesome cafe & bakery mecca) is less than spectacular - it's a pretty industrial beach with fake-looking yellowish sand, but maybe that's because I was just in Sydney before this, which is known for its gorgeous beaches. It was cool to see all the windsurfers though - the bay was full of colourful sails swinging around, miraculously not colliding with the other human kites.
I spent the evening with Signe at her Southbank apartment, drinking fruit-blended vodka-liqueur cocktails with the lovely Indian man who owns the place, Abhi. I said I wouldn't stay long, but it was late by the time I got back to my hostel to finally collapse into sleep.
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