The Melbourne Chapters: The Setting

If Melbourne was a guy he would be that tall dark and handsome one, sat in the corner of some trendy run down bar playing the music that everyone should be listening to.  He has a quick witty sense of humour and easily relaxes you like you’ve known him all of your life. He rides a bike and owns a dog. He eats Japanese, and Thai but his favourite is Mexican. He runs and takes yoga classes. He listens to all kind of music, jazz, dance, techno, indie and rock. He’s read all your favourite books and suggests one you’ll love too.

Effortlessly cool and from the very first time you meet him you know you’ve met the love of your life.

Melbourne is majestic. Melbourne is enchanting. Melbourne is exciting. Melbourne is homely. Melbourne is diverse.

You can be sucked in and spat out but you can also be cradled comfortably.

I once heard a man say that it’s the North V the South.

“The north is full of hipster vegetarians who ride bikes and dress like it’s the 80s,” and he’s not far wrong. Unfortunately I didn’t hear his summary of the south.

In the daytime Melbourne bursts with electric excitement. I never got bored wandering around the city. There was always something new to discover. Another alley way to find. A new graffiti painting to admire. A new bizarre street entertainer. A man painting on the path with a mop, a penguin playing the bagpipes, a man dresses as Mario, a man with a keyboard or someone drawing or dancing. Flinders street station towers above the St Patricks cathedral and Federation square. The beautiful south bank along by the river side an ideal place to watch the sun set.

By night, Melbourne was a flurry of excitement. The sparkling twinkle of the city a light from miles away. The towers in the centre and the buildings gradually descending outwards. The bars in cubby holes, down laneways, in freight containers, on roof tops and in basements. All playing the latest sounds and beats. Restaurants spill out onto the streets, serving food from all over the world. You can have it there, take it away, pick it up, sit at a bar, sit on a couch or at a table. You can have a three course meal, or just dessert, or even eat a seven course banquet on an old tram circling the city.

You can see a play, a comedy show, the opera or a film. A live band or a singer or even a DJ. You can spend your night in a crowd dancing the night away or you can stroll down the beach alone.

In Melbourne you can do what you want. You can drive a car, or a bike, a scooter or a skateboard. Take the train, the tram or a bus. You can take a class, join a gym, visit a museum or a gallery.

In Melbourne you are living in one of the most culturally diverse places in the world. If you don’t love it you need to wake up and open your eyes, for you are truly blessed to be living in such an awesome place.