Easter in Melbourne

I love this picture, because it completely captures the beauty and vibe of Melbourne, but I can't take credit. It was snapped by this guy. We've been seriously analyzing how we should spend our Easter weekend. A four-day weekend at home sounds like heaven (watching Lost reruns, eating Tim Tams, staying in bed way past any respectable hour, you get the picture.) However. We have a finite amount of time in this country, so onward! We decide to fly down to Melbourne, the gastronomical and, some say, cultural capital of Australia. People refer to it as the 'Victorian City'. There is a fierce rivalry between Melbourne and Sydney, each hungering for the crown of "Autralia's Best City". I guess it's sort of like pitting the art and theatre crowd in high school against the cheerleading squad and homecoming court. Architecturally, it's very European. Tons of intricate ironwork and beautiful, manicured gardens. Trams, that you can hop on and off for free, crisscross through the city center. I have a crush on Melbourne. It's so colorful, and the pace is really relaxed, plus it just oozes culture. The laneways are filled with really charming bars and restaurants, live music, and art galleries. A lot more dyed hair and tattoos. Less Manolos. Anyway, we touch down on Friday morning, bleary-eyed after almost missing our flight. Here is the play-by-play:

6:56 a.m. - wake up and frantically realize our flight leaves in 54 minutes.
7:01 - hustle out the door.
7:02 to 7:07 - search for a cab.
7:13 - arrive at the train station.
7:13 to 7:18 - muck around trying to buy tickets.
7:29 - jump on the train.
7:42 - arrive at the airport.
7:48 - get stopped at security because of nail clippers.
7:56 - collapse at the gate where the pilot turns to us and says, "No worries, mate. I'm flying the plane and we're not going anywhere yet."

What a start to the weekend. After a much-needed snooze, we are starving, and head out in search of lunch, wandering through the Fitzroy Gardens, and down along Spring Street into Chinatown. We immediately discover our poor timing, as everything is closed on Good Friday. Strangely, people jam the restaurants and shops on Easter Sunday like it's the day after Thanksgiving. We do manage to find an open restaurant, and I scarf down some of the best pizza I've ever had, so points scored there. Jeff and Melissa invite us over on Friday evening for some wine and cheese before heading to a charming French bistro along the Yarra river. Such a fun evening! Saturday begins with a tour Rod Laver Arena, home to the Australian Open, and then a stroll around Queen Victoria Market. We hop on the tram that lumbers up Swanston Street and wander around the hundreds of interesting stalls. Every type of vendor is here: fruit, vegetable, meat, seafood, wine, cheese, chocolate, you name it, and the entire market is gorgeous. I would come here every day if I lived in Melbourne! Melissa tells me that she and Jeff love to come to the "Queen Vic" on Wednesday nights in summer, when there is live music, and tastings of everything. Ahhh, sounds perfect. We walk down Victoria Street and take a tour of the Old Melbourne Gaol (Jail), which is disturbing and totally fascinating. The inmate artwork on the cell walls is particularly eerie. The evening ends with last minute tickets to the Melbourne Comedy Festival, and we land on Mark Watson. Don't ask me to judge how to tell good comedy, but this guy is seriously funny! On Sunday, we stroll through the Botanic Gardens, which are very dry because of the drought. It is actually raining a bit, so we enjoy a leisurely lunch at Southgate and people-watch for a couple of hours. A young stunt biker is attempting a new trick where he rides up the railing along the river, pops himself up on his back tire, bounces around to get his balance, and then jumps over to the far railing, still resting on only his back tire. He must try at least 20 times before he finally sticks it, and everyone around breaks out into applause. Talk about determination! In the evening, we join Ange, a co-worker of Chris's, and her boyfriend at the Black Pearl. It's a cozy, very charming pub in Fitzroy, a hip, artsy neighborhood. We move on to an Afghan restaurant for dinner and end the evening at Polly, a over-the-top lounge with gilt mirrors, fountains, and even some faux Roman statuary sprinkled about! Love it. Heading into Monday, on the recommendation of Ange, we explore St. Kilda, as well as Acland Street, famous for it's cake shops. The afternoon is spent walking along Bay Beach, and finally we end up back at our hotel for, what else, movie night. On the agenda is No Country for Old Men. Wow. Javier Bardem = Hannibal Lechter with mega scary hair. We have a very early wake-up call, bedtime is the senior-citizen hour of 9:00 p.m.