I’ve never been to a city where the people are so friendly.

Seeing as how I’m less than two weeks away from my departure I feel like I’m at a good time to reflect on my time in Melbourne.  I have certainly enjoyed my time here, and really who wouldn’t?  The sunshine, warm weather, endless flow of wine, and solid culinary scene – that’s all I really look for in a location.  My only wish is that I could have more time to really get a feel for the city.

Living in Glenferrie (a few stops east of the city center) has been great for those random visits downtown.  Glenferrie is certainly a university town and has little local culture outside of that identity.  The area is well to do, as was clearly reflected by our rent, which made it difficult for non-franchise local businesses to maintain a presence.  The bar scene, naturally, is good and most bars are walking distance from our halls.  The grocery store across the street is also convenient, especially since it usually stays open late. 

My favorite part of town is the Carlton / Fitzroy area, which is northwest of the city. I found this area accidentally when looking for the local food coop and was swept off my feet by the unique arts and cultural scene and the homey feel in the nearby neighborhoods.  In addition to being the home to an animal shelter (I’m going to visit today) the area is home to some very cool local bars, restaurants and bakeries. 

I enjoy the Richmond area for many of the same reasons.  I just discovered Richmond last week when looking for the Mountain Goat Brewery.  We never found it, but we did find a hopping bar scene and many interesting shops and restaurants.  The area was clearly “hip” as it was laden with well dressed people in their mid 20s to mid 30s.  While I preferred the local feel in Carlton / Fitzroy, Richmond’s convenient location (three train stops from home) can’t be beat.

Downtown Melbourne also has a lot to offer, although I found myself spending most of my time in the surrounding neighborhoods.  China town is one of my favorite places downtown, largely because of the good, cheap food and the interesting shops.  One of my favorite discoveries was a restaurant that hand made bbq pork buns – yum!! Downtown Melbourne, not unlike downtown Lansing, exists mostly for the business and political crowd and most businesses close in the early evening.  The train services are also very limited in the evening and on weekends, making it that much more difficult to get downtown.  The waterfront area seems to cater to more of a late night crowd, and the legendary casino never closes – I’ve yet to go, and probably only will to shop at the Burberry store. And maybe buy some Prada shoes. 

One of my issues with Melbourne is that it is somewhat of an oasis.  The city is sprawling, but beyond the reaches of the train you’ll be hard pressed to find anything worth visiting within an hours drive.  I suppose I’m used to Europe, where the next major city is an hour’s flight away.  Not so here in Australia.  There’s a lot of space and not a lot of people.  We did visit some vineyards in the Yarra Valley, an animal sanctuary, and took a drive down the Great Ocean Road.  These trips were great, and totally worth the time…  I just feel like I’ve pretty much exhausted Victoria’s offerings. 

This hasn’t stopped me from enjoying my time here, though.  Lately I’ve been having fun getting off at random train stops and exploring the neighborhoods. Who knows what I’ll find in my last week here.