September 1, 2013
Melbourne CBD
 |
| Me with the bright orange Vespa |
Wonder whether I'll be able to finish blogging about my travels before baby comes... by that time I'll be too busy/tired to do anything at all. :-P
Resuming my post about Melbourne. In the morning, we decided to take a stroll around Melbourne CBD to see the architecture and also to get a feel of the city. I wish we had more leisure time strolling around, exploring the shops one-by-one, and really take some days to live like a true Melburnian.
 |
| Alley with nice shops |
 |
| "Breakfast Alley", graffiti and the "soup kitchen" |
I think one of the key points to Melbourne life is its dining, after all, isn't Melbourne known as the food capital of Australia? After wandering around near Federation Square area searching for some place to ease our hunger, we chanced upon this alley that looked like Diagon Alley in Harry Potter. To put it in local terms it looked like those hawker stalls in Penang where the locals congregate for breakfast... but of course in a more atas and clean manner. I think another key point in Melbourne is its artsy side, we saw the back lanes filled with street art and graffiti and a guy strumming on his guitar (early in the morning)!
 |
| Posters for the Australian Federal Election, 2013 |
We were in Australia during the midst of the Australian Federal Elections. Saw some pop art illustrations in the alley calling people to vote, but the comic ironically says that "vote whichever side also the same"... so... should people still vote or not? :-P Leonard also commented on the lack of party flags and posters hanging around the city... I think so far we only saw one line of party flags while we were there. So different compared to the elections here where the party flags and propaganda were strewn haphazardly all around Penang... :-S
 |
| Our breakfast |
We were salivating at the big breakfast (egg Benedict, bacon, bagel, coffee) being served in the alleyway. However since everything is sooo expensive and we were only on our 1st day there, being cheapo, of course we prefer to spend our money elsewhere... *haha, next time*... that being said, actually there are a few quality breakfast spots serving the same type of food in Penang also but we have never bothered to wake up early in the morning to try them... :-P
So in the end we went to have our breakfast at fast-food Pie Face *look at those smiley pies!*... cutesy but the taste so-so... but it's a chain shop only found in Australia so quite an "authentic" experience also... Also discovered the existence of "flat white" and "long black" coffee in Australia... next time should really take our time to savour the food and good coffee in Melbourne!
After eating at Pie Face we went back to the breakfast alley cos I was intrigued by the huge soup pots in the "soup kitchen" (a shop... not for the homeless mind you...). Bought some soups to takeaway and Leonard, being the friendly guy that he is, stroke up a conversation with the soup-seller, a Middle-Eastern guy (forgot which country he is from). The guy asked where we were from and when we said Malaysia, he said that he had been to Malaysia twice and asked why were we in Melbourne for vacation for Melbourne is such a boring place compared to Kuala Lumpur! =_=||| Well... to each his own is what I can say... hahaha...
Comments