Melbourne (pronounced “Melbin”), the capital of the state of Victoria (no secret there) is a cultural and sports mecca and, according to the Economist, one of the most livable cities in the world. I can see why. It’s a beautiful city, filled with eye-catching architecture, cool street art, atmospheric alleys, a phenomenal art museum (The National Gallery Victoria or NGV), a slew of performance venues, lush parks, and fantastic sporting grounds.
Tauck, keeping with its tradition of putting guests up in top-notch hotels, has us staying at the Langham. It’s a lovely place, facing the river with views of the downtown (a five-minute walk over the adjacent Evan Walker pedestrian bridge).
The hotel abuts Southgate, a development containing boutiques, restaurants, bars, a well-stocked bookstore, and a food court with a delicious poke place (my first night’s dinner), a middle eastern spot (my second day’s lunch), as well as Vietnamese, Malaysian, and sushi. (Fear not, fast food lovers: there’s a Five Guys close by.) Closing out the culinary discussion, I’ll add that the Langham’s breakfast buffet is among the best I’ve ever had.
I spent three full days in Melbourne. Day one, when I arrived, passed pleasantly but damply. I met a fellow crossword constructor for lunch then spent some time squishing through puddles on the scenic walkway along the Yarra river, which cuts through the city.
The river, by the way, is known to the indigenous Wurunjeri as the Birrarung. Yarra simply means “flowing” in their language. John Batman (no superhero; he massacred countless indigenous people), who was born nearby and had a hand in founding Melbourne, is responsible for the error.
Those of you who’ve read this blog know that I love taking bike tours of places I’ve never been. On the morning of day two, I booked a tour through Blue Tongue Bikes. (I believe it’s named after an indigenous lizard; there are several other businesses named Blue Tongue.) The company is owned by a super-personable guy named Freddy, who led our intrepid group on brand-new e-bikes through Melbourne’s spectacular Botanical Gardens, Fitzroy Park, the sports complex (including the Cricket Ground and the Tennis Centre, home to the Australian Open), and Chinatown. I strongly recommend this tour if you’re into “bike-seeing.”
Why was our group intrepid? Because “damp” does not begin to describe the experience. Sodden, sopping, saturated, soggy, swampy – take your pick. It rained so steadily and so hard that when I got back to the hotel I had to take the paper money out of my wallet to dry. My wallet, by the way, was zipped into a pocket of my waterproof jacket, over which I wore a plastic poncho provided by the bike shop. Having said that, I’d do it again: the tour was scenic, informative, and a wonderful remedy for all those hours on a plane.
One of Melbourne’s top cultural attractions is the National Gallery Victoria, which is an easy ten-minute walk from the Langham. It’s spectacular. I wandered for a couple of hours through the exhibits of 20th and 21st century art and the Asian collections.
(The museum holds much more, but those were the collections that most interested me.) They have the usual big names (Picasso, Morisot, Manet, Renoir, etc.) but also wonderful pieces and paintings by artists from First Nations people and other under-represented or disadvantaged communities.
The NGV is a great place to take children. Alongside the informative placards about the artist and his/her/their work, there are write-ups explaining to kids what the work represents and suggesting questions they might think about. This outreach seems to be working – the museum was filled with children and teens, which was a wonderful thing to see.
Day three dawned with welcome blue skies, perfect weather for a walking tour. Melbourne is a terrific city to see by foot as long as you remember that cars drive on the left and trams take priority over everything. (There are lots of bikes, but in my experience, they are respectful of pedestrians.)
Our tour took us into downtown Melbourne past Flinders Station, a major rail terminal with an attractive exterior and clock, diagonally across from St. Paul’s Cathedral (Anglican). We headed down several of the city’s charming alleys and lanes. These small passages are lined with cafes, bars, chocolatiers, bakeries, boutiques, and other places to make your mouth water and your willpower and funds desert you.
Most of Melbourne’s classic buildings date from the mid-19th century to the early 20th, including a city hall fronted by sunflowers and a department store (Myer) housed in a gleaming white palace of a building.
Some alleys (particularly Hosier Lane) feature vibrant street art.
Along the river, particularly on the south side, there are intriguing sculptures ranging from the whimsical (a bench shaped liked lips) to pieces representing Australia’s indigenous culture.
After our walk, we headed by bus to the Shrine of Remembrance. The Shrine was dedicated in 1934 to honor the Australians who served in World War I. Since then, it has been rededicated to include Australian soldiers who have served in subsequent wars and peacekeeping efforts.
I found the Shrine quite affecting. In the crypt, a statue depicts a father and son, both soldiers, representing the many such pairs who served in the two World Wars.
The sanctuary contains a quote from John 15:13: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friend.” As originally constructed, an opening in the ceiling allowed a ray of light to illuminate the word “love” at exactly 11 a.m. on November 11th. Subsequently, Australia adopted Daylight Savings Time, so a mirror had to be placed to make sure the light arrives at the right spot at the right time. It is a somber, holy spot that I encourage everyone to visit.
Another spot to consider visiting is the SkyDeck, located on the 88th floor of the Eureka Building. It costs around $25 US to enter, but the views from the top are wonderful. I actually found it a better viewing experience than the far taller Burj Khalifa in Dubai.
I wish we had another couple of days in Melbourne so I could visit more of its bountiful attractions. For example, others in our group said that the Immigration Museum and the Melbourne Museum are worth checking out. Tomorrow morning we fly to Uluru. Thanks for reading – come back in a day or so for more.
PuffinlessTravel 