Streets of Melbourne

It takes me a one look at Melbourne to fall in love – the mid-sized (in World standards) Australian city, which is usually sided by Sydney despite its continuous efforts to steal the scene with its coffee culture and street art. Right during the first hours of my visit – Melbourne gives me the feeling of being a fine mixture of Vancouer and San Francisco with its beautiful nature, street art and the hills. 

 My first stop is Hosier Lane, an area famous with its street art. The trendy Melbourne restaurant Supernormal is also just a couple of minutes walk from Holsier Lane. Russell Street, which is just above Hosier Lane is home to fancy hotels and offices. In other words, one of the most alternative lanes of Melbourne is sitting right next to one of its most luxurious areas. This actually mirrors the general aura of Melbourne where each different concept exists in harmony with each other – the city also has no room for exaggerated concepts. Its luxurious streets do not make you feel intimated and you do not get scared walking around the more underground districts. Melbourne makes you feel comfortable and welcomed. The city amazes me even more when it gets dark at around 5 pm. Seeing the city under the night lights, I feel an urge to re-visit my original description of the city. I realize that the night time lighting of Melbourne is almost in pairs with that of the Asian cities. In addition to the beautiful lighting of the main city buildings, the small shops and cafes also contribute to the atmosphere with their dim and colorful lightings. I am now convinced that Melbourne is a fine mixture of Vancouver and San Francisco covered by the amazing Asian lighting. I regret the limited time that I set aside for Melbourne in this trip. The city is much more than just an unexciting stop to use to beat the jetlag.