We were so happy to arrive in Melbourne. Not only was there the promise of beautiful weather, but also a visit with friends who we hadn’t seen in years! Melissa & Brad, who I met in Sydney during a semester abroad almost 15 years ago, were our fabulous hosts and their apartment was the perfect home base to explore the city.
We arrived on a Friday and spent the weekend walking endlessly around the city, stopping for good eats and drinks, and just catching up. We had been in small towns for most of the trip, so we were happy to be taking in a big city! The weather was beautiful and the city was buzzing. We even caught a show on Saturday night, the first live concert I had been to in over a year! Great show, great weekend 🙂
Just around the corner from Melissa & Brad’s apartment was the Queen Victoria Market. We LOVE a good local market and found ourselves there often over the week of our visit! And with a kitchen at our disposal, we couldn’t help but try some of the fabulous meat and seafood selection. We made some local lamb chops for dinner one night and a seafood medley pasta another. And when I say “we made” I mean Alex made it and I set the table. I may have also grated some cheese.
Along with some incredibly delicious home-cooked meals (damn do we miss having a kitchen), we also had some seriously good food in the city. Vietnamese, Chinese, Korean, Italian, British (they love their pubs), and some mixtures of fusion. The food scene was really top notch. I am a bit disappointed in us for how few food pics we took, but at least a few made the camera roll. My first Korean barbecue experience was a smash hit!
During the week, while our hosts were working, Alex and I took to wandering around the city. We especially took a liking to the local Chinatown. The restaurants were excellent, but what really impressed us was the museum. It highlighted the Chinese immigration to Australia throughout history and was just impressive – informational and nicely put together. We both really enjoyed it! So much so that we found ourselves spending way too much money in the gift shop. But we do have some super cool souvenirs.
And on we went, taking in the sights. Wandering around, checking out different neighborhoods, stopping for a beer and a snack, and even strolling through the Melbourne aquarium. We really could not get enough of the city!
We felt like we squeezed so much into our time in Melbourne and really got a good impression of the city – we loved it! It just has good vibes. But alas, our visit had come to an end and it was time to move on. Next stop – Tasmania!
Wandering Between Meals 
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