Yes, Yessssssssss…..Now that the
ticket is booked for a week of stay in the south-east corner of that country of
Kangaroos, as we have been told since days of growing up, we are relieved …I mean family is relieved as
they would now plan out the baggage part and I have, as always, been to the
task of doing a Sharlock Holmes kinda
scrutiny and find out the places that our family can spend the best of their
time and thank me back for doing my job splendidly.
My task was spelt out – safety
on top of the chart, then here come the need to just switch off city mode and
get drenched in the pristine nature of earth, in all its sublime beauty
and purity: Flora Fauna and the shape of earth. Keep my ePad busy.
Then squeeze into my travel itinerary,
locations of top historical significance, get charged up with the ancient
heritage structures where every stone speaks out its silent story. Mark off
those nearest to my master travel route so that family has a balance of rest
and enjoyment, and travel does not become a tiring exercise for the team.
Dooooone.
No travel is complete without a
feel of local markets, shopping places where things can be picked up for a dart
and most importantly, the food…...foodie
as we pat our back and say often…selection of stay has a lot to do with the
Chef and web reviews of the dishes that they roll out for tourists! Any
speciality with local raw that we may experience there and there alone and relish
while return to our mundane daily routines.
A lot of scissor cuts of travel
sites, travel woes , a few wikis- pikis, a few travel agents
The whole process took me a
fortnight to complete with and meet my touring partners aka . my family, to get
them a peek into what lies ahead and how much worth it to spend that rare one
week cut out from busy annual schedule. If the show to team members don't evoke cheers, if team shouts at me implying brickbats for the place – it is a notice of
REJECTION. And I would have to look out for other places of pleasure and leisure on earth.
But Hoorahh!thanks God, Melburne passed
the test majesticicllay ....Marvellous Melburne. However a note of cauthon: team members pointed out that official tourism site of Australia talk about Sydney, talk about Canbera but no Melburne!
Anyway, I assured them I would drop a mail to theirs for a correction or
perhaps get to know their point of presenting Australia on map without planting the name Melburne.
Melburne, the capital and the
most populous city in the state of Victoria,
and historically Australia’s land full of heritage memoir. The Land's struggle and capture by Europeans began here in Australia , Captain Cook's, fight with aborigines all
happened in this part of the world.
Long time back one journalist of
note first coined the term –marvellous Melbourne…it’s
true in deed …even now, as I made a virtual tour presentation to my Team. Here are some glimpses that readers may not want to miss.So our journey starts now .....Tick-tock...Tick-tock Tick-tock.... .
A large natural bay Port Phillip
on one side and Yarra River tributaries in other areas and the government and
people’s great praise worthy effort to keep the other world charm of nature in
tact away from the CBD and towards the suburb. Melbourne is rightly known world over a place
of four seasons – you the tourist would be thrilled that weather is so moody like my sentimental spouse, it’s
hot and cold and rain often with hail and gale ….but things change too quickly
like a T20 match.
Eurpean settlements began in Melbourne in the fag end
of eighteenth century and became the capital of colony of Victorian era So, guys
and gals, there are loads of… I mean loads of heritage sites. But It got a city
declaration only in 1835 …still a new
city when I look at our metros and semi-metros..
First have a look at the map,
guys!
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| Melbourne |
Guys, no point explaining in detail here and make it boring when the image itself speaks the truth and I stand on the side with my Thums Up sign for each one (My seal - certified by AmDbadi JhalMuri ) :D
[Numbering below does not reflect the presenter's preference though.]
No.1. Queen Victoria Market swells with people on a shopping spree...the pulse of Melburne, where can you feel if it is not here? Almost 1K traders five days a week (Tuesdays, Thursdays
- Sundays). Sundays ware a carnival look. During
Summer the QVM hosts the popular Suzuki
Night Market..
Note: All images shown here below are for non-commercial educational purpose use, to let people know the place..
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| QVM |
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| Packed foods |
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| QVM Eat-outs |
No2. Brington Beach and its colourful beach huts.
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| Beach cots |
No. 3 Great
Ocean Road for a drive and wave surfing- nature take your breathe away. But the bay at St Kilda is also very enchanting.
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| GO Road |
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| Kilda |
No.4 Phillip
Island for Penguin parade, but don't miss the snoozing koalas and wallabies.
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| Penguins float |
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| Koila |
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| Kangaroo |
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| Kangaroos |
No.5 Dandenong
Ranges -the National Parks and Wildlife,State these days look after it. and
the great news is that it's free for your visit. You can wander around this scenic wonderland
at your leisure and view the magnificent eucalyptus regnans
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| Dandenong Range |
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| Beautiful mountain range |
No.6 Quiet flows
the Yarra River ( ancient name
Birrarung ) as the tall Casino guards.A river cruise is safe and enjoyable to have feel of the banks till Williams port.
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| The soothing Yarra river weaving its trail around Melbourne |
The
Casino is more famous for many other entertainment and food joints. For those not used to it, keep away from Gambling....Yes, gambling can ruin your life....Keep away from the game or if you can't resist, play with 10-15$ for the fun of it.
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| middle mansion Casino |
7. Don't miss
Williamstown, if you think life is not always meant to be FAST, idleness can at times rekindle creativity. This town is away from fast paced Melbourne CBD district and here life moves slowly - lazy(?) colonial classic town.It reminds us of some of our own small towns - peaceful yet people shut shop at noon for a nap ...a few bucks sacrificed for a style of life.Amazing! You need to protect these life styles so that we can remember all towns began like that and each one as per historical blow of winds took different course.
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| Williamson town |
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| Williamson |
8. Flinders Street Station, Melbourne - is the central railway station of the suburban railway
network of Melbourne and is the transport hub the state. But why it is worth visiting is some heritage architecture and watching and enjoying the bubbles of life - it is another popular meeting point.
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| The dome structure - French heritage |
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| Heritage |
9. Sovereign
Hill -enjoy the Mines tour. Take Took strolls through the town on a Sunday,There are so many beautiful architecture to admire in
town. God-smacked Watch a demonstration of a $50,000 gold.Gold Smelting Works- nugget being
melted and poured.
Located in the heart of the Victorian goldfields
region, Sovereign Hill portrays the state of the city of Ballarat’s after the discovery
of gold in 1851. Sovereign Quartz Mine extends this
historical period to the 1880s. All workers in Sovereign Hill Theme mine are wearing the dresses of that time. Get a feel of the gold rush living in 2012!
Sovereign Hill opening hours: 10am to 5pm every day except Christmas Day.
Gold Museum open hours 9:30am to 5:20pm.
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| The Gold town |
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| Theme mine - Gold |
10. Captain Cook's Cottage
Arguably Australia’s
oldest building, Captain James Cooks’ parents cottage was sold in the town of Great Ayton, North Yorkshire, UK, for £800, dismantled and
transported to Melbourne, Australia, where it was re-erected in Fitzroy Gardens. The purchase of the cottage was
a gift from a wealthy industrialist, Sir Russell Grimwade, to mark the
centenary of permanent European settlement in Victoria.
The cottage is tiny and would be a lesson
to the younger generations to see how life existed during the 1700’s (building
erected OR renovated 1755 – stone above doorway CJG 1755). It comprises a
ground level living area which includes the kitchen and eating area, a small
bedroom and upstairs 3 room sleeping quarters (the cottage was larger during
Cooks parents’ time). To the side of the cottage is the former stable (added
after Cooks’ time), which has an interactive display on the life and times of
James Cook.
The grounds of the cottage contain a statue of Cook and a garden representing
how an English Cottage garden would have been laid out with vegetables, herbs
and fruiting trees.
It was purchased in 1934, dismantled stone
by stone and transported from the Yorkshire village
of Great Ayton to Melbourne. It was then restored, decorated
and furnished as it would have been around 1750.
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| The Post Box next to Captain cook's brick-by-brick reconstructed after shifted in 1934 from UK |
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| Cap Cook room |
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| Cap Cook House |
11. Last but first for many - Rialto
Tower
Many would rather prefer to begin the Melburne trip with a visit to Rialto Tower being on top of itinerary. Being the tallest skyscraper, reach the Melbourne Observation
Deck. Here you can experience 360 degree views of this diverse city. Got here by city bus. There is a huge colourful red-green-blue "525"
sculpture on ground level for folks to take some
souvenir shots before making your way up the tower .
On a good clear day, the view is breathtaking. Towers are always a good place to get a feel of the city.
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| 360 Degree view from Rialto Tower 55th floor |
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| 360 Degree view from Rialto Tower 55th floor - night |
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| 360 Degree view from Rialto Tower 55th floor - other side |
Also visit Melbourne Zoo, Federation
Square, china town, Royal
Botanic Gardens, Shrine
of Remembrance ,Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). For South Asian tourists, MCG always holds a lot of interest - as one of the best Cricket ground of the world.
12.Top-rated restaurants.
1 The
Colonial Tramcar Restaurant
2 Chokolait
Hub 
3 Melba
at The Langham Melbourn
4. Street foods - some popular ones are :-
Lord of the Fries -– Swear 100% Pure Vegetarian –please
come, please come …:D Located on Elizabeth Street - the
burgers and fries are for vegans.
The Beatbox Kitchen is burger fries speciality shop.Try the popular
Shroom Burger.
The Taco Truck.whose menu has a lot common with Mexican recipe .
Some popular fst selling items are tasty fresh corn chips ,fish tacos. A
comfortable range of snacks and heavy meals on offer. Soup special change each
day – then chicken satay skewers, lamb kebabs, a Jamaican jerk-chicken wrap,
somtum (Thai papaya salad) - picture below, and Kashmiri chick pea curry.
