Melbourne Menagerie II: The Crown & i

Melbourne20090417
Swiped from williamnyk.

The first proper day at Melbourne cannot be summed up easily. We were still trying to find our bearings as the itinerary was quite imaginary. It was very random. First thing in the morning, we fried bacon, eggs and sausages for breakfast. After filling our tummies, we headed for the nearby Federation Square to seek out the Melbourne Visitor Centre (affectionately known as "The i") for a headstart. Each town of any tourism value has one and the staff are extremely helpful. I tried to take in everything. The cool air in my face. The mess of wires that give life to the trams that share the road with the other vehicles. The orderly block style of the city with its many lanes, nooks and crannies. The uniqueness of every building. The cuteness of the guy on the street. :P. But before that, we made a quick stop at the nearby St. Paul's Cathedral, a beautifully ornate Anglican church. Everything was ostentatious, from the masonry to the pew cushions. However, I had the feeling that it was more touristy than religious. While I was there, the main altar was not occupied, but mass was celebrated at an auxiliary altar at the side, with just several people around it.



Federation Square was quite a weird sight to behold. Geometrical mayhem. Was once called an eyesore it seems with its asymmetrical lines and multitudes of electronic signs crawling across its burnished metal facade at every possible angle. Along the square, one can also find the Australian Center for Moving Images, the Ian Potter Center, the National Design Center, Champions and several cafes. At the the Visitors Center, we managed to get what we were looking for-- information overload and a whole lot of brochures. Buskers are aplenty in the city, and apart from the usual crooners with a guitar (some were quite talented), a comedian was doing his slapstick at Fed Square. When a group of students from the audience started to leave, he shouted at them:

Hey kids! You don't need school! Just look at me! Hehehehe.

My bro-in-law was so entertained that he dropped him a twenty. Walking around Melbourne was pleasant with the pedestrian-friendly traffic and cool weather. Along the way, I purchased a Crazy John's sim card for AUD19 for AUD55 worth of credit! Fantastic coverage everywhere I went except for Port Campbell. Oh well, that's good enough. Lunch was at an al fresco cafe called Gordon's where we had warm pumpkin and rocket salad, chicken parma and seafood linguini. Heat was provided by elevated outdoor stoves. Post-lunch had us at the beautiful Royal Arcade. A very different feel with the unique "outdoor but indoor" feel. Bought chocolates at the famous chocolatier Haigh's. The night was spent at the Crown Entertainment Complex. Having no luck at the casino, we had dinner at Sante's, a buffet restaurant not unlike The Coffee House in Genting. Even otak-otak and char kuey teow were in the spread. Not bad for less than AUD20 per pax. Going home, we took the scenic route via the Sandridge Bridge across Yarra River....