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Published: January 28th 2023
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Street Art in Melbourne
There were appx 9 laneways that were full of this type of art. Australia has 28% of it’s population foreign born (Canada‘s is 23%) and with the largest segment of immigrants from China, it’s unsurprising that Chinese New Year is a big celebration in Melbourne. On a pleasant Sunday afternoon, we took the train to the city centre and attended the launch of the big celebration and parade. The crowds, mostly unmasked, were large and concentrated around China town. Its estimated 80,000 people were packed into a few streets to watch the parade and participate in other activities . In the Chinese Zodiac calendar, 2023 is the year of the Rabbit. According to the BBC;
”2022 was the Year of the Tiger and decorated as a positive and active energy in Chinese cosmological thought. The Year of the Rabbit embodies a different energy, focusing on relaxation, quietness and contemplation. The rabbit is a very gentle and clever animal”.
So Debra and I are going to enjoy the “Year of the Rabbit” by relaxing as much as we can.
Melbourne provides great tourist information and there are a number of themed self
Head of the Dragon.
Pretty elaborate and intricate designs. guided walks which are a convenient and an interesting way to tour the core of the city. In our last blog, we included some pictures on the ”Classic Design Walk” which we did last week. On this trip, we took the “Street Art Walk “ which included a number of laneways containing a wide array of art. There are some really talented, artistic people in Melbourne. After appx 16,000 steps, on a relatively hot and sunny day, we capped off our second trip to Melbourne with a cold beer at a restaurant using “Canadian Club” umbrellas on their patio. It should be noted, the bill came to $23.00AUS for 2 beers!
South East of Melbourne, about 1 1/2 hours drive from our location, is Mornington Peninsula. It is one of the main wine regions in Victoria state and also boasts some of the nicest golf courses. We‘re planning a number of visits to the area and our initial trip included a short hike at Arthurs Seat National park and a visit to a couple of wineries, both of which exhibited quite unique outdoor sculptures. Point Leo winery in particular was a spectacular facility overlooking Philips Bay. Unfortunately the drive
Body of the long Dragon
In Chinese mythology, touching the Dragon is supposed to bring “Good Luck”. Debra reminded me “Good Luck” isn’t the same thing as “Getting Lucky” required taking the M1 freeway through Melbourne, total return travel time 5 hours. The traffic congestion made the 401 look like a country road. We will need to find an alternative for the return visit.
Australia gained independence from Britain on January 1, 1901 and for some reason they celebrate Australia Day on January 26th. We watched on TV the celebration held at the Sydney Opera House and it was an outstanding show, certainly worthy of attending in person given the opportunity.
The weather continues to be very enjoyable with moderate temperatures and very little humidity. There’s been only a few days of +30C temperatures. We’ve now played about 6 rounds of golf and continue exploring the area surrounding Melbourne. Still trying to find some good Chardonnay and Pinot Noir for which this region is noted, however, we’ll keep searching for ones we can afford. Wines are expensive so it’s having an impact on our consumption. Oh well, at least we’re getting closer to the new Canadian alcohol drinking guidelines.
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Susan Reid
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Australia day
From Wikipedia; Australia Day is the official national day of Australia. Observed annually on 26 January, it marks the 1788 landing of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove[a] and raising of the Union Flag by Arthur Phillip following days of exploration of Port Jackson in New South Wales. Indigenous Australian events are now included. However, since at least 1938,[7] the date of Australia Day has also been marked by some Indigenous Australians and supporters mourning what is seen as the invasion of the land – which they had occupied for millennia – by the British and the start of colonisation, protesting its celebration as a national holiday. Invasion Day, Survival Day, or Day of Mourning is observed by many as a counter-observance on 26 January,