Day 0 – Melbourne
We arrived at our hotel just after noon after a rather interesting ride with a particularly fiesty Aussie. We got to hear a few tidbits about the city and also a few stories about other “Yanks” he has met while driving for Suncoast. Anyway, the hotel seemed nice from the lobby but we were too early to check in.
We left our bags with the concierge and headed off to the Queen Victoria Market which is just a block away. Wow! Our noses brought us to this cafe just beyond the southwest entrance to the market. The cool weather (about 8 degrees C (about 47 degrees for you yanks 
)) definitely brought on an appetite for soup. Brian ordered a pumpkin soup and I got the spicy African sweet potato. Oh my god! Flavors of nutmeg, crushed star anise and cumin were dancing around the bowl. Yum! This was all accompanied by our first glass of Ozzie wine (an organic shiraz for me and a sauvignon blanc for Brian).
Entering the market
We cruised through the market picking out various spots to revisit for souvenirs another time. We wandered into the food court which were nothing like the “food courts” of from the overgrown malls of the US. There was no Sbarro’s or Hot Dog on a Stick. Nope… There were some amazing wine and cheese shops, cured meets, fresh sausages, fresh breads, sandwiches, and more. Amazing!
Mmmm soup!
We continued on to the seafood and meat section and were blown away by the amazing selection of fresh fish, shellfish, poultry, lamb, ox, goat, beef and more! Definitely a food lovers paradise.
Fish anyone?
After walking every inch of the mall, we headed back towards the hotel to wait out the preparation of our room in the lobby bar. We downed a couple Carleton’s (the “Budweiser” of Oz) and made our way to our room. A bottle of wine, a hunk of cheese, some bread and an episode of Project Runway Australia were enough to put us down for the day. We planned to get up to go to dinner, but alas our exhaustion was too much.
A room with a view
We’re off and running on day 1 now!
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By Terri, September 4, 2008 @ 5:52 pm
Sounds wonderful, I’m getting hungry just reading about the food!
By Allison, September 4, 2008 @ 7:10 pm
Wow that is what I call a food court! I hope you guys have the time of your lives and can’t wait to hear more as you go!!! Drink some wine for me!!
By kevin thomas althouse, September 5, 2008 @ 6:32 am
Gidday, you old Bastard (EDJ). I really envy y’all. But, traveling again to a part of the Commonwealth proves that both of you have good taste and high intelligence. Do wave “hello” to PM Rudd for me, and suggest to him that his first name is _way_ cool. Melbourne sounds a tad nippy. Will you be going to Darwin? McCain & Palin remind me of two of the Three Stooges. If America screws up (again), and elects those two morons …
Anyway, I hope Brian and you have a great wing-ding in the Land Down Under. Send me a post card or something. One of those little flags would be cool, too. And, a couple of towels from your hotel would be nice. How about … ?
Good on ya, mate.
– Kevin