Float On

I think I will miss Melbourne.  It is a metropolis city that seems to have its wits about it. Well organized with a functional yet practical public transit and transportation system along with a plethora of trails and bikes lanes to cater to the recreational athlete or commuter.  Although I am not familiar with the preferred sports of choice here, I can tell there is a large passionate following of fans.  

The traffic is chalk & block as it is with any urban city; But, I still don’t understand round about turns at intersections, which is essentially, organized U-turns with dedicated holding spots and signals...then again as aforementioned its structured here.  The way finding system is geared towards tourism, which makes it so simple to get from point A to point B.  

There is a distinct vibe to the city rich with arts and culture.  People are friendly, they embrace socializing beyond the archetypal salutations and are happy to engage in open ended conversations be it sharing in the previous night’s tales or what’s happening in town. They are all too happy to share recommendations for exploration, shopping, drinking or dining all without an attitude. 

It is a neighbourhood centric city, but not defined by ethnicity.  Each little precinct has its own pulse and is distinctive from one another. Melbournians have an air of confidence about them, but they’re not brash.  They know their town in the shizz and don’t fret about being singled out by fellow Australians.   I like that.  

It’s a creative melting pot here; you can see it in gallery windows, hear it from music venues and witness it through its glorious architecture, which blends old and new with style, character and substance. 

There are ample watering holes to whet your palette and a number of night spots to get your groove on, any day of the week.  The music scene is abundant with talent and the festivals are aplenty too. I love the al fresco appeal that is a stronghold throughout this urban centre. Albeit food and drink is damn expensive, you quickly forget the price tag after experiencing the high quality cuisine.  

The weather can be a little sporadic, but it doesn’t seem to sway the mood or ambiance of the city or its people.  It’s easy to overlook the inconsistency when there so much to love about Melbourne.  I know why others fall in love with this place and why it ranks as one of the most liveable places in the world.

Hmmm.

Parklife

Forward: Regrets for the break in posting.  I didn't have much internet access while on my tour. Should be back to steady a upload regimen again.

 

Yesterday was a bit of slow and easy day.  I spent some time cycling along the Yarra in the opposite from my usual route.  I also managed to fit in a round of golf at a local course Yarra Bend that Pete recommended.  It was a decent public course.  I managed to settle myself down after the first couple of holes and really found my rhythm on the back nine coming in 2 over par for an 80.  It’s only a par 68 so no need to get that excited.  I often wonder why I post great rounds on vacation. Golf is indeed a psychological game. 

It’s my last night in Melbourne.  I spent the early part of the day confirming details for my next leg of travel.  I wanted to get myself over to Adelaide, but needed to ensure I experienced the famed Great Ocean Road.  I figured a tour would be the most reasonable means to achieve this.  

I had visited the tour desk at Habitat HQ during my stay there.  The rep presented a couple of tour operators to consider.  Companies were more or less offering the same type of itinerary and price points, so further research would be required on my part to make certain an enriching experience was ahead of me.

He mentioned a couple of key points such as potentially taking in Kangaroo Island that was usually an expensive add on, but there was an operator that provided a 4d/3n option.  He also informed me that Grampians National Park has endured significant damage from the rains that have poured over Victoria in recent seasons so I should verify schedules. Sage advice

I narrowed my search down to two alternatives. After getting online and reviewing testimonials I opted to book with Goin South Tours, which was only one with the Kangaroo Island (KI) add on that had caught my interest.  Besides, the other operator catered exclusively to an under 30 crowd and there was no need to subject myself to being ostracised having to deal with immature folk. 

I called Goin South Tours to confirm my journey.  This operator was a smaller independent ma & pa option, but had a good history given they only specialize in this trip.  The lady was quite helpful on the phone adequately addressing my questions about the tour.  She had correctly deduced I was little more of a mature backpacker given the number of logistical queries I posed.  I took this as a compliment.

She reviewed the revised plans for Grampians, which were reasonable.  She also indicated that the tour departing the next day would be small in size.  Since there was no other party registered to make the trek to KI she advised on another operator they have a partnership with that could address my needs along with providing a 10% discount making the total cost less than the original advertised price given the modifications to the tour.  

After researching the proposal, I opted to bypass KI as the itinerary was slightly different than Goin South and didn’t justify the hundreds of more dollars required to make the excursion. Thus I confirmed the 3d/2n option.

She also went on to indicate that I should ensure Adelaide accommodations were in order given the Fringe Festival was currently running which was a large demand generator.  She was kind enough to provide a few suitable options to consider.  Her recommendations were in line with the ratings found on line, which only reinforced I had chosen wisely.  After failing to receive confirmation from my preferred hostel, I contacted her again and she kindly confirmed my choice.  Best part is the price for single rooms was half of what I paid in Melbourne. Only snag was this journey leaving bright and early Thursday morning at 7:00a! 

So it goes.

Pete was off to Sydney for business reasons, so Mardi suggested we take in the Moonlight Cinema at the Royal Botanical Gardens.  Yet another example of the liberalism in this fine city, we could pack a cooler (or Eski as it's termed here, no such thing as PC in Oz I guess) of food and drink to our outdoor viewing of Pulp Fiction.  Sweet.  

It was a clear and warm summer’s evening against the back drop the city skyline with flying bats (about 2’ wing span) periodically cruising overhead.  We also rented a couple of bean bag loungers to recline in whilst enjoying chilled wine, cheeses and shrimp cocktail.  This is the path of the righteous man.  Mardi and I got our shine on amongst the company of about a hundred of our closest strangers following the same prescription.  It became imperative that we engage in post event cocktails once back at home too. 

How amazing is this place? 

Down in the Valley

Although Saturday was a slow moving train of activity, I managed to make my way down to the CBD for some more exploration of the laneways and arcades to take some pictures. It’s easy to get lost; there are laneways off laneways from ground floor to second floor, but it led to stumbling across great treasures. 

After dragging my heels around in a state of weariness, I decided to go grab some lunch at Cookie before I expired. I met up with Pete and his brother Chris as they were downtown catching a movie at the Crown Casino in Gold Class, which is the VIP of cinema. There is push button call service to servers for food and drink, which goes beyond the usual concessions and there is also liquor available.  Best of all the seats fully recline to allow for horizontal viewing. No doubt Pete made use of this feature.  What a great business model.  This would be all the rage back home.

The food experience at Cookie was good, however having a large group of people would be better.  I ended up ordering the drunken noodles with mince pork figuring it was a logical choice given my state of being.  It was laced with a plethora of hot chillies, which only exponentially escalated the alcohol emissions from my body orifices.  En feugo! Thank goodness the beer menu is very extensive (think small novel).

The evening was very low key, which was welcome.  Sunday we made our way down to the Abbottsford Farm for breakfast. It wasn’t quite as enjoyable as it could be given the on/off, mostly on rain showers.  Naturally it cleared as we finished our meals.

Emily had ever so kindly agreed to play tour guide/chauffer for me down to the Yarra Valley from some vineyard hopping and wine tasting.  Pete & Mardi were kind enough to let us use their auto, which turned out to be quite an affair…more on that later. 

The Yarra Valley Wine Region is about 1.5hrs from Melbourne, maybe a little less.  Primarily the region yields Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines.  There was almost no production in 2009 due to the wildfires that engulfed the area. 

Our first stop was Yering Station, where a few friends of the crew here were joined in wedlock, including Emily’s sister Sarah.  The winery is quite beautiful, but the wines weren’t that impressionable as they were rather pale in flavour with a poor finish.  Thankfully tastings were free as they are throughout the region.  Nevertheless, the 5yr old Tawny was a great glass and the pour was quite generous.  Upon making our way out, I was already beginning to feel a little off kilter. Uh oh. Emily began looking forward to being a spectator should I make a sport of my day, which didn’t really happen.

We then hit a small winery in St. Hubert’s. Although the 2008 Pinot Noir was nice; however here again my palette was insipid with pale finishes on the varietals sampled.  Given the petite nature of the vineyard they didn’t have a café or restaurant, but they allow visitors to use some public BBQ’s on the land. I think that would make for a fun day.  Emily encouraged me to purchase some Meredith Dairy Goats Cheese marinated in olive oil with thyme and peppercorns. Instant love.

I was eagerly anticipating our next stop at Domaine Chandon. This vineyard was established in 1986 by Moet & Chandon Champagne house in France.  As the oenophiles may know products can only be termed as sparkling wines outside that region, but the production methods here are regimented in the same traditional standards.  

As expected, the vineyard was stunning with clean contemporary lines with a decor dressed in white.  We scurried over to the cellar door for tastings.  There was a $5 fee, but it would be credited towards any purchase. No worries there.  Although they produce several still wines we focused on the bubbles portion of the tasting menu.  

We began with the Blanc de Blancs, based on strictly Chardonnay grapes. It was lovely.  Emily’s will power to remain sober was quickly tested.  We sampled a few more flutes such as the Brut, Brut Rosé, Cuvée Riche and an oddity in Pinot Shiraz that didn’t really agree with me probably more on a psychological level.  We felt like asking for a stool and spending the remainder of day there.

Emily had also recognized the lady serving at the cellar door from previous visits and she worked her magic to allow for a tasting of one the exclusives available in the Prestige Cuvée. This 2002 vintage is aged only one year less (7yrs vs. 8yrs) than a bottle of Dom.  Orgasmic. We both knew that neither of us was leaving without a bottle. 

Emily indulged me to take in the free tour at the top of the hour despite experiencing it in the past, but it was a good break to help straighten our ships.  The tour was informative and I learned a couple of points.  Naturally there were some dumb questions…silly Yanks.

We then made our way to the restaurant to delight in a cheese plate and more sparkling wine.  Ahh! The life of leisure. The platter was delectable; unfortunately the service left something to be desired.  On the way out we perused through some merchandise swag.  There were some irresistible pieces that I considered shipping back.  It took little effort to convince Emily to pick up the chill out bag.

I was hardly put off that most of the day was spent in the Eden of the Chandon winery, but we had enough time to make one more pit stop at Coldstream Hills. We managed to make it to the cellar door with about 10min to spare before closing, ready to endure evil looks from the staff.  However, there were still about a half dozen folks there and even more late comers than us. 

Par for the course on the day, the service was first rate along with being extremely knowledgeable and only too happy to discuss all things wine from production to the industry conditions in the area.  The still wines here were the best sampled all day.  The 2008 Pinot Noir was extraordinary.  Apparently the 2010 lot is set to be the best yield for their Pinot in over a decade that will also result in the production of reserve according to the wine maker.  Emily again once used her charm allowing me to conclude my day of sampling with the 2006 Reserve Shiraz. Brilliant. 

It was time to make our way into Healesville, one of the largest towns in the region for some dinner. We stopped at Giant Steps/Innocent Bystander winery/restaurant.  I sampled a few more varietals, but they were the worst of the lot from the day’s experience.  Apparently the restaurant, which was kinda funky swank, provided better fare. Nothing jumped off the menu for either us and it was a little pricey for some of their famed wood burning pizzas.   

We decided to only get a few appy’s then make our way to Mt. Rael, which provided more appealing options.  I made the switch over to beer and tried the neighbouring microbrew White Rabbit. The White Ale was delicious, by far the best brew tasted during my time in Melbourne.

Upon departure, we were met with an unexpected twist to our day as the car wouldn’t start. You’ve got to be kidding!  Several attempts, no luck.  It sounded like a bum starter or alternator.  We called Pete & Mardi to deliver the good news. Given the week’s events it was likely the last thing they wanted to learn.  

Unfortunately, they are not members of RACV (think CAA/AAA), but managed to arrange for a one off local service technician to take a look at the car.  Meanwhile, Emily was sorting through contingency arrangements to make our way back to the city via train.  I ordered some pizza for us to chow on as well as another round of White Ale. Obviously I was experiencing too much stress.

The service technician arrived in short order.  He quickly determined that the battery was dead. Dead. This was surprising since all the interior electronics were in working order.  He attempted to boost us, but it was to no avail as the battery was flat lined.  Thankfully he was savvy enough to know how to hot wire the vehicle.  Hey, whatever works?

We also needed to fuel up before making our way back to the city, which resulted in leaving the car running during our pit stop.  We made it back to Melbourne in good order and met Pete & Mardi at the Saab dealership to drop off the car for Monday service. We all returned back to Pete & Mardi’s to enjoy a bottle of the 2002 Prestige Cuvée and eat more cheese. Eat, drink and be merry! 

As it turned out the car needed a battery replacement and new stability control system sensor. It was another fine adventurous day in Melbourne.

Viva la Vida

Friday morning started with a crash. As I leaped out of bed to make my way downstairs, I had my suspicions as to what caused the thunderous alarm.  Unfortunately, my instincts were correct as I walked downstairs to find Pete & Mardi standing in the lounge room amid dust staring up in bewilderment at the ceiling with collapsed plaster everywhere.  

It was a healthy chunk of damage about 2’ in width and 6’ in length.  At least no one was hurt.  I applaud the homeowners for maintaining their cool as I would have been sideways for the weekend.  However, Pete & Mardi viewed this as an opportunity to begin the renovations to the room, which were in the plans albeit not as an immediate expense.  

We all chipped in with clean up as Pete & Mardi returned home from their business day that was also filled with stressful moments.  I made my way over to the bottle shop to pick up some cider and ales to reward our efforts.  As I was placing the bottles in the fridge, one fell and smashed all over the kitchen floor.  Retard.

I was then in the backyard hosing off the mop, broom and various other household items to remove dust and eau du biere, Buster eluded my eye and escaped to run amok on the streets.  F*@#! If you are or have ever been a dog owner, you know this is considered a fun sport to the animal as you frantically chase them around the neighbourhood.  Tactics like unresponsiveness to commands and stopping to let you get close before turning the after burners on are commonplace.  I could sense that my gaffes were not sitting well and I was expecting nothing less than an eviction notice. 

Alas Buster made her way over to the park, which has enclosed entrance gates and we managed to finally corner her to attach the leash.  You could tell she enjoyed the moment. Once again Pete & Mardi remained understanding, which was a relief.  Yet, I still felt like an idiot.  

After all the fun we noticed we were left with just under an hour to get ready for dinner plans we had made with Emily downtown.  It was time to get the evening underway with style so a little toot of tic tacs took care of relieving some stress.  

We had originally intended to go to Cookie, a Thai restaurant that was a Melbourne institution as well as highly recommended by friends abroad. Regrettably, they were full for the evening so plans were made for a better Melbournian experience at MoVida, a Spanish tapas restaurant.

Dinner was amazing!  We noshed on several dishes, each better than the next.  The highlight reel of deliciousness included items like Carillera de Buey (Beef Cheek), Costilla con Sobrasada (Pork Cutlet), Cecina (Wagyu Carpaccio) and Bistec Tartar de Wagyu (Wagyu Steak Tartar). Wow!  A lovely bottle of Perez Cruz Reserve Carmenere wine topped the experience, not to mention the sparkling wine we had as an aperitif.

As we were now in the moment of enjoying the evening of each other’s company, satiated by our meal and libations; our daily worries seem to be long distance memories.  It was time to get our groove on and another round of tic tac bumps aided our cause.  

As we made our way through the laneways of the CBD, Pete continued to amaze and educate me on the history and culture of Melbourne.  The street art was fascinating.  We made our way over to ACDC lane and up to 24 Moons bar/club.  There was a decent band playing a mix of R&B/Soul/Funk music, but they were somewhat inconsistent with rhythmic flow.  We had a couple of rounds of drinks, strutted our stuff on the dance floor for a little bit before opting to hop along to another destination.

Unfortunately the skies had opened up, which limited our options without hailing a cab.  We found another place, but it was a little sparse than we had hoped so we stayed for one drink only.  Instead of battling the elements we were in agreement to hit a bottle shop and make our way back to Pete & Mardi’s for a little house party.  As it goes, the evening was filled with hilarious conversation, ample drinks and a little more party favours.  Lo and behold it was 5a! Another out for the count Saturday was in my future.