Melbourne, Victoria, Australia February 4, 2018

We arrived in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia yesterday by plane from Perth.  The flight was about 4 hours and took much of the day.  By the time we arrived at the hotel we were tired and called it a day.

Today was Sunday and we decided to see the market.

In central Melbourne, a city of 4 million people, they have a free tram system.  See above.

About a 15 minute ride and walk from the hotel, we arrived at the Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne.

 The first thing I noticed were the boomerangs and other aborigine artifacts.

I wonder if I could hit an eagle with a boomerang? I'd bet against it...

Fresh low fat kangaroo fillets anyone? How about marinated kangaroo in red wine and garlic? Or some fresh wild rabbits?  Since this is the first world, the meat was in refrigerated cases and there were no flies.  No worries!

Although Judy bought a number of items, the market was underwhelming for me, and so we took a cab to the beach, about 15 minutes away.

 St. Kilda's beach is just south of Melbourne, and was very crowded on a beautiful Sunday afternoon.

 There was a nice boardwalk. And several bars and restaurants on the other side of the boardwalk.

 Compare this weather with what is happening in Buffalo now...

 Not a cloud in the sky.

Don't you wish you were here?

As a beach bonus, there is a penguin colony down the pier from the beach and I found one hiding in the rocks.

A view of the city of Melbourne from the penguin pier.

A view back to the beach from the penguin pier.

 A statue of Captain James Cook, the British explorer who discovered Australia.

Here's the Wikipedia article about Captain Cook.

A live band playing Australian reggae music in Captain Baxter's, a bar/restaurant located right on St. Kilda beach.

The bar was at full capacity with a short waiting line outside. The cheapest beer was $10.

There were no tables available.

Everywhere you go in the world there is a Michigan presence.  This gentleman was a British cricket player from Manchester.  Go Blue!

On February 11 there is a music festival in St. Kilda's beach.  Unfortunately, we will be in New Zealand.

Even President Donald Trump has a presence in St. Kilda's beach.