OZ +2: Melbourne - City of Culture...

Advance, Australia Fair!



If you can spot what's odd about the photo of the flag, you win a kangaroo.

Yes, I'm finally here and - Damn! - four months early to see this cultural spectacle...



Never mind, just have to make do with the views from the Rialto Melbourne 360° Viewing Deck...



Not quite the tallest building in Melbourne anymore - that's the Eureka Tower which you can see in the photo above - but still best for all-round views of the city and as far out as Port Philip and the sea one way and the Great Dividing Range the other. As always when I have my camera and I'm up a tall building, I took what seemed to be hundreds of photos, so if you have half an hour, they are on flickr.

Spent the day exploring the city, riding the free tram...



...looking at the modern buildings and arty street sculptures down in the regenerated Docklands area...



...getting locked up (by an actor, not a real policeman) at the Old Melbourne Gaol (spelled in ye olde way)...

...and drinking coffee.

I have only been here 24 hours and I love Melbourne.

It's a really modern, vibrant city, which still feels provincial. It has an easily walkable city centre grid of streets, great facilities, lots of places to eat and drink, fantastic public transport. It's clean and seems very safe (even after dark, which it is by 6.30pm).

People have said Sydney is slightly tacky by comparison. Will let you know.

By the way, if you get a postcard, it was posted here...



...55 floors up.