Wednesday, August 31, 2005

The Deep South

Recently was way down south on business, in the city of Sydney. Taking advantage of his sudden proximity to it, Mine Host decided to visit the never-before-seen city of Melbourne.

Observations on this secluded southern city: Melbourne is as chilly as was expected, despite the fact that Mine Host was rugged up in more jackets than he has worn in many a year, people around him in the street were heard to be commenting on how "mild" the day was, & how "pleasant" the weather is compared to a little while ago. Just goes to show that everything is relative!

As indeed is sunshine. Melbourne is far further from the equator than Mine Host is accustomed to being, with accompanying reduced severity of sunshine. In fact the reduced sunshine of Melbourne gives it a rather 1950's technicolour movie feel, & Mine Host had a nagging feeling that he was transported to an alien world. And people on the street were heard to comment on how "sunny" the day was!

Food! Melbourne is food heaven! Mine Host has an incredible weakness for congee! All year he covets the stuff, then suddenly he is in a place where it is available 24 hours! And in sit down restaurants, with tablecloth & waiter & all.... *Melbourne is the place*

At any time of the day or night, not only congee, but all sorts of food could be had. Mine Host was able to eat in fantastic upmarket restaurants whenever he chose, without detecting even the slightest reluctance from restaurant staff. Finding any restaurant open at 11pm (even fast food) is usually too much of an ask, then there is Melbourne, with mouth watering food available sit down with wine at any time!

Mine Host is now scouring his diary for an excuse to return to the deep south!

3 comments:

antikva said...

Ah! So you're the reason we had mild cyclonic type weather here :-)

Ellie @ Kitchen Wench said...

Many a Melbournian will tell you that the weather is the only bad thing about the city, myself included! Today alone, we had about 4 and 1/2 seasons in the one day - the "half" being the part of the day when half the sky was sunny and blue while the other half was grey and foreboding.

However, as you said, we are definitely the right place to be for food - next time you come down, make sure to check out some of the hidden alleyway treasures that we have here!

Mine Host said...

"Next Time"
Ellie, you are referring to Melbourne. The other end of the continent. A place most people have probably heard of, but will never visit.
I've been there a couple of times in the past 10 years or so. My lifetime quota of visits is very much used up.