"Victoria - the place to be ! Melbourne offers cosmopolitan diversity to a new degree; known as the capital of fashion and coffee, the home of arts and culture and the sports hub of Australia, there is little that Melbourne doesn't do and do well." Melbourne has totally absorbed us ...especially me...so there has been no time for writing down the thoughts. Everything here seems to work really well, eg. Public transport (which we experienced when we arrived - bus from airport to central transport hub and then a smaller shuttle to the door of the hotel !), free tram transport in the centre of the city, lots of public areas with seating, amazing public library - just most amazing space, lots of free public wi-fi in the city centre, and masses and masses of restaurants and cafes. What an incredible coffee culture ! The Lanes are just an ingenious use of previous dingy areas ...lots of street art and restaurants. Where else can you find a coffee shop that also sells bicycles ...The little Mule Company...down a little alley. Today we had soup in the " Harry Potter Alley" in the gorgeous The Block Alley. Tonight's dinner at a very popular Korean restaurant was great - really tasty food ! We've walked the town flat. There are so many nooks and crannies and so many interesting buildings. The weekly market was just amazing ...the diversity of the city reflected in the food stalls. The State Library and some Art Galleries were on the programme today ...definately worthwhile to see. Spent some time on Federation Square ....sitting in deck chairs watching the world go by and also a large TV screen. Never a dull moment. There are several events on at the moment, sporting events and the huge Melbourne Fashion Festival. Walked along the Yarra River into the Sport rena Area. Really impressive. So conducive to outdoor living, joggin, cycling, rowing and just generally being acrive outside. Definately a very livable city. Melbourne's diversity can be seen in all different aspects of the city, it's architecture, it's art, it's transport systems (buses, trams, trains, bicycles, horse-drawn carriages) , culinary delights, cultures, peoples, alleyways - and this gives the city a wonderful vibe. People of all ages and cultures seem to coexist quite peacefully. There is no feeling of aggression in this city. It feels like a European city, due to all the historic buildings from the 1860s goldrush era, which brought much wealth to the area. This wealth can still be seen in the beautiful buildings that were constructed at the time, both private and public. The modern architecture is interesting, not always my taste, but it compliments the historic buildings. All in all it creates a very interesting skyline. The main thing we noticed is, that it is a city of young people - who seem to be out and about keeping the many restaurants, cafes and clubs buzzing. A major buzz in this city. In the centre of town and all along the river there are loads of street performers....some fantastic, and others a bit more challenging on the ears. We even heard some young man playing Rodrigues music. Enjoying every moment...the days are just passing far too quickly !