I arrived after a rather long morning at the hostel and checked in to 'Home at the Mansion for the next few nights'. An old Victorian era building the high ceilings and large doorways gave a grandeur feel to the place. I dropped my bags down and had my first venture around Melbourne kitting myself up for the next couple of months with a sim card and food for the next few days. After wandering and meandering through the central CBD grid I reached Federation Square, a modern angular Libeskind-esque square, the new urban cultural hub of the city. I was astounded at the technicality of the architecture and the layering of the facades down to the sleekness of the automatic sliding doors hung at an angle cut in a rounded triangle shape to follow the effect of the triangulated façade. Beautiful. I wandered around the Museum (the main use of the mixed -use complex containing offices etc as well) before wandering out to the water's edge. A beautiful sunny day I basked in the heat before heading back. The following couple of days followed a similar theme apart from the addition of my new device (my baby Samsung netbook) my Christmas present to myself I think J Brunswick street was a particularly good meander just up from the hotel with a wealth of vintage shops, young fashion designers and hip bars with interesting layouts many incorporating a restaurant to the rear with warehouse like high ceilings and front facing bars out onto the busy street.