Melbourne, Australia…what a difference a day makes! This city is totally different from Sydney…the vibe, the look, the style, all of it! The “beachy” body consciousness of Sydney is a direct contrast to Melbourne’s hip urban eclecticism!

A great walking city, Melbourne is a shoppers paradise! Lanes, alleyways, little streets, and arcades abound filled with cool shops!

I love the mix of Victorian 19th century architecture seamlessly alongside Art Deco throughout the shopping meccas of Collins Street and Bourke Street!

The shopping arcades are stunning! Intricately tiled walkways open into these narrow light filled arcades with a Victorian feel…I understand these beautiful arcades started as little lane ways that provided rear access to properties facing big streets. Later they were roofed to provide refuge from weather and the crowds! These arcades give Melbourne it’s unique character and I really love how you just stumble upon one after another unexpectedly!

It gives this city a much more European feel and comes off much more sophisticated than Sydney…I feel an individual edgy chic vibe on the residents here and artsy individuality seems much the norm!

Melbourne is really surprising me with it’s charm and fashionable edge! Traveling to this southern city is allowing me to see Australians through a difference filter…