Our short weekend in Melbourne

We had a short trip to Melbourne two weeks ago. It was a 4 night break for us just to roam the city and enjoy some light hearted travelling. We made no plans and just went with our whim. As usual, food was a major part of our trip. I definitely put on some weight from that weekend :p

We stayed at the Metro YHA for all the 4 nights. I was really iffy about that plan initially, my mind picturing stained carpets, stained walls, funky smells and wet toilets that usually goes hand in hand with youth hostels. But I must say, I was really pleasantly surprised. Our room was fantastic and we had our own private toilet. The communal kitchen was neat and organised. The hallways were clean with no funky scents. The YHA was a short walk to Queen Victoria market and trams. It was great. Anyone heading down to Melbourne and looking for a good place to stay can consider the Metro. Internet access was only $1 for 15 minutes and THAT is a fantastic price in Australia. The communal dining area has nice couches and a big blackboard that has a activities planned out by day for the entire week. So if you dont know much about Melbourne, this board is a great help. The activities includes free rides to St. Kilda beach plus free wine and cheese nights at the YHA meant for guests to mingle and meet other people who are staying there too. If you dont feel like eating out in some restaurant, the kitchen has a menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner at affordable prices. If you feel like cooking, the kitchen comes equipped with ~10 fridges, multiple stoves, sinks and plenty of plates plus cutlery. You just need to clean up after yourself and label your goods in the fridge. This place is not just for young people. It is also great for small families as it has family rooms with 4 beds and a private toilet.

I am really promoting this place eh? But I will say that I was quite pleased with the place that it will definitely be on the books as a place of accommodation the next time we head down to Melbourne.

Lotsa pictures coming up.. starting off with the Queen Victoria Markets. We stayed about a 5 minute walk from the market. I like looking at their food section :)

Stacks of dough - so quaint!

Sandwiches, croissants, bagels, scrolls...etc

Spoilt for choice - cheese, cured meats, sauces

Alex enjoying our very relaxed holiday

As the saying goes, a lady can never have too many bags, she can also never have too big a purse

We took the train to St. Kilda beach on a fine warm morning. There are rows of shops close to the beach and I spotted a small Polish bakery called Monarch Cakes, established since 1934. Most of the recipes of the cakes in this shop were passed down through the generations, originating from Eastern Europe. I wish we could have tried everything in that shop but our tummies wouldn't permit it. The display of cakes at the store window and the old decor, trapped in a time warp vibe the shop emanated really attracted the attention of not only my tastebuds but also my curiosity of an old shop.

Going back in time at the shop

Salivating over the cakes in the shop

Our cakes in a paper tray in a paper bag - perfect for the beach

Beach flowers

A spot of pink and yellow

St. Kilda walk

Cake time! From left: The infamous Chocolate Kooglhoupf slice, Continental Custard slice and Baci Royale.

We also managed a visit to the Melbourne Aquarium. We didnt have anything else to do around the city and since we had a buy one get one free voucher for the admission tickets, we figured why not? I felt like a kid once again, in a world of glass and water.

Seahorses

Alex in his glass bowl.

Fish: How does that make you feel now being stared at everyday? :)

Jellyfish

More jellyfish

Pretty in pink jellyfish

Many pairs of adoring eyes looking at me at the Melbourne Aquarium gift shop

We also went to the Melbourne 360 also known as Rialto. Again it was a buy one get one free voucher so it was a good bargain. Every ticket allows the visitor two admissions. So we went once in the morning when the sky was clear and again at night when the lights of the city came on.

City in the day

City in the evening - Telstra Stadium and the Melbourne Eye

Melbourne night lights

If you are ever in the city and yearning to have some Vietnamese beef noodles, do hop into this restaurant the Mekong. Its just a short walk from Flinders Station. I have been told this shop is well known for its noodles and is quite packed through all hours of the day. This shop has been visited by many a Hong Kong film star and it is evidenced by the photos hung on every empty wall space in this tiny restaurant. I spotted Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Damien Wan Siu Lun and some other stars I don't remember names of.

Glass mirrors lining the walls of the shop. Even the glass was not spared of celeb pictures.

I did say we ate quite a significant bit on this trip right? :) What is the major highlight of every trip Cheryl Yu takes? FOOD!

Chinese food in Melbourne is SO much cheaper.

Big portions of roasted pork and duck - my favourite combo!

Can you believe I have ever had the combination of red bean and evaporated milk? So yummy!

Ham and cheese on toasted foccacia at the Queen Victoria Market.

Italian mini pancakes at the Queen Victoria Market - This was SO delicious!

I went back to Toto's for some Italian food. This was the Family Pasta Mista. From left: Canneloni, tri-colored mushroom fettucini and seafood gnocchi.

Vietnamese Fried Chicken and Beef with rice

Our glowing faces after all the eating

cheryl