So Much for the National Symbol

My love of Melbourne continues. Even if perhaps Melbourne doesn't return the sentiment.

The day I arrived here it started to rain and it has not stopped yet. There is so much rain that it is making major news around the country. Melbourne has been under strict drought restrictions for nearly 3 years... and then I arrive and that very day the heavens open up and it pours and pours. For that matter, the weather has not been on my side anywhere lately. In Sri Lanka it rained every single one of my ten days there; and I'm not just talking a few showers, I'm talking torrential afternoon downpours that lasted for hours and flooded the yard. It rained the whole first day I was in Singapore. And then Melbourne. But still I love Melbourne, even when it's grey and gloomy. Imagine how much more I would love it when it's sunny and has blue skies!

Today I discovered one more reason to dig this city. It offers an amazing service to its visitors: there is a free bus that transports people around to all of the major attractions and different neighborhoods. Just to be nice, just because they want the people that come here to be able to fully appreciate their city and all it has to offer. I kept waiting for the catch, the part where I had to pay the hidden fee or cough up the big tip... but no, it's just free. Awesome! So I used that this afternoon to get around to some of the places I hadn't seen yet.

I saw the university, the harbor, the Italian neighborhood, museums, Federation Square, the trendy areas... but the one where I spent the most time was the Shrine of Remembrance which is, as you would guess, a memorial to the men and women who have served their country in times of war. I unexpectedly found it to be a rather emotional experience. I have always appreciated the people who serve in the armed forces back home but since my own beloved nephew decided to join the Marines this year, it has a newer, even deeper meaning for me. That there are men and women who have such a sense of honor that they're willing to risk their own lives to protect the lives and the freedoms of their fellow countrymen is a very profound and personal concept to me now. As I looked at the exhibits there and the medals of valor that each represented a certain number of men and women who have died in service to their country, I got teary eyed. I can not possibly thank them enough.

In the evening, Monique, Sarah and I met up at the Queen Victoria Market. On Wednesday evenings it turns into a night market and is quite the institution and the thing to do here. There are stands with of all sorts of Australian handicrafts and really unique items. There are also rows and rows of food vendors offering just about every type of food you can imagine. We tried a number of different things and shared them but the most interesting were the meats that Monique got.... kangaroo, emu and crocodile! Frankly, I was surprised that they eat their national symbol but it turns out that it's quite popular and, as a bonus, pretty healthy. So of course I had to try them all. I mean, really, how can one turn down trying kangaroo while in Australia? They were actually all pretty good but the emu was my favorite as it had the most flavor. For some reason, the idea of eating crocodile creeped me out a little and it took me a few minutes to work up the nerve but it turns out that it tastes pretty much like, no joke, chicken.

Tonight while I write this I am listening to some Christmas music, trying to force my mind into comprehending that it really is almost here. So far, it is definitely NOT working.