MELBOURNE

Hey Friends!

I've spent the last week post-program in Melbourne and tomorrow I fly home to the states!

Melbourne is AMAZING!!
View from the rooftop of my hostel (YHA Melbourne Metro)

Think New York City but a bit cleaner and smaller, a TON of diversity, and targeted towards college and post grad student aged people. It's really nice to walk around because I don't hear English as the main language and walking around the main part of downtown seeing different ethnicities of people, languages, and food. It also has an AMAZING China Town - best one I've found in all of Aus, and comparable with San Fransisco's.

Since my academic year is finished I have nothing school - related to tell you guys... so I shall give you a little insiders scoop to Melbourne and the good places to check out :D

1. Melbourne Central. Ok, so this whole inner city is like one giant mall thats about 8 blocks by 2 blocks and 6 stories tall, and anything and everything you could possibly need to buy is in there.
Queen Vic Market

2. Queen Victoria Market. BEST public market I've been to. Think San Fransisco's public market ferry station (? Is that what it's called? I don't actually live in the bay area and don't know it very well). It's a massive indoor public market in the front half and then think Portland Saturday market, but better. Huge produce venues with delicious fruit and veggies.

3. Docklands. Another mall area, there is a ferris wheel over there - it's cheap but I've heard it takes a long time to cycle through and only tourists really go on it - typical. But it's also got a ton of weird quirky indoor arcade type things like glow in the dark mini golf and stuff. Fun to go to with a bunch of friends or something :) Theres also a place called ArtVo that is like an interactive painting place where you can go and pose in paintings that look 3D.

4. St. Kilda. Theres a beach, a boardwalk and a cool food street with a cake shop every other building. Luna Park is also on the water there, it was closed when I went - but I've also already gone to the Luna Park in Sydney.

CHINA TOWN
5. Hozier Lane. So I never actually got myself over there, but it's this amazing graffiti lane with tons of "instagram" options.

6. CHINA TOWN. So I mentioned this earlier, but ahh the China Town is so authentic and ahh the food!!!! Shanghai Street (restaurant name) has amazing food and dimsum.

Anyways, I was only here for a week and definitely didn't explore as much as I could have, but if you ever find your way to Melbourne be sure to check some of these places out.


That's all for now folks,
I'll write to you STATE SIDE.

Australia has been an incredible time and the semester went by SO QUICKLY! But I am very ready to go home :)

if you want to shoot me any questions you can always reach me at: ksaylor@lclark.edu

**These blogs are meant to be for the admissions office and to tell you all about school, and I'll stil do a long photo album post when I get all the pictures downloaded and organized, but if you're looking for a bit more academic and maybe less touristy stuff check out Amelia's blogs. She just started uploading again, but she was on the Aus trip too and writes much more about the science.**

Cheers,
Kate