Summer in March

This weekend, we officially had summer weather, with it getting up to 28 degrees Celsius (still trying to figure what that is in Fahrenheit)!  It was a great excuse to spend the weekend outside, enjoying the sunshine.

On Saturday, I spent most of the morning at Victoria Market.  It took me awhile to find, but I'm glad that I stuck with it because it was awesome!  It was probably the biggest farmers/flea market set up that I've ever seen.  I was not expecting there to be so much variety, so it was a wonderful surprise (though a little bit overwhelming).  When you walk in, you are hit hard with the smell of fresh fish.  The pathways branch off into different sections, leading you to delis, sweet shops, and produce stands.  The best part is that the prices are so much better than the ones at the local grocery stores.  I gathered up some fruits and vegetables, which I have been refraining from buying up to this point, before heading over to the booths full of crafts, handmade clothing, and souvenirs.  It was fun just to browse and see what people were offering, and I can see myself heading back there sometime soon.  Just as I was leaving, I caught a glimpse of a Spanish band playing outside, so I stopped to watch them for a little while before heading home.  Once I got there, I went out for a run before heading over to the library to study.

This morning I found myself at the library once again, to get a little work done before heading out for the rest of the day.  After being a responsible student, I caught the tram outside my apartment, and took it all the way down to the beach front.  It took about 30 minutes, and along the way I realized just how much there is left for me to explore!  I had no idea that the "Central Business District," that I have been calling downtown is in fact just a gateway to the many wonders of Melbourne.  I am going to be busy on the weekends from here on out.

St. Kilda's Beach

 Once I got to the beach, I took my time to stroll up and down and look around.  The weather was perfect, and I went down the pier to the water, watched part of a beach volleyball tournament, and enjoyed some food before heading back to check out some of the sites that caught my eye on my trip up.  I stopped at the Shrine of Remembrance, which commemorates fallen war heroes.  Not only was the memorial beautiful, but the views from it were amazing as well.  My plans to head back towards home from there suddenly changed when one of my friends contacted me, and I ended up heading back towards the beach to catch some dinner.  It's nice to explore all the new eateries, and stray away from the American chains that I'm used to.  I did see a McDonald's, but besides that, all the restaurants are original.

Shrine of Remembrance

Melbourne, from the balcony of The Shrine

Sunset

I finally got home, took a shower, and realized how sunburned I am.  I am currently lathered in aloe, and my only hope is that I won't wake up tomorrow morning not being able to move.  It's supposed to be a couple of degrees warmer tomorrow, but I am definitely going to have to stay in the shade.