Marvellous Melbourne

We've taken a week and a half off work and are tootling around Victoria. The marketing slogan claims 'You'll love every piece of Victoria', and I find that's generally true. The weather is often abysmal (and this weekend has been no exception) but the culture and food and ambience make up for it. We're only staying in Melbourne for three nights – the rest of the time will be in country towns – but have managed to pack a whole bunch of adventures in already ...

– some great exhibitions: Napoleon, Revolution to Empire at the NGV and Love and Devotion at the State Library of Victoria (we also tried to go to The Wonders of Ancient Mesopotamia at the Melbourne Museum but the queues were huge)

Napoleon fans gather outside the National Gallery of Victoria

– some great food: gado-gado and nasi uduk at Bundo Raya, Chinese egg tarts from Maxim's in Chinatown, roti canai and nasi lemak from Petaling Street, brekkie at the Galleon Cafe, coffee from a kombi in St Kilda Road and – absolute indulgence! – afternoon tea at the Hotel Windsor

Pink bubbles on arrival at the Hotel Windsor ...

The first course at the Hotel Windsor. There was also a dessert

buffet, which had to be seen to be believed!

– some great wanderings: we walked around the CBD, Chapel Street, and Carlton, and travelled on heaps of trams. Trams are so cool!

Heading for Bendigo tomorrow. More adventures to come, no doubt.