Melbourne @ Australia - My Second Home!

Posted on January 23, 2014
Location: London
Melbourne @ Australia - My Second Home!

More than fifteen countries I have travelled & lived in so far; but never there has been another country, which added as much contentment to my living, as Australia did. That’s why I still call it as my second home. May sound odd but I only had travelled to this gorgeous country, with an intention to stay only for six months, until then I was hoping that USA economy will be out of recession and I shall be back in United States for good. They say if you want to make the GOD laugh; you must tell him about your plans… what you want to do…where you want to live…where you want to travel…etc. Hmmm…you see; what happened to my plans… I just fell in love with the place from the very DAY 1… years past…I was still loving & living…to the extent, I became a proud citizen of Australia, in no time.

Something about the country, the freshness of it, the weather of it, sportsmanship/energy of its people and their honest outlook appealed to me instantly. Hardly I found an Australian, who said something and done something differently, with an intension to achieve something in return. This country has provided a strong base to my identity, my personality, my originality. Every one I integrated with, only encouraged me, made me aware of my own potential and helped me realize what I can achieve as an individual. Thank you Australia, Thank you Melbourne and thank you all my friends in Melbourne for helping me, with my life journey.

The Culture of Melbourne reflects its diverse, multi-layered culture and society, and the city has gained a reputation as the "cultural and sporting capital" of Australia. Melbourne's culture draws on a variety of international cultures, including that of very own Australian culture; however, a number of local traditions and strong Melbournian themes are predominant features in the city's cultural landscape. The city has attracted waves of immigrants over the years. There is a large (approximately 150,000+) British community & there are more than 50,000+ people in Melbourne who were born in each of the following countries: China, Greece, India, Italy, New Zealand and Vietnam. 43.3% of Melbourne’s population have British or Irish ancestry, 28.2% have Australian ancestry, and 18.2% have Asian ancestry (including 6.5% who have Chinese ancestry).

Melbourne's famous cafe culture was born in and around Lygon Street as an influx of migrants from Europe brought quality espresso to Australia in the 1950s. Coffee shops soon mushroomed in Melbourne's central business district and in the shopping strips of city-edge suburbs with the introduction of espresso coffee machines from Italy. In fact the European flavour of the city is such that coffee giant Starbucks recently announced the immediate closure of 61 of its 84 Australian coffee shops. Today, Melbourne's cafes are havens where you can sip a delicious cuppa and enjoy the passing parade. Melbourne's famous coffee shops are: Quists, Brunetti, Coffea, Icoco Cafe, Pellegrini's Espresso Bar, Mr Tulk, Laurent Patisserie and St Ali.

When it comes to food, you could eat out every night of the year and still not try all our restaurants. There are thousands of exciting restaurants, cafes and coffee shops to choose from, which specialise in ethnic cuisines that range from European, to Middle Eastern, to Asian. Wherever you are from, you are sure to find restaurants and food stores representing cuisines from many of the 200 nationalities that have made Melbourne and Victoria their home. Melbourne’s Victoria Street, known as Little Saigon, is famous for its Vietnamese restaurants and food stores. Sydney Road, in Brunswick (Melbourne’s inner north) is full of Middle Eastern restaurants. Footscray has many Asian and Ethiopian cafes and restaurants; while Little Lonsdale Street in inner Melbourne is lined with Chinese restaurants. My favourite eateries used to be: A1 Café, Chilli Café, Flow Drums, Shark-fin, Tea-house, Tran-Tran, Chilli-paddy, Georges, the Atlantic, Nobu, JJ’s Bar & Max Brenner.

I can continue to write endlessly about Melbourne but still I will not be able to define Melbourne completely…so much of impact it still has in me. That is why perhaps it is THE MOST LIVABLE CITY IN THE WORLD , for many years in a row. Just a "GOOD-DIEEE MYTE" with Australian accent itself, makes me feel as if…I am home…home is near! Love you Australia, forever & ever & ever & ever & ever…and thank you for the memories!

Bikash MohantyBikash Mohanty"Welcome to my website!
I am grateful for your visit. Please enjoy my writings and reach out to me, with your feedback."

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