Wawrinka versus Nadal.

This might be your current association with Melbourne; the whole sportive world looks towards the capital of Victoria tonight. Ourselves, however, enjoyed and discovered this vibrant city about a month ago, when tennis was still far away and Christmas just around the corner.

Before the holidays, we went downtown to explore Melbourne’s famous arcades for Christmas shopping. Sincerely, I have never experienced such a relaxed before-Christmas period: we did not have the pressure to buy presents and, therefore, could just linger through the decorated streets and peer into shop windows.

 

Meanwhile, at home, everything was prepared for Christmas and other celebrations.

 

  

After Christmas, we took our time to walk through the graffiti-painted lanes and have a break in some of Melbourne’s gorgeous cafés. When the rain forbid us those strolls, we found refuge in the interesting National Gallery of Victoria. Nevertheless, I am glad the heat-wave only reached the state after we left: I do not want to imagine the weather condition two weeks later!

  

Arts and sports (not only tennis, but also cricket and Australian football) are omnipresent in this modern, dynamic city — and if I would not have fallen in love with Hong Kong, Melbourne might have become my favourite city 😉

Now, let’s keep our fingers crossed for Stan the Man tonight!