It is the second biggest city in Australia with a population of over 5 million people, and, it is rapidly growing.
BTW - Unless you want to look like a tourist, you pronounce it Mel-bun. And slur it together quickly.
Driving into the city's CBD (central business district) I could see a plethora of new, interesting, modern high rise buildings with cranes building more new high rise buildings.
But, wandering around I saw another side to Melbourne's CBD.
Not only are there new and interesting modern buildings,
there are also many beautiful old buildings nestled in amongst the tall skyscrapers.
I love the combination of new and old.
It was such a surprise from my initial impressions.
On the historic side, the Princess Theatre was built in 1854 and rebuilt in 1886.
It is the oldest surviving entertainment outlet on the mainland.
The Flinders Street Station was opened in 1854 and is one of the busiest suburban train stations in the southern hemisphere. There are over 1500 trains and 110,000 commuters that pass through it each day.
Across the street from Flinders Street Station is the modern Federation (Fed) Square.
It is host to an open air amphitheatre seating up to 35,000 people, a gallery for the National Gallery of Victoria, facilities for a radio and TV station, and numerous restaurants and cafes.
It serves as a cultural hub just outside the CBD.
Melbourne also hosts a small Chinatown.
There is a whole lot to Melbourne and the over 5 million residents, but what struck me the most:
the stunning combination of the old and new architecture.
(Sorry to disappoint the foodies, fashionistas and sports fans.)
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