Travel Guide | CSTCTD

Melbourne is the sort of cultural cocktail that is five parts elegance, five parts soul, served with a dash of pizzazz seven days a week. Strong on history and heritage, the city is a hub of theatre, art, festivals, movies and music, fine food, elegant fashion and lots of sports.

One notices harmony between nature and urban development. There are wide beaches that beckon visitors, a vast bay stretching further than the eye can see, hills, forests, and rich wine country. And there is the Yarra River. Melbourne was born on the banks of the river and the stories have always been closely intertwined. Seeing the city from the river offers a whole new perspective and one can take leisurely cruises up stream or down on anything from passenger ferries to Venetian gondolas and luxury cabin cruises.

Melbourne is more action packed than any other Australian city. Formula 1, Australian open, Cricket, Australian rugby and much more, it is the race that stops a nation….. More then anything else, it is this wide variety of attractions that make the city what it is- a bustling, urban melting pot. You can’t take the city by surprise because of the fact that it is always providing memories around every corner.

With the setting sun comes a different Melbourne. One that brooks no excuses for staying home, away from the swinging restaurants, cabarets and night clubs, where good, easy fun comes naturally. The brightest lights, biggest games, and headiest atmosphere are to be found in the Crown Entertainment complex.

People don’t seem to talk much about it but lost somewhere in the sporting activity and ballets and things, is some incredible wining and dining, ala Australian style. Melbourne is a ‘cut and come again’ magic pudding and its people explore food and appreciate its familiarity while searching for new ways to indulge.

What people do talk about here is the shopping, and it’s certainly worth a shout or two. It isn’t so much what you buy but the way you buy it, and the surroundings in which every thing is set. A fashion center since 19th century, Melbourne continues to set standards in customer service,. Move around, shop and explore at leisure.

The city awaits its visitors. It stays wide-awake even in the dead of night and its soul and spirit are there for all to see. This is no place for the bashful, certainly no place for the staid visitor who likes his sightseeing with the help of a guidebook and map. This is the kind of place where they encourage asking for directions, seeking advice on the best place to eat, or any conversation that touches in the city and its fortunes.

So, keep talking, mate….

All of April, all across Japan, people give parties under the tress, follow the weather forecast carefully, hunt out the best picnicking spots, and are generally seen to be happy. The reason for this outpouring of national bonhomie: cherry blossom season. The ‘Cherry Blossom Front’ takes acout a month to blow across the Japanese archpelago, from south to north. The peak season, where the trees are in full bloom, is short- for about a week in each place, the flowers open all at once, and the petals all fall soon after. One of the most popular blossom, viewing spots in the Tokyo area is Asukayama Park, where a costume festival is sometimes held to go with the spirit of season. Other famous viewing areas are around the imperial palace, along the palace moat, and in Uneno Park. Good time to go.