Yesterday marked my first month in Melbourne! About one month ago, February 23rd, Mommy and I arrived in Australia and spent our first night at the Best Western Box Hill Tudor. We had severe jetlag and were up at 2:30 am. We were dressed and out shopping by 7am. We had jetlag/problems sleeping for nearly 10 days. We managed to see most of what Victoria has to offer in under 2 weeks. Still don't know how we did it.
I've accomplished a lot in this one month, especially with the help of Mama dearest. Got the tram system DOWN, know some of the best spots in the city, and can comfortably get around campus without asking for directions! I've made some nice, close friends and met people from all across the world. This experience overall has made me so thankful for the lifestyle I've been living, as a frequent traveller and well-cultured citizen. It's becoming increasingly obvious how lucky I am to have been brought up in such a culturally rich environment like New York. It's so easy to tell who has been exposed to and educated in different cultures.......and who hasn't.
Today was a really nice day. Had an early brekky at Hopetoun Tea Rooms, went to the Melbourne Museum to see National Geographic's exhibit, Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures, and browsed the Queen Victoria Market. My friends from Germany and Norway came along too.
The gals in the Block Arcade
Flinders Station
Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures- I had no idea the afghans were such a successful and unique ancient civilization. I had been looking forward to this exhibit since I first heard about it back in February. I've always had a special interest in afghan culture, from food to language to history, I find it all very interesting and I was very keen on seeing this exhibition. They were known as the "Bactrians" (Bactria being the Greek name for northern Afghanistan) and were heavily influenced by Greek, Roman, Syrian, Egyptian, Indian, and Mesopotamian cultures. Afghanistan's location at the crossroad of the Silk Road provided ideal conditions for a prosperous economy.
The Tilya Tepe region was so rich in gold that pearls were considered to be more valuable. People of higher social classes lined the soles of their shoes in gold to indicate their status.
This crown belonged to a wealthy nomad. It's made of six separate parts that can be taken apart and reconstructed for easy travel. You know, for whenever you need to take your gold crown on the go.
Farsi calligraphy at the end of the exhibit.
These treasures were thought to have been destroyed in the midst of the rise of the Taliban. Brave afghans managed to safely store these artifacts buried beneath the presidential palace, where they remained secretly hidden for decades. They were discovered in 2007 and have been travelling all over the world. Hopefully, these artifacts will be brought back to the National Museum of Kabul, where renovations of the museum have been underway, after having been demolished by the Taliban.
Queen Victoria Market: A giant flea market! Definitely have to go back again. Reminded me a lot of Manhattan's "Eataly", with all the different stations/booths of food. It's basically a flea/farmer's market. Lots of souvenirs and knick-knacks, interesting pottery, iPhone cases, tacky T-shirts, fresh fruits & veggies, and plenty of preservatives/jams/honey/health food! It's a shame we arrived an hour before the shops started to close. It's a short walk from the Museum and also accessible by tram.
All in all, I am happy. I am comfortably situated in an exciting city that is easy to get around. I've made friends, learned a thing or two about Australian culture, and seen creatures I never thought I'd see in person. So alhamdulilah, thank God, for everything!
I've accomplished a lot in this one month, especially with the help of Mama dearest. Got the tram system DOWN, know some of the best spots in the city, and can comfortably get around campus without asking for directions! I've made some nice, close friends and met people from all across the world. This experience overall has made me so thankful for the lifestyle I've been living, as a frequent traveller and well-cultured citizen. It's becoming increasingly obvious how lucky I am to have been brought up in such a culturally rich environment like New York. It's so easy to tell who has been exposed to and educated in different cultures.......and who hasn't.
Today was a really nice day. Had an early brekky at Hopetoun Tea Rooms, went to the Melbourne Museum to see National Geographic's exhibit, Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures, and browsed the Queen Victoria Market. My friends from Germany and Norway came along too.
The gals in the Block Arcade
Festive Easter "Bilbeys" what
Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures- I had no idea the afghans were such a successful and unique ancient civilization. I had been looking forward to this exhibit since I first heard about it back in February. I've always had a special interest in afghan culture, from food to language to history, I find it all very interesting and I was very keen on seeing this exhibition. They were known as the "Bactrians" (Bactria being the Greek name for northern Afghanistan) and were heavily influenced by Greek, Roman, Syrian, Egyptian, Indian, and Mesopotamian cultures. Afghanistan's location at the crossroad of the Silk Road provided ideal conditions for a prosperous economy.
This crown belonged to a wealthy nomad. It's made of six separate parts that can be taken apart and reconstructed for easy travel. You know, for whenever you need to take your gold crown on the go.
Farsi calligraphy at the end of the exhibit.
These treasures were thought to have been destroyed in the midst of the rise of the Taliban. Brave afghans managed to safely store these artifacts buried beneath the presidential palace, where they remained secretly hidden for decades. They were discovered in 2007 and have been travelling all over the world. Hopefully, these artifacts will be brought back to the National Museum of Kabul, where renovations of the museum have been underway, after having been demolished by the Taliban.
Queen Victoria Market: A giant flea market! Definitely have to go back again. Reminded me a lot of Manhattan's "Eataly", with all the different stations/booths of food. It's basically a flea/farmer's market. Lots of souvenirs and knick-knacks, interesting pottery, iPhone cases, tacky T-shirts, fresh fruits & veggies, and plenty of preservatives/jams/honey/health food! It's a shame we arrived an hour before the shops started to close. It's a short walk from the Museum and also accessible by tram.
All in all, I am happy. I am comfortably situated in an exciting city that is easy to get around. I've made friends, learned a thing or two about Australian culture, and seen creatures I never thought I'd see in person. So alhamdulilah, thank God, for everything!
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