Tripping Along

Monday in Melbourne Cold and fresh, undeterred by either tiredness or the chill factor I went with Kepsibel into the city where we had a great breakfast at Captains of Industry a most unusual, hipsterish cafe. Industrial in design it used to be an old shoe factory and is now retro fitted to accommodate an airy cafe staffed by faintly bearded young men who look vaguely Amish and pale. The food was wonderful soda bread with mashed avocado and a pear, almond and saffron chutney. Sufficiently fueled we went to collect the items on my first part of the shopping list, which was fun, if not a bit overwhelming to be amongst such choice and retail affluence. We found bargains in David Jones, where I was also mistaken for a sales assistant, which I didn't mind so much so I did my best. We went to ACMI and spent a brilliant afternoon amongst the exhibits in the free Moving Pictures event. Afternoon tea was taken in DeGraves at another hip coffee place, Melbourne does eating really well and this was borne out again at dinner which we had in the Retreat Pub in Brunswick with Severen, Lyndon and Af. After cider and nachos Kepsibel and I took the train back into the city and then out to South Yarra where I got a tram to the hotel and she continued to Balaclava. On my own I found the emptiness of the streets a little daunting as I waited for the tram, and pondered the subtle shifts that get made in the subconscious mind through altered environments.