Summer in Melbourne Part I

One of the oddities here in Australia that I still have yet to wrap my head around is how their seasons are backwards! It was great during the summer (December-February) because I was able to come out of the bitter D.C. cold and into glorious heat. But now it's winter, and I'm wearing UGG boots and wrapped up in my leopard print Snuggie while on my Facebook feed, all my American friends are getting sunburned and drinking margaritas by the pool.
Luckily, I can look through the pictures I took during Australian summer and reminisce about warmer days.

I took a few really good shots during a blind date (I know, I know...don't judge). We agreed to meet in Federation Square; I arrived a bit early and was able to take some nice pictures. Fed Square is a very popular destination for Melbournians. There are a bunch of bars and restaurants in the vicinity, and tons of chairs where people can sit down and hang out. When there are sporting events on, people head over to watch it on a huge projection screen. There's live music, other entertainment, and everyone has a good time.

St. Paul's Cathedral, right next to Federation Square

Federation Square. My friend told me the layout and architecture was inspired by Aboriginal art

After we met, we walked over to the Shrine of Remembrance, the war memorial built to commemorate those who had served in World War I. It's Victoria's largest war memorial and Melbourne's most recognized landmark.

Pretty!

And those were pretty much the highlights of our date...

On another day, I went with a friend to Southbank! We strolled down the Yarra River and I was able to get these lovely pictures. Southbank is a really nice area to spend the day. There are a lot of restaurants, cafes, and street performers, and it was nice to be by the water. It's so lively there, and a great place to people watch!