Melbourne

Strangely enough, while Melbourne was thoroughly enjoyed, not too many pictures were snapped for posterity. Nonetheless, here are a couple to bring some complacency to those inquisitive of the southeastern Australian metropolis.

We had the good fortune to watch a “footy game” at the MCG in Australia – a stadium built to bring 100,000 frenzied Australian Rules Football fanatics together to cheer, chant, drink beer, and watch their favorite teams play a bizarre game similar to rugby, but faster and more peculiar. Having entered the stadium without a primer to the basic concepts inherent in the game, we were a bit dumbfounded as we watched the players prance about bouncing and kicking a football around a large grass field.

Apparently the goal was to punch or kick the ball between two tall poles located at either end of the field. Similar to kicking a field goal in American Football, but here the ball is kicked while the player is running. The ball can also be hit with a closed fist on the vertical end or tossed underhand. Strange indeed, but nonetheless entertaining.

We also biked around the city and checked-out a Tim Burton exhibit at the Australian Centre for Moving Images.

Our next stretch will take us along the Great Coastal Highway.