Melbourne has been rated the most liveable city in the world last week, according to the latest survey from the Economist Intelligence Unit. Go Melbourne, congratulations!!
Apart from the unlikeable weather changes, everything else seems to work pretty well, from my point of view. One thing we can judge: public transport. Although Melbournians think that it doesn’t work properly, I have never had any problems in all the time I’ve been living here. In comparison with what I’ve experienced in Brazil, Melbourne’s public transport is fascinating, believe me. There are trams everywhere, when there aren’t, it’s easy to catch a train, they are safe and take you to wherever you want to go. I understand that it might be difficult for those who live further away in the suburbs and need to come to the city every day. But that’s the way it is in big cities, and believe me, it’s worse in cities where the population is larger than Melbourne’s.
Another thing we can count on: entertainment. Melbourne is a cultural place. The city is known for its laneways, libraries, coffee shops, art galleries, parks, theatres, attractions and amazing street performers. Melbourne has this underground style and you can easily see it by the graffiti lanes in the middle of the city, eclectics pubs in hidden laneways, and through people’s outfit. Have you realized how people don’t care about what your’re wearing? I love this place!
My first night out in Melbourne was not planned, we were just getting to know the city, walking through the streets, going from pubs to pubs, when we found a big tent with all those lights and great music coming out…“Is that a party? Did we just bump into a party in the middle of the street? Is this real life?” Yeaah! We were suddenly in. There were no walls, there was a DJ, and lights, and fog, and of course there was no booze because it was on the streets, but who care’s? A party had just sprang up in front of us!! That was a great one!
So, Melbourne topped the ranking of 140 cities around the world, ahead of Vancouver, which has not come in on top for the first time in almost a decade, slipping slightly to third place in the survey. The survey ranks the locations as having the best or the worst living conditions, with cities scored on political and social stability, crime rates, access to quality health care, cultural events, the environment, education and the standard of infrastructure. Let’s celebrate aussies! Despite the fact I’m not Australian, I’m as just proud as you guys to live in the land Down Under. Oh yeah!
Right! I know I’ve been complaining about the cold weather all the time, but as I told you on a previous post, I’m learning to appreciate it, and everything else helps a lot to enjoy to living in Melbourne. Except for missing family overseas we’ve always had a great time. Now spring is already giving us its grace and warm days have been more frequently, which gives me reasons to step outside smiling even more.
