Hot in da hood

G'day

After last weekend's cold and wet weather things have heated up over the last couple of days and I've had a chance to check out my new neighbourhood, Middle Park. Named with a nod to logic rather than romance, it's the area just to the west of and, obviously, half way down (ie the middle of, geddit?) Albert Park. The park is big and has a huge lake but is not particularly pretty, with a main road running through the whole of it on which the Australian Grand Prix takes place every year (so loud that most of the residents here move while it lasts!). Luckily the neighbourhood itself is far more attractive and quieter, full of quaint Victorian (?) cottages with beautiful ironwork balconies and overflowing jasmine bushes.

A quaint cottage

There's a little row of shops, cafes and a pub, with lots of rich couples (you have to be rich to live here - average price of those quaint cottages is A$1.3 milion, about £800,000) brunching with their kids.

Da hood

Five minutes in the opposite direction to the park is the beach and Port Phillip Bay.

Da beach

But what you really want to see, admit it, is the house I've moved into. Everyone likes a good nosey round other people's houses so here are a few shots.

Da outside (used to be a corner shop)

Da living room

Da other living room and da garden

Da parrots

As you can see, the decor is original, to say the least, and as you'll have realised my gangsta stylings and ridiculous use of 'da' to describe everything is very much tongue-in-cheek given the very middle class air of Middle Park. Makes a change from southeast London, that's all I'm saying. Oh, and if anything exciting ever happens here I'll be sure to report it here - just don't hold your breath!

And a couple of questions to finish off with.

Question 1: Why is Australian toothpaste in longer tubes than UK toothpaste?

Exhibit A m'lud

Question 2: When Melbourne properties are described as 'Georgian' what exactly does that mean? Not wanting to 'get all history on your arses' Melburnians but the Georgian period ran from 1714 to 1830, before your city had even been born, so what exactly is Georgian about these houses? Or is it some other George that I'm unaware of? Maybe a famous Aussie? Answers on a postcard...

And now the heat's getting to me (31 today!) and I'm gettig fatigued so I'll sign off.

G'bye.

Cliff