Spring is in the Air

Ah the warm breath of spring is upon us at last. It has been a very long, hard, lonely winter this year my friends but it seems to be coming to an end at last with the dramatic bursts of magnolia heralding that winter has become, late. The first pink cake decoration cherry blossoms have begun to sprout on the trees adding a joyful colour to the day. Blue sky and warming sun also helps to raise the spirits and shed the coats for lighter sleeves. As I looked around me today people were noticeably out of the mourning colours of winter garb. Likewise the shops are sprouting flimsy frills to match the whimsy of the blossoms. Spring is definitely in the air.

I took me off to Camberwell Market today on the number 16 tram to Kew, planning to get off and walk some of the way. I made it as far as Malvern before I decided that the day was far too lovely to be spent on a tram and jumped off. I had ab-so-lutely no idea where I was or where that was in relation to Camberwell. Figuring that most places are within my walking distance, even if most Melburnians advise me to take a tram to walk two ironing board flat blocks, I asked for directions.

“Oh you're a fair way off,” the chap in Readings Bookshop told me. “You'd have to carry on with the 16 and change at Riverside to a 72.”

Into this I read that it was possible to walk but it would take me a while and then he put the spanner in the works.

“But you do know that the market is only on Sundays don't you?”

Bugger. Ah well, I'll just have to try again on Sunday. It was a pleasant day so I decided to just go for a walk and if I got bored, take a tram to somewhere else. I do love this being free to just, as the ad says, 'lose myself in Melbourne.' I had always thought that that slogan was just the Aussies trying to tell us Kiwis to get lost but apparently it's not.

So I walked from Malvern to Chapel Street though Armadale. Armadale is classically wealthy. I wouldn't even dream of asking the price of anything in Armadale because I would be a) considered uncouth and b) likely to have fit. Class is the best word to describe Armadale. Antiques, art galleries, jewellers, beauty salons, designer shops that sell writing paper, fine books and the most stunning wedding gowns imaginable. It is all about quality in Armadale.

Speaking of wedding gowns I witnessed the most heart-warmingly beautiful scene this afternoon as I strolled through the Alexandra and the Queen Victoria Gardens. A young lad proposed on bended knee to his sweet maid and my heart went ahhhhh. I was a little way off so I saw it acted out in poetic mime as covering her eyes, he led her to a seat. Making sure she kept her eyes closed, he then nipped off to a nearby flower bed and stole an orange poppy for his lady love before returning to stand in front of her. She opened her eyes and there he was on bended knee, flower in hand...thankfully her answer was apparently yes because I watched her fling her arms around his neck and cover him in kisses. I kid you not dear friends, this is a true story. Romantic fairy tales do exist and moments like these are sent to keep our hopes alive for the real world. It's spring and it seems that not only the blossoms are budding, love and romance is too.