lunacy

Saturday was a scorcher here in Melbourne (though it oddly didn't feel that hot), so I trekked out to St. Kilda Beach around sunset. My main destination was Luna Park, mainly because I'm a sucker for almost any amusement park, but it seemed like a good time to wander around the beach as well. My earlier comparisons of Sydney feeling like Los Angeles have started to be nullified, partly because I was expecting Melbourne to feel like San Francisco in comparison. It doesn't. It's more a perfect mix of the two, and St Kilda Beach reminded me of Venice (neighborhood-wise, not beach-wise.) After wandering along the beach as the sun set, I was tempted by a food truck fest, but with limited time went back to Luna Park instead. I didn't expect much - I knew it was a typical beachside amusement park with a small collection of standard off-the-shelf carnival rides. But I've always been into rollercoasters, and as a kid I often read about "scenic railways" that preceded rollercoasters. Little did I know that this one, from 1912, was the only one still in operation. Because the ride is so slow, with one train, the line was long; but I'm glad to have had the experience. It truly is a scenic railway; just a nice, mild ride with a few mild hills - a rollercoaster without the thrills. The brakeman, by the way, stands between the cars and rides along. There wasn't a lot more to take in there, so I headed to the Moomba festival, but more on that tomorrow...