Benvenuto a Italia !

13/7/12

Nama kontit ihastuivat maahan nimelta Italia kesalla 2008, kun olimme perheeni kanssa lomamatkalla Sorrentossa. Napoli ja Pompei'in  kulttuurihistorialliset rauniot, kaunis Capri -saari ja maailmankuulu ruoka veivat taman tyton sydamen. Tuon kesan jalkeen olen opiskellut italiaa, ollut toissa Ligurian maakunnassa seka haaveillut omasta talosta, jossain Italian kauniilla viinitiloilla. Mielestani myos ainoaa oikeaa kahvia saa Italiasta tai pizzasta puhumattakaan. En siis ymmarra, kuinka olen saattanut jattaa Melbournen "pikku Italiaksi" kutsutun kaupunginosan, Carltonin, ilman vierailua. Parempi kuitenkin myohaan kuin milloinkaan.

This girl fell in love with Italy summer 2008 when I was on a holiday with my family in Sorrento. Naples, the historical city of Pompeii, beautiful island Capri and the worldfamous food melt my heart. After the summer I have been studying Italian, worked in Liguria and dreamed for house in the middle of the vineyards. Also nowadays I think the only good coffee comes from Italy and not to mention pizza. So I can't understand how i have been able to avoid this "Little Italy" called suburd, Carlton, until now. Well better now or never.

Corretto !

Lygon St.

Carlton sijaitsee vain pari kilometria pohjoiseen Melbournen CBD:sta (Central Business District) ja sen tunnelma on taysin omanlaisensa. Suosituin katu on Lygon St, jonka varrella sijaitsee lukemattomia italialaisia ravintoloita seka gelaterioita, jotka tarjoavat mahdollisimman autenttisen italialaisen jaatelokokemuksen. Kaduilla kavellessa voit myos huomata Ferrari-tuotteita myyvan kaupan, italialaisia deli-ruokakauppoja seka useita italialaista kahvia tarjoavia kahviloita. Itse pysahdyin cappucinolle ja lukemaan paivan lehtea eraaseen kahvilaan. Samalla kun siemailin kahviani ihmettelin kiireisten melbournelaisten elamaa tai yritin salakuunnella italialaisten pappojen keskustelua, joka kaytiin heidan kotikielella. Ilmeisesti keskustelu koski menneita jalkapallon EM-kisoja, mutta ilmeisesti pieni petraus olisi tarpeen omissa italian kielen opinnoissani.

Carlton is only 2 km North from Melbourne's CBD but the athmophere is totally different. On the busy Lygon St are lot of Italian restaurants and gelaterias which offer authentic Italian food experiences. There are also a shop which sells Ferrari products, Italian deli-shops and many cafes where you can enjoy the good and one and only Italian espresso. I stopped for a cappucino in one of these places. When I was sipping my coffee I followed the busy Melbournians and tried to eavesdrop what the old Italian men were talking about in Italian. Looks like I have to practice my Italian little bit but they were talking something about the soccer's European Championships.

Deli-shop

Carlton Espresso - cafe where I went

There are no bad baristas in Melbourne and no bad coffee in Carlton

Carlton Espresso's chef making bread

Carltonin kaupunginosa on suosittu opiskelijoiden keskuudessa, silla alueella sijaitsevat University of Melbourne seka teknillinen yliopisto RMIT University. Kuulin, etta alue olisi suosittu nuorten keskuudessa ja monet ravintolat tyollistavat reissaajia hyvin. Arvatkaa vaan, miettivatko nama kontit, etta oliko Caulfieldin juutalaislahio sittenkaan se minun paikkani, kun tarjolla on tama espressokahvin tuoksuinen asuinalue ! 

As the University of Melbourne and the RMIT University are situated in Carlton the area is also very popular among students and other younger people. Also the many restaurants and cafes employ backpackers quite well. Just guess was I thinking that was the Caulfield's Jewish suburb my place when I could have lived and worked in "Little Italy"?

Beginning of Lygon St.

It doesn't matter where in the world you're - there always must be atleast one Irish Pub !

Espressohoyryjen jalkeen suuntasin kavelylle Carlton Gardensiin, missa sijaitsevat kaksi suosittua nahtavyytta: ulkomuodoltaan erittain moderni Melbourn Museum seka Royal Exhibition Building, joka kuuluu UNESCOn maailmanperintolistalle ja huokuu historian havinaa. Nama kaksi taysin erilaista nayttelykeskusta olivat kuitenkin molemmat vaikuttavannakoisia iltavalaistuksessaan.

After my nice afternoon espresso-tea I went for a walk to Carlton Gardens where are two popular sights: the modern Melbourne Museum and Royal Exhibition Building which has been awarded with UNESCO's Wolrd Heritage status. These two totally different exhibition buildings were anyway very imposing.

Melbourne Museum

Melbourne Museum

Royal Exhibition Centre

Royal Exhibition Centre

Carlton Gardens

Carlton Gardensista jatkoin matkaani kohti CBD:ta ja huomasin, etta oli perjantai ja alkuilta. Ihmisvirta valloitti Melbournen kaupungin kadut ja ihmiset kiiruhtivat paikoista toiseen. Katselin vastaantulijoita, jotka kiiruhtivat kenties illalliselle ystaviensa kanssa tai kotiin aloittamaan viikonlopun viettoaan. Kotimatkalla ratikassa arvuuttelin eri ihmisten suunnitelmia ja millaisia elamia he elavat. Pukuun pukeutunut virallisen oloinen mies astui sisaan lentomatkalaukun kanssa. Selvasti palaamassa tyomatkalta kenties toiselta puolen Australiaa. Eloisa nuorisojoukko oli luultavasti menossa Chapel St. viettamaan iltaa paikallisessa kuppilassa (sivuhuomautus: he muuten pysahtyivat Chapel St. pysakilla). Vanha intialaisennakoinen nainen kantoi mukanaan useita ruokakauppakasseja. Ehkapa suuri perheillallinen tulossa viikonloppuna? Yksi ratikka taynna niin monta tarinaa ja niin monta arvoitusta. Minkakohanlaisen tarinan he kuvittelivat minulle?

From Carlton Gardens I continued my walk to CBD and I noticed that it was Friday and early evening. People were everywhere and they were hurrying from place to another. I was watching the passers by who were perhaps going for a dinner with their friends or home after a long work day. At the tram I was playing this game where I tried to guess people's plans and what kind of lives they lived. A man dressed on a suit entered in the tram and he had a small travel case wiht him. Perhaps coming home from a businesstrip from Darwin? Laughing and noisy group of 20 something people were probably going out and meet some friends at Chapel St. (where they btw stopped). Old lady who looked little bit Indian was carrying shopping bags filled with food. Looks like family is coming for a visit. One tram full of so many stories and puzzles. I wonder what kind of story the others would imagine for me?