Melbournian Delights

I love Tim Tams.

I promise to bring back a few packages of them when I return, because they are quite simply the most delicious little chocolate biscuits I’ve ever had. They’re a typical Aussie snack; a chocolate wafer with chocolate filling covered in chocolate. They also come with caramel, or nuts, or double chocolate, or marshmallow. The best part of all is that Aussies like to bite off both ends of the biscuit, and drink milk or tea through it like a straw. It is absolutely heavenly, and I’m addicted. Lemingtons, which are basically sponge cakes dipped in chocolate and coconut, are also incredibly good.

When internationals think of Australia or Melbourne, they think of the typical boomerang, crocodile dundee, and kangaroos. Melbourne should be known for its vast multicultural identity and odd little European quirks which make it such a lively city to live in. The Australian dedication to the delight of Tim Tams is only one small example, but there are so many other things that I love about Melbourne that most people wouldn’t know about.

I’ve already mentioned that Melbourne has a huge café culture, and that coffee is in general more expensive than in Montreal. The interesting thing is that you can’t simply ask for a black coffee, or a coffee with two creams and two sugars (my personal preference). They’ll just look at you funny. Believe me, I’ve already experienced this a few times. Here’s a typical list of coffees that are offered in pretty much any café that you simply have to memorize:

- Espresso: the obvious one.
- Short black: small black coffee or espresso
- Long black: large black coffee or espresso
- Macchiato: espresso and a little steamed milk
- Flat white: half espresso, half steamed milk
- Caffé Latte: espresso, steamed milk, and milk foam
- Cappuccino: espresso, steamed milk, and a lot of milk foam
- Caffé mocha (my favourite so far): espresso, chocolate syrup, steamed milk, and whipped cream

Every café place I’ve been to has made each coffee I’ve tasted absolutely delectable. It’s also very common to find the steamed milk and cinnamon on top to be tastefully shaped into a heart, flower, or smiley face. Those who have been to ArtJava near McGill will be familiar with this, and it really makes having a simple coffee an experience in itself!

The pub and bar scene is also a massive part of Australian culture, like in Montreal (if not more so!). What’s interesting is the names used to describe your order to the bartender. Forget about asking for a pitcher of beer to share with friends; the bartender gave me a funny look as well and asked me what I meant for wanting a “picture of beer”. My Aussie friend was also a little confused. I’m serious. Here are the common terms for ordering beer, or any alcohol:
- A pot: a small glass, about 10 ounces
- A schooner: 15 ounces
- A pint: self-explanatory, 20 ounces
- A jug: a pitcher

Finally, Aussie rules football (AFL, or Australian Football League) is uniquely an Australian invention, although apparently it has been played by a few other countries as well. This game is huge around here. There are games played on TV all the time, and most Aussies follow the season with zeal. I’d have to describe the game as literally a combination of almost all field sports. The rules are very detailed, but I’ll have a go at describing it.

The game takes place on a huge circular field, with goal posts at two ends. There are two tall posts and two short posts per side for each team. There are 18 players on the field at any given time, with about 9 referees and a few random people running around in florescent shirts giving water to the players. The point of the game is to score between the posts by kicking the rugby-like footy ball through them from any distance away. If the ball flies through the tall posts, a goal is called worth 6 points. If the ball strikes the post or goes between a tall and short post, a goal is only one point.

Players are allowed to run with the ball, but must “dribble” the ball or touch the ground with it every 10 yards, or they surrender the ball. They cannot simply pass the ball by throwing it. They can only pass the ball to other players by kicking it or bunting it in a way similar to volleyball. Tackling is always allowed (and it gets very aggressive). The ball is always in play (even after a tackle) unless it is out of bounds or two players are having a tug of war with the ball for quite a while and the ref finally ends it.

I’ve been to two games at the MCG so far, and I’ve loved it. I particularly enjoy eating a traditional meat pie with tomato sauce (which is what they call ketchup here) while watching the game. It’s very exciting to watch, especially when both teams are equally good. The footy fans here could give the Habs fans a run for their money when it comes to dedication to their teams!

As for me, classes have been going well, although I’m a little concerned with the difficulty of my engineering courses. They aren’t really what I had expected, especially since my Design class apparently has two final exams! I’ve enjoyed exploring new bars and cafés, including the cozy E-55 café with delicious and cheap pizzas and the Ice Lounge downtown, which is a bar made entirely of ice, kept at about -10ºC. I’ve also had the opportunity to attend a delicious high table dinner at JCH, the residential college. I’m looking forward to the band camp this weekend, a possible hiking trip the week after, a couple of concerts, an upcoming faculty ball, and maybe some indoor rock-climbing. Awesome.

Cheers!

-Sean