Day 11: more Melbourne

Today was a much quieter day than anything so far on the journey of ten days, to this point. More time for reflection on the last year or so of my life, where to from here on in, and what I would like to get from life.

The day started with a quiet breakfast at a French cafe on Smith Street, catching up on the news of late. I've pretty much been oblivious to what has been happening in the world for the last ten days - it doesn't appear as if I have missed much.

One aspect of Melbourne I do love is the architecture. There's so much variety and style that I have yet to notice in any other Australian city to the same degree:

Setting off southwards, I spent much of the morning and early afternoon at the Australian Jewish Museum. I'm not religious, let alone Jewish, being more of the view that Marx (Karl, not Groucho) expressed of religions. Over the years, my study and interest in history has covered the darkest period of Jewish history - the Holocaust - not to mention my staunch anti-racist views. When an opportunity presents itself, I invariably find myself at a museum.

The featured exhibit was of the art of two little-known artists, Leo Lowit and Paul Schwarz. Little-known because as residents in the Theresienstadt ghetto during the Second World War, they were eventually shipped to Auschwitz, where they perished.

Paul Schwarz, "The Cobbler"

From the scene upon arrival to garages converted into synagogues and people trying to lead lives as normal as possible under horrendous circumstances, the artworks were created using what supplies the artists were able to obtain.

I also went into a synagogue for the first time, as part of a tour. Not really a lot to say - it's a place of worship. But it was interesting to note how prominent members of the synagogue's community had purchased places in the banks. Ringside seats, in other words.

From the museum I headed back to Smith Street to a vegan bakery that I'd noticed yesterday. Decent as the food was, the level of friendliness emanating from the woman who served me was pretty much non-existent.

When I travel, I gravitate towards zoos. I have a love-hate relationship with them. On the one hand, zoos play an important role in the conservation of many critically endangered species, but on the other hand, there are very few zoos and exhibits that are at a level that is appropriate to the animals inside them. Whilst zoos in Western countries are at a far better level than they once were, it remains a challenge to provide animals with an appropriate environment, but one that still allows the paying public to see them - and all within a very tight budget.

I spent considerable time hoping to catch a glimpse of the Melbourne Zoo's sole Malaysian Tapir. I was lucky enough to see her for maybe ten minutes the first time I visited the zoo last year. I wasn't as fortunate today.

Eating with a friend and a friend of her at a Turkish restaurant tonight, I am now faced with the dilemma of where to head from here. Remain in Melbourne for a little longer, head home via the Murray, the Grampians or a different direction? Sleep on it for tonight, perhaps, and just set off again, seeing where life takes me.