Living in a city

Up until now I have actively resisted living in a large city (well when Sydney is your only reference point - why wouldn't you).

In the last few months I have come to appreciate, with almost childlike glee some of the benefits of inner-city living.

I mean yes there's the "I can get to work in less than 15 minutes" but I'm talking the real fun stuff.

Walking home from work eating a home made gelati from a hole in the wall shop on the way.

Just walking up Lygon Street past all the outdoor cafes watching decor change and nodding with the waiters.

Being able to walked a few blocks closer into town and watch international bike riders do circuits of the Lygon City precinct one weekend.

Feeling the ambiance of walking through a crowd of people on a Thurday and Friday night, the crowd being relaxed and simply looking forward to a night of good food and good company.

Tonight while I was on the phone to a friend I heard Christmas Carols bring played by a brass band.  It was a couple of minutes after 7pm so I thought I had messed up at 2am this morning and set my alarm for 7pm instead of 7am.  No the music was coming from outside.

The Salvation Army was walking around the local streets busking.  Whenever they got a crowd they stopped and played a carol or two and then moved on.

At one point they stopped right at the end of my street.  I couldn't get to them without losing phone coverage :)  so I stood in my yard and watched them and both my friend on the other end of the phone and I listened to them.

I now feel more mellow and full of Christmas spirit than I have in years.

And I have had neither a drop to drink nor any companionship other than the cat.  

I love living here.