RadioRoryI don’t know if it’s a clown. I don’t know what it is, but it’s the thing of nightmares.
The entrance to Luna Park in St. Kilda Beach would scare any six year-old, or 46 year-old for that matter.
This cause of coulrophobia welcomes you to the seaside amusement park that opened more than 100 years ago. Aimed at families with younger kids, the park is just steps from the ocean and a quick metro trip to downtown Melbourne. Beyond the big clown’s mouth, there’s a lot of great art inside the park with huge statues and bright mosaics.
It’s free to enter Luna Park so everyone can see the clown and some of the creativity on display.
St. Kilda Beach is a bit artsy with a hipper edge. They have a cool market on the esplanade every Sunday where many of the local artists sell their handmade creations.
I chose to stay there because it was near the ocean, close to Melbourne, and cheap. (Though not in that order).
I had the added benefit of being there for the Melbourne Cup. It’s the annual horse race that stops the city. It stops the whole country, really. The well-heeled go to the track, but the locals fill bars, clubs, and casinos where there’s a bit more on the line.
An ATM-like machine took my $20 bet with just a couple of clicks. It was all a little too easy for a guy who has never bet on a horse race before. The race was run just a week ahead of the presidential election back home. It proved to be more evidence that I can’t pick a winner. (Damn you Oceanographer!)
More on Melbourne later. But first, a couple of photos to help convince you that this beach town, with its shy little penguins, is worth the trip.
