living in melbourne

Sydney Road street festival, Sunday 4 March. The umbrellas were popular, though a bit pretentious when twirled by white ladies. The road - a major thoroughfare - was closed to traffic: no trams, no cars, only feet and the occasional pram. The area was packed with people, bands, food, stalls (even a radical leftie stall selling books including "socialism and lesbians"). But the main thrill was walking down the middle of the road, along the tram tracks, in that space you're usually not allowed to visit.