I hear music, when I look at the photos

When I look at those two photos, I hear music in my head. Actually, one very specific song — Me Llaman Calle by Manu Chao. I think it's the perfect soundtrack for walking down Hosier Lane. This Melbourne street is incredibly vivid and colourful (you’ll just have to trust me 🙂) and full of smiles. People seem ready to kick back and start the weekend. At least the ones I met were — especially the girls — since it was Saturday.

While I was taking photos of beautiful graffiti addressing also current political issues, a loud, laughing squad of girls started posing. I quickly moved my lens and aimed at the wave of spreading laughter. Sometimes the simplest gestures become the most memorable. Who would have guessed I’d still remember it four months later? I suppose the important moments are often the small ones.

Thanks to them, I associate this place with a happy Aussie vibe. Who knows — maybe if I had run into a fighting couple, a crying baby, an exhausted worker, or an overly drunk group of friends, I would have left with a terrible impression. Maybe I’d be writing here about how much I don’t recommend visiting Melbourne. Or maybe it’s actually a sad, filthy place and I just got lucky enough to meet nice people?

Well, fortunately, I don’t think so. I didn’t spend much time in Australia, and of course — like anywhere in the world — you can meet dangerous people. But there are also so many friendly, smiling, talkative, and genuinely kind people there. I had countless little chats and conversations.

Maybe next time I’ll tell you how I met a friend of Elon Musk’s mother. True story! Or maybe not 😉