Closed

It is said that when God closes a door he opens a window. I think God has installed air-conditioning and now keeps everything closed in order to keep the cool in and save money.

In Australia slowly but surely the unemployment rate is rising. Despite successive governments continuously changing the definition of employment, I think it is now that if someone dines in a café that a sign on in the window “casual waiters wanted” then the time eating counts as an employment shift.

Many businesses, big and small are closing their doors, permanently.  Hundreds, thousands of people find themselves out of work after years of hard work and dedication. These same people will find fewer jobs advertised. Suddenly their decades of experience are not as valued as a graduate with a degree and 3months “work placement” experience.

In Melbourne can I suggest all of the businesses even remotely related to tourism actually stay open during holiday periods. Staying open during the Christmas-New Year period or over long weekends might bring in enough income to stay open for the entire year.

I know that everyone needs a holiday sometime but anything related to tourism should be open during times when there are tourists. A friend of mine who visits me regularly from Adelaide is yet to experience any of my favourite cafes, restaurants, pubs or laneway shops. All of the things Melbourne tells the world are its tourism icons.

They are always closed.

Not just one or two, but street. Closed.

After 2 hours walking around on Sunday night of the Australia Day weekend to find somewhere to eat and drink we came home and ate leftover with a bottle of wine.

The leftovers were from a picnic in Portsea earlier that day. Portsea was open. Unfortunately as it was one of the few places open over the weekend it was extremely full, as were the roads leading to it. The two and a half hour drive was more like three and a half.  The picnic was lovely as was the stroll along the beach. Well worth the driving time.

For my friend our ability to close venues in Melbourne  unfortunately continued when she arrived at the Tiger Airways terminal to check in. Moments after her arrival the terminal was closed.  Everyone was evacuated from the building.

At the same time I was venturing out to a favourite wine-bar in the inner suburb of Richmond only to discover it is closed until 13 February. Closed for renovations.

Friends of mine on a driving holiday across England Scotland and Wales misjudged their travel time arriving at most tourist attractions moments before they closed for the day. They have a great photographic collection of palatial and medieval gates.