Melbourne Local Custom Tips by grkboiler

Antipodes Festival

Melbourne has the largest Greek population in the world outside of Greece and is the 3rd largest Greek-speaking city in the world. The Greek community holds an annual festival from March to April called the Antipodes Festival. The major highlight of this festival is the two-day Greek Glendi held on Lonsdale Street near the end of March on a Saturday and Sunday around March 25th for Greek Independence Day. This is the largest ethnic festival in Australia and the largest Greek festival in the world.

You will find tents set up for food, shopping, arts, sports, and religion. There is a stage set up at the corner of Russell and Lonsdale set up for Greek dance troupes to perform, and a live Greek band will also be on hand. You can also stop inside one of the many stores or restaurants on Lonsdale Street. This festival attracts thousands of people each year.

Just in case the official website has old material, here is another one...
http://www.visitvictoria.com/displayObject.cfm/objectid.000E206A-78A8-1A0B-9AB580CF8F3C0000/vvt.vhtml

Phone: 03 9662 3307

International Comedy Festival

If you are in Melbourne from the end of March through April, check out the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. It is the 3rd largest comedy festival in the world and events for the festival happen at pubs, clubs, and theatres throughout the city. The best comics in Australia and in the world perform in what is the biggest cultural event in all of Australia. It isn't just stand-ups, but street performers, theatre, TV, radio, and music.

Check the website and join the mailing list for upcoming events and ticket prices.

Website: http://www.comedyfestival.com.au/

Melbourne is just like _____

When you are in a foreign city, it is human nature to try to find similarities with your own home because it makes you feel more comfortable in that new city.

I was with a group of people one night, mixed with Aussies and Americans. When asked how they liked Melbourne, one of the Americans said "Its great - Melbourne is just like an American city." I heard this answer many times while I was there.

Wrong answer. Nearly every time an American would say this, the Australian would rightfully get defensive and they would usually say something very similar:
"Melbourne is NOTHING like America - we don't have your levels of crime and poverty and we have better morals. We don't want to our city to be anything like yours." Criticism of Jerry Springer would usually follow, which was always very funny.

Melbourne is a unique city and its people have every reason to be very proud of it. It does not take long to understand this. If you are American, as innocent as you may think you sound, it is not a complement to say "Melbourne is just like an American city".

Some food tips...

When you hear someone say "Macca's", they are talking about McDonald's.

If Hungry Jack's looks similar to Burger King, its because it IS Burger King.

Say you are in a restaurant and you want to order a sandwich with everything on it - you will order it "with the lot". As in "souvlaki with the lot".

Tipping

Tipping isn't really expected anywhere in Australia. If you do tip, it will most likely be for great service in a nice restaurant. 10-15% is good.

If you come from a society that tips 15-20% like mine, it is not easy to get used to not tipping someone. If you decide a tip is deserved, just go with your instinct about how the service was or the type of place you are at.

Meat Pies

Meat pies are very popular at sporting events, or for a quick snack from a 7-11. If you have a pie and you like it, you will want one every day. This is definitely one of the things I miss most about Melbourne and Australia. I loved sitting at the MCG and watching footy while having a pie.

Pies usually come wrapped individually in plastic. If you get a meat pie at a game, you can eat it plain or with tomato sauce (ketchup).

In Australia, by the way, it is to-MAH-toe, not to-MAY-toe.

Back to the pies...It may sound simple and you might wonder why I put this tip here, but I have heard a few tourists ask "how do you eat this thing?".

My Aussie friend would show them to eat a pie like this: Open up the plastic and add tomato sauce with every bite. Another way is to take the pie out of the package, smother the tomato sauce on top and eat it. No utensils necessary, just your hands. Just be careful - the filling can burn your mouth.

Don't "root" for a team...

In Australia, when you are talking about sports and which teams you support, PLEASE remember that you do not "root" for a team, you "barrack" for a team. When you "root" for a team, it means you are having sex with them (or for them, I guess), as in "I rooted her."

If you want to play a joke on someone you are traveling with, don't tell them what "root" means in Australia and get them into a deep conversation on sports with a native. Then just sit back and wait for the laughs.

Remember (as an example): You don't root for Collingwood, you barrack for them.