Sunday, September 25, 2016

The Royal Melbourne Show (Sept 17- 25 2016)



Most unplanned things give rise to happy moments of spontaneity and surprises. I didn't really plan to visit the Royal Melbourne Show until a friend in Melbourne suggested it after dinner at her place. Why not ? All I expected was a fun fair of sorts, but it was more than that. It was really a celebration of everything that the state of Victoria had to offer. The best livestock chosen through competitions- the best quality wool from the different sheep breed (I didn't know there were so many types of sheep ), the best breeds of cows, pigs, dogs and more. The DIY culture is very strong in Australia and the show didn't leave out the best bakes in categories like fruit cake, gingerbread, shortbread, carrot cake and more plus the best cake decorations. Also included were the best jam, honey, butter chosen through a series of competitions and put on display at the show. There were of course carnival rides and games for the family but what was most popular among the Australians were the show bags. Over 350 types with the best mix of goodies ranging from chocolate brands, toys, skincare and spa to teenager products. Best part of show bags -  its value came up to 3-4 times more than what you get from the usual retail outlets. My favorite part of the show was the MasterChef kitchen which featured a number of gourmet products. I was very happy with my show bags and nuts which were really a bargain and I couldn't leave without a glamorous Cupie showgirl doll souvenir complete with glitter and feathers. Apparently she is an  Australian tradition at events. And  to end off this day of surprises were a sheep herding demonstration by a farmer and his 2 frisky border collie dogs, a high thrills motorcycle stunt show that had the audience enthralled and wonderful fireworks. 
















































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