Melbourne - Alleyways to Discover

Today was my first day without my little side kick. As my sister was at her conference, I had the day on my own in Melbourne. My sister was Miss Greedy Pants when it came to tour book ownership, so I had very little time to do any planning. Sometimes, it's a good thing!
After making sure the hotel was going to move our luggage to the other room we are now staying in for the next 6 nights, I head out for a walk. I have no plan, other than I have to make sure I get cash out to pay for the hotel room, as my VISA was not going to work for various reasons (like it has a chip and a mystery password that is a mystery even to me). I pop my TD Canada Trust bank card into an ATM, and enter my withdrawl amount, $600. It says there is no funds to cover the withdrawal. Small panic moment. I remember that I have a low daily withdrawal limit for fraud reasons, so I figure the amount was too high. I try $500. Nope. I get an error message back that reads  - DO NOT HONOR CARD.
Crap.
I head over to the nearest pay phone to call VISA and TD to get things sorted. I run out of change to feed the phone, so have to hang up and run to a convenience store to buy a phone card. Back to the phone I go to speak with the Loss and Prevention department to get the hold released on my card and my VISA issues sorted and all this happens just steps away from a lovely shoe store.
At this point, I am ready for a drink, but it's only 10:30 a.m., so I decide some more walking is in order. I head over to the Arcades, a whole city section filled with lanes and alleys and malls, with lovely stores and cafes. I stop for lunch and sit in a window and contemplate life over a glass of house red and lentil soup. Melbourne seems more like Paris - trendier, funky shops, smaller streets and lots of lanes. I am enchanted. Sydney had that new city sparkle to it, whereas Melbourne has the working class hum of a real urban centre.
After lunch, I duck into Haight's, a chocolaterie. I recommend their Caramel Bars - mmmm.
I head up Bourke to the Parliament buildings, over to the Fitzroy Gardens to visit Captain Cook's father's house and then to the Pavilion for a latte and some planning.
I decide to see the Melbourne Museum, but on my way there get side tracked with St. Paul's cathedral. It is Type A Gothic architecture, nice but rather cold. The Anglican church across the road looks small and dull in comparison. I head to the Cathedral gift shop and score a Jesus bracelet, I think this will be #11 in my collection! They are too costly to pick up for all the girls at home. In latin america they sell for about $1 each, I paid $20 for this Melbourne addition!
I decide to save the Melbourne Museum for another day and start to walk home through China Town, which is again full of little alleyways to explore. Hours later I emerge with The Best Souvenir Ever, a water picture in the style they use in literally every cafe in Australia! Whooo Hooo!
Souvenir in hand, I head down to check into the hotel. After walking 5 blocks in the wrong direction, I get sorted and manage to pick up a few donuts (Krispy Kremes, of all things, and they must fly them over already made, because it cost me $5.70 for 2 donuts!!!). I check into the hotel and am pleasantly surprised by the room quality difference, which I will blog about separately, I promise!
Tucked in for the night, I think tomorrow I will see about doing a river boat cruise and checking out a wine store or two.