Melbourne has been called "the world's most livable city", but that's marketing.

What is Melbourne like? Four seasons in one day. In climate and temperament, we are probably a sister city to Seattle, Washington. Enough inclement weather to encourage people to enjoy the indoors. In 2008-9 we're still in a drought. No sprinklers, careful water usage and the like.

Melbourne inner city is on a silt bed and the long dry has destroyed many homes and commercial buildings. Cracks in walls and ceilings are now part of the fabric of the city as the underground shrinks and shifts.

There's lots of dry parks and dead grass, sadly, but in some cases councils and organisations are getting better at managing water. The new inner city park, Birrarung Marr is a mix of dirt and areas of grass, not a green and shady place to sit.

More dry than that is the Melbourne City Square, which has been reduced to a mere concrete forecourt to an hotel.

Melbourne is a cafe city, an eating-out city, a city that attracts creative types. There are lots of artists and writers, especially genre writers, although less than before the Goods and Services Tax beat a lot of people out of freelance employment.

Like many other places, Melbourne works hard to attract the tourist dollar. This includes extending the existing conference and exhibition spaces to bring larger conventions to places like Jeff's Shed (Melbourne Exhibition Centre).

While we are travelling around visiting places, we pay especial attention to those that can be reached by public transport and are free. There are lots of places to go and things to do, it's just a matter of looking.

This is one place to start your search.