Down Under Discourse

Stephen Williams’ description of Melbourne (“Melbourne: A Tale of Two Cities,” Jan. 19), contrasting it with Sydney’s “extensive ethnic mix, restaurants by the boatload,” would have been out of date when I left in 1965. It is unrecognizable now. In a half-mile stretch of Brunswick Street, a friend counted 28 national cuisines, covering most of Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Europe. It is not unique. Melbourne’s Greek, Italian, Lebanese, Chinese and Vietnamese communities are busy, growing and not shy.

And how can anyone describe Melbourne without mention of the fabulous Victoria Market, whose two or three city blocks of stalls of fruit and vegetables, meat, fish, rabbits, cheese, salami, olives, pastries, spices, candies, clothes and even cockatoos (plus the surrounding hole-in-the-wall art and music stores) are utterly unlike anything I’ve seen in Sydney or the U.S. or Western Europe for price, variety, quality and raucous international atmosphere?

ALLAN STEWART-OATEN

Santa Barbara