In Melbourne’s historic Royal Arcade there’s a shop that sells Russian Dolls, or Matroyshki if we’re being correct about the name.

I’d never really given the store any attention before today, in fact if I’m honest, I’d never even noticed it before. I struck up a conversation with the store clerk, an attractive girl by the name of Elisa, an Italian here on a working holiday visa. The term ‘working holiday’ always struck me as an oxymoron, but who am I to judge.

Elisa told me that the store, Babushkas, has been in the historic mall for twenty years, though she has only worked there for a couple of months. We chatted for a while as I took pictures and then as I thanked her for allowing me to snap a few shots she gave me a little Matroyshki on a key ring as a gift. Apparently the little Matroyshki had come from an incomplete set. In a sense I guess it was an orphan. I was touched by the gift and pleased attached the little Matroyshki to my keyring. I might not have many keys these days, but that little Matroyshki will join me on my journey from now on.