Well 26th January is Australia Day, where we celebrate
the arrival of the First Fleet (commanded by Arthur Phillips) into Sydney Cove in 1788. As such, it's a day that remember the start of "Australia" as we know it today. Of course, for the indigenous community, the day may have a slightly different connotation. Yet, it is an inclusive celebration, and these days there's a reasonable focus also on the different cultures that make up modern Australia. So, how do we celebrate Australia Day? We do this in a typical Aussie way, by having a holiday... having parties and for many people in Adelaide enjoying the Cricket at Adelaide Oval. So how did
we celebrate Australia Day 2011... well, L-kun spent a good amount of time out in the inflatable pool.... and Daddy spent a very good amount of time outside with him (sometimes outside the pool, but increasingly inside the pool). We also started getting serious about our planning for our next trip to Japan... hope that isn't too rude...
After a big BBQ dinner (lots of meat... hmmmm Aussie BBQ), we got ready for a big evening out... we had missed the Australia Day Parade in Adelaide, but we were going to make it for the concert and fireworks in Elder Park in the city centre. Just a few things to do before we head out... like dress up appropriately..
Actually, L-kun was a little unsure about the whole Aussie Flag on his face. He can be quite sensitive to how he looks. Hmmm - he was even less happy last night when we returned and couldn't get it off! Oops. Hope it comes off soon. Anyway - here's a few quick photos from the night...
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| The River Torrens |
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| Elder Park overlooking the Convention Centre |
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| Crowd enjoying the free concert, starring Jessica Mauboy |
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| L-kun enjoying the atmosphere |
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| A lot of flag, and a lot of patriotism |
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| I just love the old Rotunda in the park |
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| Fireworks finish the night... |
It was a good night, though T-chan always is a little confused at fireworks (hanabi) in Australia (or specifically Adelaide). She always thinks the fireworks are too low, and I guess when I think about it, I'd have to agree. However, as it's AUSTRALIA DAY, and part of recognizing a country's uniqueness is appreciating that everyone does things slightly differently, and for our city, this is just how we do it.
Anyway, it was a long day, and we didn't get L-kun off to bed until nearly 11. It was a great night, and marks the end of the holiday season in Australia... although I bet there will be a lot of people taking Thurs and Friday off. And good on em!
Happy Australia Day!
Happy Australia Day, L-kun, T-chan, and Ben!
ReplyDeleteSorry I did not know about it actually, but there should be her day for each country.
This post made me very happy.
It's funny, but I suppose that it's true that most countries don't have their own "day"... they might have an independence day, or equivalent, but not a day just for the country itself! Perhaps we do it because we've a relatively short, and relatively pain free history. Or perhaps it just says something about the Australian people.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment anyway.