Game On

Hi Guys, well the games have certainy begun with a huge fanfare. I mentioned that Bill & I intended to join the people at the river to watch the River Festival. Well, we went down after work, not really knowing what to expect. We had the most amazing night. They were expecting approx 100,000 people to turn up but estimate approx 200,000 did. Even with all those people wandering around the Yarra River, Alexander Gardens & Birrarung Marr, there was still plenty of opportunity to get a wonderful look at what was about to happen. We found a great vantage point about half way between the Princes Bridge and the Swan St bridge. There was a big screen just opposite us so we were able to see (apart from a few tree branches) & hear everything you saw on the telly plus great seats (standing room only) to the best show in Melbourne for a long time. The fish were amazing with fountains, fireworks, trumpeters and of course footballers carrying the Queens Baton. The water, fireworks & laser lights were just magical, as were all the boats with flags and lights which took part on the river. We are so glad that we went and experienced the opening ceremony. The wonderful thing is that with all those people, out and about for hours, there was nothing but goodwill. Like New Years Eve, Melbourne has a strict 'no public drinking' code, the entire city and surrounds are 'dry areas' and as a result there is no trouble. We wandered home after the event and all the way home people where talking about what they had just seen. Melbourne sure does know how to throw a party, and it seems, the bigger the better. The city is alive, as you would imagine it would be.

Today we went and watched both the Women's & the Men's marathon as it came past Southbank, and then we moved over to Birrarung Marr and watched them head on up the last hill into the MCG. Again the atmosphere was amazing, after that we grabbed a coffee by the river, then moved on to the Immigration Museum, where they had a photo exhibition, 'Best of the Best' featuring the best of the Commonwealth Photgraphic Awards since 2000. It was very good and while we were there we took a look at their other exhibitions which were Moving Stories - stories from immigrants over the years and Station Pier - Gateway to a new life. Both were well worth taking the time to look at and read. A special exhibition of Greek Treasures was interesting as well.

Sharing the spotlight with the Games is Festival Melbourne2006. The Cultural Festival of the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games. There are some great things happening around town during this time. A couple of the more outrageous are 'The Urban Capsule'. 4 men are living in the Myer windows for 3 weeks until the end of the games. They have been doing this around the world for 10 years (about 3 or 4 festivals per year). They are on full view for 24 hours, each & every day. The windows are set up as a Kitchen, dining room cum family room, bedroom (with 4 bunks) & bathroom. Shower has sticky bits in strategic places (though they are being peeled off progressivly). I do have to admit that I pass them both morning & night as I come and go to work. The windows always draw a huge crowd as they interact with the public. Amazing - What else can I say. The other funky happening is a City Circle Tram has been completely decorated by one of Pakistans vehicle decorators. These guys usually decorate the W -11 mini buses that traverse Karachi. It is the first time they have decorated anything else outside Karachi. We saw it today and it is wonderful. I have included it here instead of a new sculpture, it almost is a moving sculpture.

For all those visitors coming to Melbourne to be part of this wonderful time, the hardest thing will be deciding where to go and what to see, there is just so much on offer at the moment. One things for sure, no-one should ever be bored.

So now that I have given you all a little taste of Melbourne in Games mode (we'll be at the athletics tomorrow night), it's time to say once more

until next time.........