Ally Blake Romance Author - Blog

Latest news from Australian romance author Ally Blake, writer of fun, fresh flirty romance novels.

Tuesday 25 April 2006

ahhhh melbourne

This town sure knows how to put on a show.

Especially on one of the greatest days on the Australian calendar. Anzac Day.

This year was the 91st Anniversary of the Anzac's (Aust and NZ corps) leanding in Turkey in World War I. But Anzac Day is the day all Aussies recognize the soldiers who fought for our country at any time.

Anzac Day is also the day the Collingwood and Essendon come together to play against one another in the biggest Aussie Rules game of the home and away season. No matter where each team is on the ladder, the Anzac Day clash is always a feast for footy lovers.

The day was hot. And by hit, I mean hot. Sun bearing down on us like we were in the desert hot. And considering we do live in Melbourne we'd turned up to the footy in layer upon layer of T-shirts and jackets an scarves and beanies, only to have to strip down the minute we planted our buttocks on our very nice seats.

Bit by bit the crowd rumbled in so that by the time to regular fesitivites began - the parachutists carrying the match day footballs, the Roulettes precision flying squadron, and great Aussie singers singing the likes of "True Blue" and "Waltzing Matilda, there were 91,234 of us.

As one we stood, held out hats to our hearts and then they read the poem:

They shall not grow old as we who are left grow old
Age shall not weary them nor the years condemn
At the going down of the sun
And in the mornng
We will remember them
Lest we Forget

Add to that the lone bulger playing The Last Post and every year its waterworks time for this yong lady.

It just shows how much Anzac Day means to we happy few when you can get 91,234 revved up footy fans to stay silent for a minute.

The match was tough, the winner unknown until the very last second, and my team beat Essendon for the first time on Anzac Day in three years.

Boy does this town of mine know how to put on a show!