Day 5!!
Yay! I'm a little freer today so i'll update. School's just started and December was like... a whirlwind where i barely got time to even sit down. And I haven't even listed my resolutions down! (okay okay, i've got it down in a private notebook thing but you know, it's kinda customary to have it on your blog too...) Hmm, but it's been quite okay so far, I mean, there are nights where i only got to sleep like 1.5 hrs and papers to mark already and tons of research to do but it's been really pleasant thus far. I got to watch Ponyo! (It was awesome!) And I've had free tickets to so many events! So I've watched Cinderella the musical, Twilight and The Reader and all for free! Hmm, I shall not comment on the unfortunate circumstances surrounding my last show -- honestly, i never knew!! I was absolutely enthralled with Cinderella and its songs and for Twilight -- im kinda glad i went for it although i almost backed out of it even though it was free. Hmm, i think the only thing that saved the show was the really good cinematography and the cute protagonist Edward. Some parts of it were REALLY laughable, some parts of it treated the audience like they were dumb and for the most part of it, it was like a staring movie where the couple made eyes at each other. Haha. I think this is the only movie where i burst into laughter as the movie ended. Haha... why oh why? Why are my students in love with this? Sigh, although i've got to admit, the movie is really geared to teenage tastes: high school setting, popular kids, forbidden love, hero saves damsel in distress, love is all you need, cute actors and cute new prototypes of vampire (what kind of a vampire glistens in the sun like a diamond?). Seriously, would the movie really sell if Edward Cullen looked like Edward Scissorshands and they were outcasts and realised that love is not enough for the real world? I think Twilight might just be a teeny-bopper version of Wuthering Heights. Seriously people (yes, im talking to you rgs girls who stalk my blog -- don't think i don't know) set your taste higher and read Wuthering Heights! (Sigh... Alright alright, don't tell anybody, although everyone thinks the movie sucks and some parts of it are really sucky, i secretly kinda like it. It's impossibly romantic and im a stupid geeky die-hard romantic --
are you happy now?)
Okidoks, i've digressed long enough... Day 5!
Heh, we planned to get up by 8am and out by 8.30am but we were a little lazy and so we slept in a little longer. Heh, finally got ready and out at 10am i think and went to the convenience store to purchase my Metlink Ticket (we could use this for trams and trains) and later to Safeway (think Giant) for a cheap breakfast.. we found glorious crossiants and bread twists for 99 cents each! Woah! I bought 3 and finished 2 of them whilst walking to our next destination. I think im a changed man when i come to melbourne. I eat a lot, love to bathe and considered jogging to beat the cold. Owell, like what they say, it's winter and calories don't count! (Cos we burn them off keeping warm anyway!)
Later went to the Royal Botanic Gardens but we didn't actually walk the gardens. Went to the Shrine of Remembrance instead, to remember the soldiers who died during WWI and WWII, and also during peacekeeping missions. (i know, it sounds ironic but yes, soldiers do still die in peacekeeping missions) Wondered around aimlessly for a while until we realised there's a tour at 11am. Waited at the lobby and finally went to ask the guide when the tour is starting. He (a nice old man, probably someone who retired and now volunteers at this place) told us to watch a video with the school kids who just came in and afterward to find him. So there we went and then he led just us for our tour! Woah, personalised service! i felt like a royal visitor with my own personal tour guide and we didn't have to share him with other people at all! And we could ask him all the questions we want! And he was really nice! So he took us along and at many parts, i thought abt Band of Brothers and sometimes i felt like tearing, but of course i didn't. So malu. And he pointed out so many things to us that we probably would not have understood the significance of if we just ambled around aimlessly. I liked this tour. I think everybody should come to this Shrine of Remembrance for once in their lives. What was quite special was this plague.
Every 11th day of the 11th month at the 11th hour every year, the sun's ray would enter the building and shine on the word "Love". This day was the day that they proclaimed the end of war. But the veterans remembered the efforts of those who never made it out of the battle field. And so they built this shrine even though they were going through the Great Depression at that time and money was certainly scarce. It was really touching to see wounded soldiers with bandagers and broken legs, hobbling up the stairs to remember their friends who didn't make it back (in the video). And every half an hour after 10am every day, at this place, they conduct a special service of remembrance with a ray of light passing though and of course, stopping at "Love". What was even more astounding was that people entered the war voluntarily. They weren't even forced cos it's not compulsory and people still went. Truly, greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends. I thought this place made the verse a little more significant to me. How deep and how true! How profound the words of the bible in this simple verse!
Here's Shulin looking at one of the exhibits. And here's one of the various badges that they give to soldiers who did a lot for the war. Hmm, I also snapped a little shot of the Flanders Poppy. It is the flower of remembrance for the war effort as these were the first flowers that sprang up in France the moment the war ended.
Went to meet the rest at Sushi Ten later cos the housemates were raving abt this fantastic sushi place that after you've eaten the food there, you'll come out happy and smiling and... haha, dopey. Was quite crowded but true to their words, the suhi was GOOD. Can you even imagine this that the fish is bigger and longer than the rice?? And the fish covering the rice is so fresh!! We all just rushed in for the kill and forgot to take pictures and by the time i remembered my camera, it was all gone. We ordered 2 soups, 2 dons (katsu and toufu) and 2 sushi platters and all of us only have to pay 10 bucks each!! WOAH!! And the soup was really really very very good -- lotsa ingredients and taste was marvellous fantabulous.. and it's only 4 bucks!! eat it with rice and you have a full meal!! I now see why Sushi ten makes you happy and smiling and err.. a little dopey. =) Haha, Wai Ye is testament to how good the food is -- she doesn't even bother that I'm snapping away and Jo-ann is testament to the dopey effects the sushi gives!
Steph then brought us down some shopping arcades and tiny quaint streets and architecture was fabulous and i love all those quaint little streets that we walked on!! Had marvellous belgian waffle. Shopped a little at Spencer street before returning back but i guess it's probably not very memorable cos i can't even remember what i saw!
Hmm, i thought, though, that i'll end my entry with these two photos. They're one of those memorable shots by James that i never quite forgot. (Thanks Jamesy!)
Here's where you can see them more clearly:
[The Unknown Soldier] http://flickr.com/photos/deivorytower/635586368/
[Kohima Poem] http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h70/deivorytower/Travels/IMG_0275full.jpg
[Woah, this certainly is a labour-intensive entry. Can you imagine I spent almost 3 hrs just trying to format this? I think this is the entry with the most amount of pictures!]