15th March - the Opening
Was at the G ( MCG - Melbourne Cricket Ground ) for the Commonwealth games opening on the 15th March. Organise my Aussie Flag ( 2 sizes, one to wrap around me and another to wave ) and off we go. Eric n I. Was glad that we're sitting right in front, possibly one of the good seats althought i think u can see anything from anywhere, oh well.. was pretty close to the private boxes for dignitaries.. anyway.. they gave us free blink blinks, as that's for our participation in terms of helping set the whole stadium alight with blinky starts.. galaxy of stars for one of their performances.
So far, the performances are great and i truly love the way the whole city of Melbourne is incorporated in the fireworks display, the fireworks i have to admit is truly the best i've ever seen in my 10 yrs living here. usually they just have it along the Yarra, no biggies, but this time, the whole city skyscrapers are strapped with fireworks. and oh .. how i wish im outside the G at the Yarra sometimes.. when i was in there, hhaha
This is also the 1st time they've incorporated the outside crowd into the opening, making it a non Stadium inclusive opening, which is great, as the crowds at the Yarra can view everything that's happening there for FREE>. how good's that??
but what i love most is the Winged Tram.. the way it makes its great entrance into the G. Love it !! looks so magical and Harry Potter-ish.
BUt some of the openings does creates some controversy, such as the DUCK !! haha, actually the boy who plays the Duck trainer or whatever his role is, is a the son of one of our emergency nurses friend. they didn't know who's playing the role, as they have 2 kids training and rehearsing right up to 2 days before the opening, when they're told who landed the Big role..
so much so as to keep it secret ! haha..
I have to agree that most of them, being non-Melbournian and Non-Australia, could be pretty difficult to understand, namely the cricket match in the begining before the opening, the DUck story by Michael Leunig, the rope that was supposely the sphire of the Arts centre. but oh well, i guess it's to showcase Melbourne as a cultural and art capital of Australia? who cares, as i truly enjoyed the opening regardless, one has to make its statement.
i love best is the fireworks acrobatics on wheels.. that's just awesome.. the whole Stadium was gobbled up in smokes after that, but nevertheless, it was a very daring and awe inspiring piece there. and the way they handle the sensitivity of God Save the QUeen, it was blended in with a birthday song to her Majesty..
there has been controversy that the games organiser are shunting her by not having God Save the QUeen , a all time british national anthem to be played in the games, and have our Advance Australia Fair played instead.. but the way they subtly incorporate that together with a birthday song to her, i think that's bloody well done !! a perfect solution to a sensitive issue as the monarchist wants it played, the republicans does not want to..
For those who do not know about these debate that has been ongoing.. Australia is a Constitutional Monarchy, just like New Zealand, Canada and of course UK. We have the QUeen of UK, Elizabeth II as our Queen, like the Kiwis and Canadians too.
And of course she being a British Queen ( well originally from German to be precise ) we feel that the link to her isn't there. Heck we should have the Danish Royalty as our head of state seeing that Mary is an Australian princess.. and we have closer link to her than we have with the QUeen.
so there's a debate on whether we should be a republic and have a new head of state, i.e. President or something like that, like Singapore where there's a President as head of state and Prime Minister being the one in control of the government.
So that's how the debate or issue about the British Anthem God Save the QUeen comes about into play.
Funny story, heard this in the Emergency Staff room at my hospital, these Nurse and Doctor, guess they're not that aware of these, was questioning, oh so what will happen then if we become a republic, are we still in the games? hahha.. and of course ke poh chee me added in and enlightened them
" oh no, you're still part of the Commonwealth family regardless, for instance Brunei has their own Sultan who's the head of state and Singapore is a Republic, but they're still in the games, it's just an association of depending on how u view it, a co-workership or a reminder of the colonial british ruling past ?? "
but we do get perks amongs the Commonwealth members.. which in a way is good i suppose.
Anyway, been looking at cars, Eric's going to get a new 8th Generation Honda Civic VTi, pretty cool eh!!!
So far, the performances are great and i truly love the way the whole city of Melbourne is incorporated in the fireworks display, the fireworks i have to admit is truly the best i've ever seen in my 10 yrs living here. usually they just have it along the Yarra, no biggies, but this time, the whole city skyscrapers are strapped with fireworks. and oh .. how i wish im outside the G at the Yarra sometimes.. when i was in there, hhaha
This is also the 1st time they've incorporated the outside crowd into the opening, making it a non Stadium inclusive opening, which is great, as the crowds at the Yarra can view everything that's happening there for FREE>. how good's that??
but what i love most is the Winged Tram.. the way it makes its great entrance into the G. Love it !! looks so magical and Harry Potter-ish.
BUt some of the openings does creates some controversy, such as the DUCK !! haha, actually the boy who plays the Duck trainer or whatever his role is, is a the son of one of our emergency nurses friend. they didn't know who's playing the role, as they have 2 kids training and rehearsing right up to 2 days before the opening, when they're told who landed the Big role..
so much so as to keep it secret ! haha..
I have to agree that most of them, being non-Melbournian and Non-Australia, could be pretty difficult to understand, namely the cricket match in the begining before the opening, the DUck story by Michael Leunig, the rope that was supposely the sphire of the Arts centre. but oh well, i guess it's to showcase Melbourne as a cultural and art capital of Australia? who cares, as i truly enjoyed the opening regardless, one has to make its statement.
i love best is the fireworks acrobatics on wheels.. that's just awesome.. the whole Stadium was gobbled up in smokes after that, but nevertheless, it was a very daring and awe inspiring piece there. and the way they handle the sensitivity of God Save the QUeen, it was blended in with a birthday song to her Majesty..
there has been controversy that the games organiser are shunting her by not having God Save the QUeen , a all time british national anthem to be played in the games, and have our Advance Australia Fair played instead.. but the way they subtly incorporate that together with a birthday song to her, i think that's bloody well done !! a perfect solution to a sensitive issue as the monarchist wants it played, the republicans does not want to..
For those who do not know about these debate that has been ongoing.. Australia is a Constitutional Monarchy, just like New Zealand, Canada and of course UK. We have the QUeen of UK, Elizabeth II as our Queen, like the Kiwis and Canadians too.
And of course she being a British Queen ( well originally from German to be precise ) we feel that the link to her isn't there. Heck we should have the Danish Royalty as our head of state seeing that Mary is an Australian princess.. and we have closer link to her than we have with the QUeen.
so there's a debate on whether we should be a republic and have a new head of state, i.e. President or something like that, like Singapore where there's a President as head of state and Prime Minister being the one in control of the government.
So that's how the debate or issue about the British Anthem God Save the QUeen comes about into play.
Funny story, heard this in the Emergency Staff room at my hospital, these Nurse and Doctor, guess they're not that aware of these, was questioning, oh so what will happen then if we become a republic, are we still in the games? hahha.. and of course ke poh chee me added in and enlightened them
" oh no, you're still part of the Commonwealth family regardless, for instance Brunei has their own Sultan who's the head of state and Singapore is a Republic, but they're still in the games, it's just an association of depending on how u view it, a co-workership or a reminder of the colonial british ruling past ?? "
but we do get perks amongs the Commonwealth members.. which in a way is good i suppose.
Anyway, been looking at cars, Eric's going to get a new 8th Generation Honda Civic VTi, pretty cool eh!!!