Australia Day

I don't know what it is about this day, but I'm a bit perplexed about the whole thing. When I was younger it was just a public holiday, a few people I'd never heard of got some awards, and was an excuse for "grown ups" to get drunk and very sunburned. Now there's this nationalistic pride that arises on the day. Where the hell did that come from? Admitedly this year it was helped by the (un)banning of the Australian flag at the Sydney Big Day Out.

What did I do? I did what I've been doing the last few years and just gone to the festivities around the Federation Square area. A good excuse for a day out, but I don't get carried away with flag waving (or wearing for that matter). As happened last year we found ourselves at the Ian Potter Centre, although last year it was more to do with avoiding the heat, but it seems set to becoming a tradition. So anyway, there I was minding my own business looking at this (and this), when who should walk up next to me but, this man (but wearing far less makeup than he did in his earlier career) and his son. If it wasn't him then I made a fool of myself, because I freaked out and quite literally ran about two galleries on. I don't handle celebrity encounters very well. Last Australia Day at the same location I saw this man and lady friend in the cafe, only recognising him through his blog and a few brief media appearances.

Other than that time was spent walking around, sitting down on an island eating ice cream and looking at some purple haired woman's house and comparing it to that of not too distant relatives. Didn't bother sticking around for the fireworks though, managed hear them just fine at home accompanied by distant flashes in the sky (said relatives would have had a better view from their home).