Ya Can't Beat A WeddingI was sitting in my motel room feeling a little blue. The stress of the move had combined with a lack of training endorphins to leave me flat and listless. All I wanted to do was crank the aircon and sleep forever under the weight of the soft blankets. After trying that for a while, I grew bored and decided it was time for a little sightseeing. Sightseeing in gordoworld involves lacing up your trainers and heading out the door with no destination in mind. For me, this is far and away the best way to explore most cities (haven't tried it in major cities with nasty neighbourhoods). So, I ate a banana, threw down some water and headed out to explore Brisbane. I had heard that the riverfront was a great place for nightlife, etc., and ran down the hill from my motel. I angled through the city center and ran past the old treasury building - now a casino! Not sure about Brisbane's reputation among the Aussies, but I found it to be a great place. Of course, any time there is clean air, blue sky and cool temperatures, I am happy. I ran over to the far side of the river towards the Arts Center. People were setting up for a wedding and it looked like it would be quite the bash. Three marquis, dance floor, kitchen set-up - it was going to be a blast. Some of you will have read that my divorce has led me to question marriage. Well, marriage aside, nothing beats a wedding. Everyone is dressed up, having fun and looking good. The couple is full of hope for the future and joy in the present. Great things to be around. Chugging along the waterfront park, I come across more and more wedding parties. It was a beautiful evening and the light was perfect for photos. By now I was a little warm and wanted to take my top off, however, with my waxed legs and shaved chest, I didn't want to offend any local sensibilities. It's funny, when I used to be overweight I would leave my shirt on - now that I am fit, I am leaving it on for a different reason. Soon, it cooled further and the heat wasn't an issue. After about 30 minutes, I came across a group of Malay students dressed in Batik shirts singing Waltzing Matilda. That really made me smile. My first day in Aussie and I'm treated to a rendition of Waltzing Matilda - by a group of foreign students. Cruising along the path, more weddings. I love Aussies. They are so... Australian. From my extensive sampling of Aussie weddings, here is how the photo shoot works. The lads all line up on one side of the park and stand around drinking beers out of an ice chest. The girls hang around the photographer and drink champagne. I am told that sometimes it is pink champagne, but it looked regular from my vantage point. The ice chest (or eskie) is the central piece of equipment (kind of like an alter) and serves a variety of functions:
They say that the best you are ever going to look is on your wedding day. I don't agree with that - the best I ever looked was at my best mate's wedding - but I had to agree that everyone I saw looked fantastic! A few of the lads looked a little uncomfortable in their formal wear, but the ladies were all glowing. Memories of my own wedding came back - that was a solid party and lots of fun. I saw a lot of familiar statements in the eyes of key participants. Soon it was dark and I figured that I had better turnaround. I was only going out for a short run, so I hadn't bothered to bring any food, money or water. The water fountains kept me going, but my stomach was starting to rumble. Cruising back to my motel, my blue mood had lifted. How can you be down when you are constantly running past people that are so happy? I had a dumb grin on my face and am sure that a few ladies thought I was some sort of weirdo running around with an ear-to-ear smile. Running back up the hill to the motel, I thought that this was a fine way to spend an October evening. Despite speaking to no one and keeping completely to myself, I felt that I had a just enjoyed a cultural experience. A participant through observation - learning by watching the faces, bodies and interaction of others. Even when you are running along, it is amazing what you can pick-up. gordo |