ANZAC Day

Events — By Christopher on May 2, 2010 at 10:18 AM

It has been one week since ANZAC Day was celebrated. ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. ANZAC day is national day of remembrance in both countries – similar to Veteran’s Day in other countries. Traditionally, it was to commemorate the ANZACs who fought at Gallipoli in Turkey during World War I. In modern times, it commemorates those who have served and gave their lives in military operations around the world. The ANZAC Day starts off with a solemn dawn service at a church – it could be as early as 4 AM. I didn’t attend it this time but I might next year. Late morning, marching veterans (with their medals) and bands can be spectated at designated locations in the city. I made it just in time before the parade began. Phew!

It doesn’t matter where you came from – An Australian is an Australian

As the veterans marched by, some clapped their hands while others waved the Australian flag. ‘Thank you’s could be heard from the crowd as well. The veterans were like celebrities! They waved to the crowd and the crowd waved back. Some of them still had it going – they fired up the crowd with their antics! Veterans bound to the wheelchair were also in the march. Shows how committed they are to their beloved country! Malaysia should have Veteran’s Day to commemorate our perajurit-perajurit negara. It will definitely boost patriotism and a sense of national identity – that’s my opinion though. One group of marchers stood out among the rest. They were not white but yellow skinned. They were the Vietnamese Division of the Queensland Armed Forces (Hope I’m right on this). They too drew cheers and applause from the crowd! If you’re an Australian, you’re an Australian. It doesn’t matter where you’re from. That’s what I saw that day.

Can you find something close to home in this picture??

Let’s talk about lighter stuff – maybe it’ll put a smile on your face . Joining the parade were livestock! There were horses – fine, horses are expected and common. But wait, there was a dog! Fine, that might be slight uncommon but that’s nothing to jump up and down for! I was surprised to see a ram! A ram is like a sheep, but with curved horns! What a spectacle! Having livestock in the parade comes with a price as well. They answer nature’s call as and when they need do. True enough, there were horse droppings on the street. I wouldn’t have spot it if not for the kids who were making a big fuss out of it! Poor marchers! They had to keep going – nothing was going to stop them from soldiering on! At the end of the parade, there was no poop in sight. Poor guys, hope you managed to clean your pristine shoes real good!

It is definitely nice to be appreciated for your sacrifices and services

I am glad that I decided to go for the ANZAC Day parade. It has given me a whole new experience – Australian Culture and a little on world history. Maybe I’ll attend the ANZAC Day parade at another location next year! Oh, there were fighter jets flying above the city as well! However, we could only view them for a split second as tall buildings were impeding the view. Go figure! Wish I had a Canon EF 70-200 f/2.8L IS USM with me too . But that’ll weigh a tonne. Another thing to note is that shops are closed during ANZAC Day – those which are open, would only open after noon. If you’re planning to visit Australia during April, make sure you experience ANZAC Day! It’s on the 25th of April every year. Don’t forget your ANZAC biscuits too!