Reflections on ANZAC day (April 25, 2009).

26-04-09
Reflections on ANZAC day (April 25, 2009).
Yesterday was ANZAC day (Australia and New Zealand Army Corp), so very similar to Veteran’s day in the U.S. I was able to find a schedule of events the night before, so I knew what I wanted to do. I did NOT go to the 5:30 am service at the war memorial (i.e. the monument), but I knew I wanted to see the parade and the ceremony and stuff afterward. We left a little bit after 10:30 and made it to the esplanade in time to see all the troops coming in from the parade. We just followed the sound of bagpipes. When we were walking up there, watching the troops come in, one of the diggers (what they call soldiers) was carrying an American flag, and I can’t even describe how I felt when I saw that. It was really special. Then we hung around for the ceremony, where the Mayor gave a speech, some kid gave a speech, and then they blessed the wreaths and raised the flag to full mast. Then they recited this ode:

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them. Lest we forget.

When the speaker got to the lines “We will remember them.” Everyone repeated it. Then he said, “Lest we forget,” and the entire crowd repeated that as well. It was very powerful. They ended by playing a recording of the Australian National Anthem. It started out softly, but then everyone joined in singing it, and it was very moving. The whole thing was pretty indescribable; I can’t really give a description of what I felt, because there are no words. Afterwards, we went up to some people to ask where to get an Australian flag, because we wanted one. I scoped out a few people, and then asked these two ladies if we knew where to get the flags, and they gave us theirs. It was really special. One of the husbands told me to take good care of his flag, and I promised I would. I was talking to the lady that gave me her flag, and she said, “We don’t mind Yanks, here.” So I was called a Yank, but not in a derogatory way. Then Laura and I went to the town hall to look at the commemorative material (where we ran into the couples again). They had stuff even from WWI, and it was really neat. Then there was free coffee/water and muffins outside, so we got hooked up with some of that. Then Laura and I went back to the esplanade to hear the country music concert. It was nice. My favorite was when one of the guys sang ‘Ring of Fire’, and then when all the artists got up there together and sang ‘Waltzing Matilda’. After the concert was over, Laura and I hit up the free coffee again and used the toilets in the Town Hall, before heading up to the monument. It was beautiful. Then we headed back via the footy game (which we didn’t go to). We stopped by the market, and I got 6 plums for $1 and 5 kiwis for $2. Then we came home, and it was 1:45 pm. We’d been out for a solid four hours—the whole time carrying around our flags. The rest of the afternoon was spent watching a lot of ‘Without a Trace’ and writing a super long letter to Leah (8 pages front and back). We went to bed at 2 am. This morning we had brunch, and now we’re off to Perth. But I think I’m part Australian at heart, because yesterday was incredible, and hearing everyone sing the national anthem was one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever heard.