Yesterday was "the race that stops the nation", ie. Melbourne Cup day... ya, Melbourne Cup = Horse Racing = Holiday!!
Since we're still in this city, around this time, so, we thought we should really go for a look, cos, even as a tourist, or other time, we may not bump into such a great day, and such a happening event...
Partying and tonnes of partying, drinking session, feasting, have been going on since 2-3 weeks ago, in fact... the first time (ie. 3 weeks ago) we didn't even know it's because of this Melbourne Cup thing... in Toorak Road, we saw some men with suit, all of them suddenly look so smart and good looking (AH!!!! Men!! the Suits need you!!!) and all the girls (though not beautiful, the opposite scenario when Men put on their Suits) in thin and skimpy dress, colourful and a funny, or LOUD hat on their heads!!!!!! Later, we found out that, it's ALL because of this Melbourne Cup thing...
Finally, yesterday, I managed to dig out something to wear, and luckily, he brought his pair of suits over here, so, we both kinda dressed up (except that, I didn't bring my hat over) and went to Flemington Race Course...
I checked online, there's dress code (all men gotta put on their suits) and girls, need to be decent, formal dinner clothing... that was what's mentioned on the website, and entrance fee... AUD50 per person... it's expensive, I know, but anyway, as I said, we don't have many such chances, right time, right place, right event... so, we really decided to give it a go... (and apparently, this is the world biggest racing event)
When we got on the tram, we saw some other people, who didn't really dress fully as according to the dress code (it said, "no zipper jacket, no drizabone, etc., no snickers, no waist length jackets, no cardigan") but we know all of us are heading towards the same destination, as we overhead them, upon coming onboard, asked the driver if this tram (no. 57) will go to Flemington Race Course...
So, we're whispering between 2 of us... "ah!! we actually don't need to dress according to the dress code so strictly, see!!! others are just wearing normally, some even with their jeans", "oh, we maybe overdressed, and that, we may look stupid afterwards"... "but then, I'm sure a lot of other 'ang mor' will take the chance and dress up!"......
When we finally got down the tram, there's still quite a bit of distance to walk, to the entrance...
in my uncomfortable heels (which are already not THAT high, but luckily I brought them here, however, I have not walk long enough in heels for nearly a year... so, I was already not used to it anymore, unlike when I was working) we walked down the pedestrian path...
then suddenly a mini van passed by, stopped beside us, the kind-old-man driver asked if we want to take a lift... oh!!! both of us happily hopped onto the van, I saw a "staff shuttle" in front of the van... wow!!! this 'behbeh' is really kind!!! ^_^... but I suspect, it's because we dressed up ourselves... in the van, there're another 2 smart-looking young men... and he didn't like... pick every single person on the pedestiran path on the way to the entrance... after us, it's just another couple that he picked up...
Well... finally at the entrance... as we didn't buy any ticket before we went, we're just taking our chance..., ie. buy those last minute available tickets...
then, we discovered that, the ticketing booth had been shut!!! wow!!! what an event!!! huh!! I read the online info, saying that, the tickets will be available there, since 07:30 on that day itself... and yesterday, the weather was not too pleasant, there wasn't a big crowd queueing in front of the ticket booth at all... just 2 of us idiots, trying to knock on the ticket booth window, and trying to buy tickets, at the very last minute (1/2 hour before the race)...
he went to the entrance and asked those guard... about the ticketing booth, about where those ticketing people are...
the man, asked his colleague... the man, ah... another nice old man... after asking his colleagues... getting no response, everybody there who guarded the entrance didn't know anything about the ticketing, about what to do in this situation (as almost everybody who went there, have already pre-purchased the tickets), he let us in... so, we went in FREE!!! ^_^V (yeh!!)... again, I suspect, it's because we bothered to dress up... imagine, if it's a guy who wears fleece jacket and a pair of snickers, or the girl who wears a pair of jeans, with a bumper jacket or something...
So, we went in to join the crowd, it's really like a big festival, just like the newyear festival we saw in Japan, near the Meiji Shrine... lots of foodstalls being set up... lots people people walking around with a tray of fish and chips in their hands, or bottle of wine, glass of wine in their hands... everybody dresses up, most girls with decorated hats on top of them.. guys with nice pair of suits and so on...
and the betting counters, all fully crowded with queues and queues...
we gave up immediately when we saw the queue... (but then we regretted for not even try to queue, to put bet on my japanese horse... apparently there're japanese horses in the race, and being such a big japanese fan, you know that, I'll just bet to show my support to the japanese, even though I know they may loose, I didn't read anything about those horses prior to coming to this event)
About 15 minutes before the race(15:00), the guards closed the gates temporaritly, to let those horses passed by, then, they re-opened the gates to let the crowd go nearer to the race course...
Woo!! finally the race was started... everybody was very excitedly shouting... (I guess, most of them shouted because they bet!)
I was excited because of the ambience, and also when the whole troop of horses went pass in front of me... (I took a short video of that)
All the fuss, for just this 1-2 minutes of race... finally... guess who's the winner? No.1 = Delta Blue, No.2 = Pop Rock... most importantly, both ARE japanese horses!!!!!!!!!!!!! (>_<) Wah~~~~~!!!!!!!!!! should have queued up and put my bet huh!!?????? but later, we consoled ourselves, as we've already been 'waived' with the AUD100 fee, so, we, in a way, have "won" AUD100 ^_^
Anyway... later we just went around the race course for a little while just to see how the whole thing is (there WERE really A LOT of people!!.. most of them already occupied a good spot, laid their picnic mat, laid out their food, and already many empty wine bottles on the ground!!)
Then, around 16:00 we decided to go back to our apartment, as there's nothing much for us to do... and since it's a holiday, we decided to go back, get change, to something that both of us feel comfortable and cosy... and head to Lygon Street to try out the so-called famous Thai Food, LEMON GRASS... Famous, as it being very expensive, ie. AUD50 per person estimatedly... however, we must go to 'evaluate' if it's really THAT good!! @_@
...... to be continued...
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