It’s official. Melbourne Cup fever has swept all of Australia. As an outsider, I find it utterly fascinating to observe their level of obsession. Billed as The Race That Stops a Nation, the entire continent is absolutely gaga over this race. It’s all anyone can talk about: the horses, the breeders, the trainers, the racetrack, the parties, the fashion, etc. I’ve never seen anything like it. Sure, Americans have the Kentucky Derby, but it pales in comparison. The Aussies have taken their love of the races to an entirely different level and have raised the bar for enthusiasts around the world. Today, the Melbourne Cup is the center of the Australian universe, with everything else orbiting inconsequentially around it. Today, nothing matters more than “The Cup”. Thus, at 2:00pm (or 12:00pm, or 1:00pm, or 3:00pm, depending upon where in Australia one is located), the entire country will stand still to watch a bunch of horses run around a track. Unbelievable!
So today, for purely anthropological purposes, I am playing hooky from work, dressing in my Race Day finest, donning a fabulously feathered hat, and attending my very first Melbourne Cup party. I would be doing myself a disservice by doing anything else. I am out here to soak up all of the Aussie culture I can, after all. And what better way to do so than by sipping on some bubbly on a Tuesday afternoon? I love it!
**I will be sure to post the party pics later, as the hats alone will be worth gawking at.
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