Eleven Days in Melbourne - The Commonwealth Games Melbourne 2006

I am so very very late with this post. My reputation as being a primary Melbourne Tour guide is in dire straights.  I have been slack, unforgivably slack.  I have not informed all my readers about what is happening in Melbourne at the moment.  My Melbourne, the sporting capital of Australia, is hosting its biggest sporting event since the 1956 Olympic Games were here.  We are in the middle of hosting the 2006 Commonwealth Games.

Commonwealth Games??? For most of the world, you are probably thinking what on earth is she talking about?  Well once every 4 years all the Commonwealth countries get together and compete a'la Olympics style.  However, we try and make the competition so much more fairer with the exclusion of countries like the USA, Germany, China and Russia!  Hey, who wants to be continually beaten...and instead we include sports that we are good at.  ie.  Netball aka 7 a side basketball with no backboards and played by girls wearing skirts (hey, don't knock it...you are talking to an ex-school netball captain), Lawn bowls aka curling without the ice and field hockey aka hockey without the ice. 

I work with an American lass who was trying to explain to her sister in Chicago about the Commonwealth Games.  Her sister couldn't understand why the USA wasn't allowed to compete.  Hmmm, I'll give you a hint, if you used guns to win your independence from Britain, there is a pretty good chance you won't be invited.  Remember the "Don't shoot until you see the whites of their eyes" comment?  Hence Ireland isn't allowed to come along either.  I'm suggesting those Brits have long memories and are pretty unforgiving. 

There is no torch or Olympic flame.  Instead the Queen's baton has been snaking it's way towards Melbourne for the last 12 months carrying a message inside from the Queen.  The Queen reads the message and declares the games open and we all go and party for a while. 

There are 71 countries out here including the likes of Malta, Cyprus, Mauritius....I am at a loss to figure out when any of those three were part of the Commonwealth.  Maybe they choose Commonwealth Countries based on where Phil the Greek likes to go on holidays.  Great Britain itself competes as separate nations, so we have the usual suspects of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland but we also have some smaller friends like Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man. 

Australia is generally the most powerful country at the games.  It is only Day 3 and we are already in possession of 12 gold medals compared to the next placed country India who has 4.  I want to propose that if the UK can compete separately that they should split up Australia into our 6 states and 2 territories and that we should compete state against state.  It would make it so much more interesting!  I'd like to be able to say that the Victorians beat those New South Welshman or Queenslanders. 

Oh well, as it stands I guess we'll have to be content with trouncing our sheep loving neighbours.

The wonderful Meg has come up with a Commonwealth Games knitalong.  In true Commonwealth tradition there are only two members so far, Kris representing Team Norway and Meg representing New South Wales.  In fact they didn't even let me know they were doing it until I spoke to Meg on the phone, post Opening Ceremony.  How rude!!  Since they've even got some buttons, I've decided to gate crash. 

            

Well, I am late joining, but it is the Commonwealth Games and mediocrity is acceptable...so I am going to try and get my last scarf finished before the baton is passed.  I'm not sure how feasible this will actually be since I plan on going to watch the Marathon tomorrow and next weekend I'm off to Games all Saturday and Sunday. 

Talking of Meg, if you want the best run down of the Opening Ceremony, go and read her post with detailed opening ceremony analysis.  Hysterically true!  In true Australian style, we don't mind poking a bit of fun at ourselves.

I had taken some photos around town but they are really bad.  However, I am going into town tonight and again tomorrow, so I hope to be able to take a whole heap more that will just blow you away.  In all seriousness, I was in the city last night and it is a rocking.  It was very late and there were people absolutely everywhere!  The Yarra River was ablaze with colour and lights and there were bands and performers everywhere.  So many great things happening....come and visit!

Comments

[--Deb]

I spent a college semester in London way back when, and our classes were held at the Royal Commonwealth Society--kind of cool. At least I know what the Commonwealth IS!

[2paw]

Hi!! I decided on a Knitting Commonwealth Games when the Olympics weather was too hot to even live here!! Great minds think alike!!! If I was even halfway computer literate I'd put a button in my side bar. i can only do it under close supervision!! Looking forward to photos!!!

[pauline]

I watched the opening ceremony and cried! It was when they started playing "under the milky way"... not particularly moving, just hit with a terrific pang of homesickness.

[Marie]

Great post - interesting and funny. For me it was particularly interesting to learn that Norway is/was/will be (?) a Comomnwealth country..

[Kelly]

How interesting. I'm gonna search the TV channels to see if they play any of the games in the states. I'd love to check out some netball.

[hege]

Ah! I caught some of this on BBC America yesterday, I had no idea it was so big!
So the queen sent a message, which took a year to arrive? Couldn't she just have brought it with her! :)

[Catherine]

Umm...

Five states? Are you leaving out Tassie or Qld? Not sure which would be preferable...

...runs away ducking from pineapples, bananas, pumpkin scones and extinct predator marsupials...

[Meg]

Glad to see you have stopped partying with the Commonwealth neighbours long enough to check in... now, go knit your scarf! And I know that we won't hear any whinging about strips of knitting now that you've witnessed that amazing women's marathon race IN PERSON! (I am jealous, the atmosphere there looked unbelievable.) And of course to any others who want to participate in the Knitting Commonwealth Games, please feel free to join in regardless of how your country won independence from Britain! Or even if you're not from a colonial country at all!!

[Barbara from Nova Scotia]

When are the Commonwealth Games finished? Canada hosted the games a bit over a decade ago, I do believe! Must find appropriate project, depending on time remaining to knit! Finally finished my Knitting Olympics sweater, time to start (and maybe finish) something new!

[Amelia]

The husband and I think that your explanation of who we let in (and who we keep out) of the games is fantastic. The Brits love the Commonwealth Games as there's actually a chance that some of us will win a medal - the husband is particularly happy that the Welsh got themselves a gold medal :)

I've been watching the games lots and it looks as though you are all having a great time. Wish I got to come along and play too. Ah well, bring on the Olympics! (Although the London ones will be about traffic jams, public transport issues and the weather) A.x

[Mary]

Re trouncing the sheep loving neighbours - just 2 words - Rugby 7s?!