An Australian Cultural Experience: My First Melbourne Cup

look at that fascinator!

Juanita and Jolly

enjoying our lunch at "The Brewery" on the Swan River

Shirley and Cindee

Kaylene, Michelle and Karen

Cindee with her "Best Hat" prize hamper

Cool Race Guy

The Melbourne Cup is BIG here in Australia! My exchange partner, Angela Falco, and a bunch of her good friends dress up, pin on their fascinators and head off to a fancy "Melbourne Cup" luncheon every year on the first Tuesday of November. Well, I felt extremely privileged to be invited to be a part of this annual celebration. When I got an email from Kaylene mentioning "our fascinators", I was, of course, clueless. But walking by a few shops sporting these "fascinators" quickly solved that mystery. Kaylene's husband drove Kaylene, Debbie, Michelle and I to The Brewery, a beautiful restaurant on the Swan River. Thank you,Michael! We were soon joined by the rest of our gang, Juanita, Jolly, Cindee, Shirley, Karen and Matilda. Everyone looked fantastic! We were soon enjoying champagne and cocktails on the patio. The luncheon was great - a set menu of delicious food. Noon came quickly and THE race was about to happen. I put down $10 - my horse was #12 - Red Cadeaux. Not a favourite but the girls told me it could be any horse's race. Well, I was shocked and thrilled to see my horse cross the finish line in, what was determined a short time later, second place. Dunnedin came in a nostril hair ahead of him. My winnings amounted to $80!! Plenty to throw in the pot for a few more drinks for everyone. We then headed off to the "5" on Beafort Street where we met up with Juanita's husband who bought us some more champagne. Oh boy... I ended up back at home by 5 p.m. floating on champagne bubbles. I wasn't much help for Tom that night but I had an absolutely wonderful time - thanks Kaylene for organizing it all. The rumour is Angela is going to be planning next year's Melbourne Cup celebration and that there is talk of going to Melbourne? - too far for me I am afraid. I will have to find out what race is big in Canada and continue the tradition there..... Cheers!

The Melbourne Cup Ladies: Debbie, Shirley, Karen, Matilda, Michelle, Juanita, Kaylene, Cindee, Jolly and Moi

*I apologize f I have mis-spelled any names.