Canberra on New Year's day--a tale of two cities

We were out twice on New Year's day, both to the same CBD area. But it felt as if we had been in two cities.

11 pm on New Year's Eve, MM dragged me out of bed and promised me an "adventure". I wasn't disappointed. I had never seen such a high density of people in Canberra, not even during the Floriade. In fact I had to hold onto MM tight so that we would not lose each other among the dancing and shouting crowd.

It was 11:45 when we stumbled our way close to the center of action, the so-called Garema place where a rock band were creating all the noise on a stage illuminated by flashing disco lights. They had started at 7:30 and that made me wonder whether they knew what they were doing by that time. Nobody was singing as far as I could tell. Well, I could not see him/her anyway with hundreds of hands swaying in the air. The whole area was like a big open night club.

No wonder ladies had their night-club dresses on. Most of their partners though, were in their T-shirt and shorts, as if they were on a beach. If that is what Australian men really wear to a night club I would be reluctant to go to a beach. Of course in middle of this crowd I looked like an alien with my cargo pants on; to my excuse, that is what I wear if an adventure is expected.

Our adventure ended with a climax of firework. It only lasted for 15 minutes and as soon as it finished, people started to leave. There was even a traffic jam, sort of, on Northbourne Avenue--something only happens during rush hour for a normal business day.

Perhaps that was how we got the illusion that it was going to be another trading day for retail business. They have been open ever since Boxing day after all. When we went back to the city center in that afternoon, however, only a handful of shops were open. Even SuperBarn, the grocery store opens to midnight year around was closed!

Of course not many people were around either. Those who did present themselves seemed to be a completely different crowd: they walked fast, they kept a distance from you and they looked rather serious, you know, the "I am busy with working on my New Year resolution" look.

It felt as if last night the city center was invaded by aliens for a carnival party and now they left. Will they come back next year? I hope so.