It’s not like we don’t have St. Patrick’s Day in Australia. In Melbourne, St. Patrick’s Day means that pubs put green food colouring in the beer, people are more likely to be drinking Guinness, and the Irish pubs tend to be overflowing. And bands play Irish-style folk tunes, to which the drunken people dance, inbetween trying to drink the 6 pints of Guinness necessary to get a free tshirt.
I had some idea that Americans got a little more worked up about St. Patrick’s Day – hints came as I noticed the Irish flags beginning to make an appearance on the streets, and when every store, even optometrists and jewellers, introduced St. Patrick’s themed displays in the shop windows, shamrocks everywhere. And when the greeting card stands began to fill up with St. Patrick’s Day cards (oh, and don’t forget the upcoming ‘Administrative Assistant’s Day’ either). And there were St. Patrick’s Day parades on every street.
But even so, I wandered down the street here last night, and became alarmed. Everywhere there were people wandering around wearing green – lots of rugby tops, and also lots of silly green hats. Groups of drunken people running around in Starbucks. And a queue that covered half a block, outside the local Murphy’s Irish Pub (is there any city out there that doesn’t have a Murphy’s?). And it was only 6.30!
Anyway, I’m off to boulder at Governor Stable this weekend. Photos when I return.