The Race that Stopped the Nation

Today is Melbourne Cup Day in Australia. So you haven't heard about that? Welcome to the club, then. I read up on it before coming here, but was eager to experience the event that is dubbed "the race that stops the nation" myself. At the office, people always commented, "you've picked a good time to come - you're here for Melbourne Cup Day." Well, the race itself which took place at 3 p.m. local time today might take less than three minutes, but it certainly was ecxiting to see everyone dressed up as if they were going to a wedding and getting to drink free champagne on the office...Lucas Cranach, the horse I drew in the office sweepstakes actually came third so my first ever go at gambling was successful, too. Citizens of Victoria, the Australian state of which Melbourne is the regional capital actually have a holiday today, but even elsewhere it's party-time from noon onwards.

Ever since I arrived here, the city was geared up for MCD. Department stores seemed to sell nothing but party dresses, hats and fascinators on their fashion floors and even arts and crafts stores only seemed to have one topic: the races:

Supermarkets reminded you to order your MC deliveries on time:
My new red shoes came in handy, too today:
And I had to succumb to peer-pressure and get a hairband-cum-fascinator of course:

The victorious horse was Dunaden, ridden by French jockey Christophe Lemaire, in case you were wondering.