ANZAC day in Australia would be close to what we in the states might call Memorial day. It is a very important celebration, most likely on par with Memorial day services in Washington DC. It feels like Australians respect and honor their military more that we do. It is something I have to think more about. I wonder what the percentage of male and female participation in the military is in Australia compared with the United States.
ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps and got its start back in 1915 with the battle of Gallipoli. Here is some more info on it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anzac
I caught the end of the parade and must say that I heard enough Bag Pipes to last me the rest of the year. The festivities start around 5am and end around 2 or 3pm. Most of the major streets in the Sydney CBD were shut down and most shops, not bars or hotels, were closed as well. The bars and hotels opened at 5 or 6am. Here are a couple of snaps:
