The Wealth Games

Guess it's over, call it a day, sorry that it has to end at all. What a fantastic experience Melbourne achieved over the Commonwealth Games. The city fairly buzzed with excitement and activity, from the slightly obscure but dazzling Opening Ceremony on Wednesday 15 March (no dramas with the Ides of March for us!) to last night's party-like Closing Ceremony presided over from afar by our incomparable Dame Edna. The MCG looked magnificent as an athletics arena, it's hard to imagine it now for football and cricket. The new stand gives a superb view of the ground, though is perhaps not ideal for the less fit or those with a fear of heights! The Yarra river and the fish were a resounding success, attracting thousands of people each day and especially at night to see the hourly 'son et lumiere' display. Public transport worked extremely well, despite our doubts when so many trains were late or cancelled in the months leading up to the Games. The Cultural Festival events in the Alexandra Gardens and Arts Centre precinct were a wonderful addition to the sporting events, and showcased our many talents and wonderful facilities. Even the weather was brilliant! It really was Marvellous Melbourne at its very best. A highlight for us personally was the athletics program on Friday night at the G. There were several outstanding performances, records and gold medals to Aussies, but perhaps the greatest cheer was for the Papua New Guinea runner in the final of the Men's 3000 metre Steeplechase. Three Kenyans fairly quickly established their places for the medals out ahead of the pack, with the man from PNG bringing up the rear. By the end of the race, the winner had lapped the Papua New Guinean but he gamely continued on, finishing his race to a standing ovation from the whole stadium. It isn't always about winning.

But while the city basks in the undoubted popular success of the Games, perhaps its time to reflect on this supposed 'common wealth' of nations. It seems that we here in the Lucky Country have a disproportionate share of the wealth, with some of the participants from other less fortunate countries not even able to afford team tracksuits. Is the Commonwealth still relevant and worthwhile, or is it now an anacronism? The Queen certainly didn't win over many fans at the Opening Ceremony, with her glum expression and seeming lack of enjoyment. She smiled only once, but then after all for her it was just another day in the colonies, she is nearly 80 and it was well past her bedtime, so perhaps we need to make allowances.

So where to from here? We have the Grand Prix in Melbourne at Albert Park next weekend, then we'll segue into Easter in mid-April, followed shortly thereafter by Anzac Day on 25th April, before we really have to face the reality of gray skies, shorter days and the onset of winter. By then the Games will be just a memory, but for many of us, a wonderful one.