Bon St. Patrick!

Dan kota Opera&Harbour pun hari ini bak menjadi lautan hijau. And everyone's feelin a wee bit Irish, just for today.

Mudah diduga  muasalnya. Karena banyak dari suku ostralis yang mengklaim memiliki heritage irlandia - entah imigran ataupun tawanan, tapi di benua ini banyak yang bermarga Shanaghan, McCulloch, dan lain-lain, OK, we get the photo!

Melenceng jauh banget dari perayaan originalnya, meng-komemorasi Saint Patrick yang membawa kristianitas ke pulau Irlandia, St Patrick's Day modern hanyalah hari booze up, piss up till ye drop, or at least till ye find your craic.

Siang tadi, Robert, seorang workmate, ngajak ke apt-nya untuk ber-BBQ-an impromptu, sekaligus untuk ultahnya ke 59. Serombongan dari kantor, kami berjalan sejenak, ngga sampe 10" - dan apartemen Robert pun fantastico. Tepat di pinggiran CBD (Central Business District), ia overlooks the Harbour, walaupun bukan ke arah Rumah Opera, tapi tetep aja view dan panoramanya sejuta dolar. Apt di kompleks ini mulai dari 700 ribu AUD (EUR 400, USD 500) untuk dua kamar. Beh ...

Dan selama perjalan menuju apt, kami pun melintasi pub demi pub, semua Irish pub mendadak jadi bianglala kota. Perayaan St Patrick's terbesar di southern hemisphere kicks in just before midday. Hit the Guiness, lad!

Saya, buhuuhuuuuu... ngga atuh, padahal sih pengen juga pop in ngerasain, mentransformasi diri, jadi seorang Irish, walaupun hanya untuk satu jam saja (mah ... kaya lagu dangdut aja) - tapi harus balik ke kantor, maka itu lebih baik tetep tee-totaler aja atuh. Yang ada, walaupun misalnya cuma satu gelas kecil bir atau wine, bawaannya entar males balik ke kantor. Mendingan ngendep di pub. Plus the fact that I don't fancy dark beer.

You feelin Irish today? Come'on .. show us the begorrah and your craic!

---

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/politics/14116556.htm

On St. Patrick's Day, `everyone wants to be Irish'
BY JONATHAN CRAWFORD
Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service

WASHINGTON - The origins of St. Patrick's Day are straightforward enough: to commemorate a saint who played a major role in bringing Christianity to Ireland in the 5th century. But what is traditionally regarded as a holy day in Ireland has largely changed, celebrations run the gamut from sedate corned-beef dinners at home to green-beer-soaked rowdiness at countless pubs.

"Everyone from all walks of life come to celebrate - young people and old people. There won't be many sober people," Lyons Gaffney said.

"Everyone wants to be Irish. And everyone is proud of their Irish heritage," Lyons Gaffney said. Her parents are from Ireland.

Other celebrations involve abundant use of Ireland's national color: green.