Anzac Birthday

So hungover!

A small group of us went for yum cha at about 11am. I wasn't feeling great. It was Anzac Day, a public holiday in Australia and New Zealand to commemorates those who died at war. Most people seem to go out drinking and play a game called Two-up which is only legal on Anzac Day.

Each pub will have one or more staff to organise the game. Usually two coins are tossed by a "spinner" and people in the crowd bet on the outcome against each other. Someone will wave some money ($10-50 seemed to be the most common but I saw $180 at one pub) in the air, touching the top of their head to signal they wish to bet on heads. Anyone can then take them up on their offer and match their bet. The person betting heads always holds on to both sets of cash. This happens all over the crowd and then everyone watches while a paddle is used to toss the two coins in to the air. If one is heads and the other tails (known as "odds") then the coins are spun again. I've made it sound more complicated than it really is. It's a lot of fun, even just to watch.

We had a few beers as I began to feel a little better and then we got a taxi to a friend's house to have dinner and watch the season premiere of Game of Thrones.