Halloween in Sydney

As I lamented spending Halloween in Australia, a country removed from the tradition, I decided it was time to go for a stroll to relieve my melancholy. There was a market in nearby Newtown, a bohemian neighborhood in Sydney. As I approached the area I started noticing more and more goth kids. I suspect all major cities have them now, kids in black clothes and morbid makeup. I reminisced of my time as a 14 year old goth kid in high school. One of the few hispanic goths in the multicultural city of Chicago. Ah, back in those days we made our own goth clothes, not bought them in the mall. As I got closer to the market in Newtown the shops had stalls outside selling black tutus, Manic Panic hair  color in purple and blues and fake orange eyelashes. The closer I got to Newtown, the more goths there were. But not just kids, older people, families and toddlers wearing black with crazy colored hair. Black eye makeup everywhere.

I finally got to the market and everything had the same theme. There was a casket up for auction alongside screen-printed skulls on tight skirts. I tried one on. Hmmm, if I would have worn this in high school, maybe I shouldn't be wearing it at 31. Or maybe that's exactly why I should. I didn't fit anyway. So I decided to do something else reminiscent of my 14 year old high school self. Sit and drink endless cups of coffee while I write in my journal. It is a beautiful summer day and everyone is in black. I watched groups of women in 18th century style black bustiers and red tulle happily swing their dark parisols as they trotted down the street. A horse driven open carriage with a casket made its way through the traffic. I smiled as I sipped my coffee, I'm not missing Halloween after all.