Easter Weekend.

SATURDAY:

Went to the local cafe which opened recently. Quite a cool-looking one. It's weird as the surrounding is not cool at all, stepping into the cafe was like entering another world. The coffee was nice.
Then drove up to Mt. Macedon where we often go to to rejuvenate our energy, although I was too exhausted and it wasn't enough for me to recover from the stress that piled up in the last couple of weeks.

At about 6pm we went to the pub-diner in Woodend to have a meal.
Around the center was the traditional brick fireplace. We chose the table closest to it that wasn't reserved. The time was still early and the place wasn't yet crowded. I decided to have scallop for entree, well, I never order main meal so that was my 'main'. I also felt like some wine, but since I am no connoisseur, I asked them to select one for me.
As my order was brought to the table, I was shocked at how small the serve was, considering its high price at $18. Only about 5 scallops were on the plate, beautifully presented but. Each served with pear (and something else) sauce, topped with tiny crispy bacon and garnished with parsley, which was a nice touch.
Oh, and the scallop was fresh, not over-cooked. It wasn't over-seasoned either, there was just enough saltiness in the bacon, which blended with the fruitiness and the subtle sweetness of pear sauce, and the cool, sorbet-like texture of the sauce neutralized the oiliness of the bacon and created the surprisingly refreshing taste. I'd have to admit that I had never had anything like that before, anything quite so creative. So I guess it was money well spent.

As the evening grew, more people came in. By 6:30pm, the place was full of families and friends. Watching the fire burning and having a glass of wine, I felt comfortable, but somewhat emotional at the same time.
Out of nowhere the image of my dad entered my thought.
Easter is time for family. I was just a bit sentimental.

Back home, we watched the German war film (Submarine film) called Das Boot, the only war movie I watch again and again.
The captain of the U-boat is disillusioned with Hitler and the war, probably so are the other chiefs. The life inside the submarine with no phone, no radio, no women - that alone would be enough to drive you crazy. Plus the confined space is cramped with crews and other amenities.
Back during the war, U-boat was said to be near-indestructible, and it really seemed that way. It was amazing how it survived through the relentless attack by British marine. However, towards the end of the war, British developed the advance tracking system, and was able to locate the U-boats.
You can feel as the frequency of the signal gets faster, the tension inside the boat becomes stifling...then the next second, the torpedo hits the submarine.
Imagine the crew listening nervously to the signal frequency slowing down but not going away, swallowing the breath, and the anticipation for the worst growing heavier and heavier. It makes your gut wrench. Seriously.

The movie is maybe not good if you are claustrophobic, because there's not much going-on outside the submarine. Plus, the overall vibe of the film is almost unbearably grim, but it is a very touching film.
You see all the emotional walls and ego slowly breaking down as the crews spend a long time together, share the same fears and hopes, face and escape many near-death situations, and how they gradually bond through this extreme experience.
At the bottom of the sea, even when all the hope was fizzling away, with the failed engine, the compass not functioning and fresh oxygen running low, the team never gave up. They all helped each other, to surface once again, to be back home once again.

Oh, people really should watch it - If you watch this you know what I mean.
No matter how many times I watch this film I'm always left speechless and numb.

After all this, came nothing, nothing. Nothing...


SUNDAY:

There was no celebration on Easter Sunday, but it was a special weekend regardless.
Now I've got to hit the sack.