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Published: February 17th 2009
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The New Parliament House
with the mosaic at the front As predicted the bus journey was long and uncomfortable. We arrived in Canberra at 7.15am, We walked 10mins to the YHA opposite the Wardolf Hotel. We were unable to check in until 1pm so we put our bags into lockers and went out for breakfast. We found a little cafe around the corner, i had french toast with maple syrup and Chris had raisin toast - a nice change! We then caught the number 2 bus to the Royal Mint. It is the sole producer of Australian currency. We got to punch our own dollar coins! so much fun, dollars made by us! It was a shame that the "new" area wasn't finished as it will be showing how all the coins are made...next time!
We got the bus back and checked in at 1. Our room was on the 3rd floor. The hostel is huge and like a hotel - very clean! People of all ages are staying here... The rooms are nice and very cool ( temperature! ), big TV's and comfy sofas everywhere!
Sarah's youngest brother Angus came and picked us up at 2.30pm. He drove us to the lake to see the captain cook memorial jet. it
sprays water 137m high. then he drove us round the Parliamentary Triangle, first past the Library, along the lake, past the High Courts of Australia, national Gallery of Australia and then we stopped at the old Parliament House. Above the entrance are both the UK and Australia crests. We had a great view of Anzac parade and the memorial. The City was designed that all the important buildings were in one line.
This Parliament House is now open to the public.
We then drove up Capital Hill to the new Parliament House replacing the old one in 1988 and is one of the most impressive in the world! We parked in the underground car park and went to take a look inside. The forecourt is in Aboriginal mosaic,the red gravel and pool represents Australia's landscape and inhabitants. The great veranda around the entrance is clad with white Italian marble, above it is the common wealth coat of arms in a skeleton type style of Aboroginal rock painting - it's made out of wire, pretty cool!
After walking through security we were in the Entrance foyer. There are 48 grey-green marble pillars meaning to represent a eucalypt forest. The floor stone
had fosils in it and sometimes if you looked closely you could see full shrimps! We then walked into the Great Hall. This is used for state functions but can also be hired out to schoold for example. The far wall has a tapestry based on an Arthur Boyd painting - huge! Again it shows the forests.
Upstairs we went into the House of Senate which is red and across the hall into the House of Representatives Chamber - green. In the middle of the two there was a water fountain on the lower level, this so two people can talk without anyone else hearing, it's also the room directly underneath the flagpole. We went in a lift up to the roof. From here the views were amazing! The steel flagpole is 81m high and weighs 220 tonnes, the size of the flag is that of a double decker bus! There was even grass on the roof like gardens!
The cafe is above the veranda and there is a Statue of Queen Elizabeth II and a stone laid by Prince Charles and Diana!
Angus then drove us around Yarralumla, there are more than 80 embasies here and each embasy is
View from Mount Ainslie
The Memorial to the New Parliament House in the style of their country. We got a photo of the Papa new Guinea Embasy, built as a spirit house, the English one...well...just say very english, black and white with high fences!
We then went up Anzac Parade to the Australian War memorial. The pool of reflection is a peacfull place where families can morn their loved ones,There is also an Eternal flame that never goes out. It was amazing to see the wall on honour, names of 102600 australians killed in action. The hall of memory is where the golden dome ceiling is, one of the worlds largest mosaics built in part by war widows. This is where the symbolic tombe 000 of the unknown Australian Soldier is. It represents all Australians who have been killed and served their country, there are also 4 mosaics on the wall, a sailer, a soldier, an airman and a nurse. Then we walked around the World War galleries - overall very impressive.
At 5pmwe got to see the daily Piper who plays a song to close the Memorial.
We then drove up Mount Ainslie and got a perfect view of the Triangle and the line of the Memorial to the new Parliament House. We stopped at the National Carrilion, a bell tower that was given by the British Government to represent 50 years of Australian Independance. The Bells only play at certain times of day and we got to hear them.
Then we went up Black Mountain to see the Telstra Tower but didn't go in as there is a $7 entrance fee!
After a very long day we went back to his house and Sarah's parents Jane and Peter invited us to dinner. We had a lovely evening...
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