London Has All This - Apparently

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The only way to spend a whole day in Canberra was to get the overnight bus that arrived at 3 o'clock in the morning. I was expecting to be able to read or sleep in the transit centre, but it was well locked and I ended up outside huddled in my sleeping bag trying to keep warm. There were only two other people on the bus, one of whom took pity on me. He and his 'friend' very kindly gave me a quick car tour of the town before dropping me at a burger van where I could get something to eat.

Most Australians tend to slag off Canberra as being cosmetic and unnatural, and to a great extent it is. It is however definitely worth a visit, if for no other reason than to see the war memorial. Above ground, this looks like a little building that usually has loads of names carved on it, but underground, it was actually a huge museum. Rather than just displaying guns and planes and the like, it put across the whole experience of war and was actually an incredibly moving experience. It is quite common for people to leave the place in tears. Behind the Sydney Opera House, I think, it is the most visited tourist attraction in Australia.

Given the early start, I covered one hell of a lot of ground for one day. I next visited the Australian parliament building. This is set into a hill and you can actually walk across the hill on top of it. There were regular guided tours around the inside, including both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Next, I went to the Australian National Gallery, which was up to Australia's usual high standards, and the High Court.

I really must make the effort to see all these things in London some time. Isn't it strange how I have seen more of Australia than most Australians and most Australians have seen more of Britain than the British have.

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Photos

Parliament
The new Parliament building

The Old Parliament
The Old Parliament building viewed from the New Parliament

House of Representatives
The House of Representatives in the new Parliament building

Senate
The Senate in the new Parliament building

Lake Griffin
The man-made lake and the telecoms tower

Captain Cook Fountain
The Captain Cook Fountain in Lake Griffin

The Carilion
The Carilion - A gift from the UK apparently

Aboriginal Art
Exhibit in the National Gallery of Australia