Working in the Capitol

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Fortunately for me, there were some vending machines in Canberra, so the company paid for me to drive down there, and stay for a couple of days.
Unfortunately my camera was bung, so I'm rather lacking on the photos!
I was rather disappointed that I didn't see ANY Kangaroos or other wildlife, not even in the roadkill form. I actually haven't seen a single kangaroo in australia, I think they are probably some marketing ploy to fool foriegners - just like drop bears.

I liked Canberra, I think it's the engineer in me. It is a planned city, and pretty much custom built to be the capitol. It has heaps of grandiose buildings house different important things (high court, national library etc etc). The Parliament house is especially impressive, it has a massive flag pole, and is kinda built into the ground with grass growing up over the sides of it. Has that sorta Bunker/Evil Lair feel to it (I can picture John Howard asking for "One Mellion Dollars")

There is a huge boulevard from Parliament House, all the way to the War Memorial Museum, which is on the other side of an artificial lake.
Part of this boulevard has war memorial statues either side of it. It was good to walk down it and remember the price which has been paid for us to have the comforts and freedoms which we have today.
At the same time in Australia the government is passing laws which give police extra powers, including detaining someone for up to 2 weeks without charge. Also one of the speakers from the Sydney Social Forum was deported for acting against the interests of Australia (although he wasn't told what he said or did).
This goes to show that we must be vigilant in protecting our freedoms.
The War Memorial Museum reminded me of the horrors of war. It is not an endeavour which should be undertaken likely.
The place was bustling which school children, and as I had to explain to some secondary school students who the Viet Cong were, I realise how Australia has managed to get itself into another Vietnam. Because no one remembers the last one.

I went to the National Gallery which had the National Sculpture Prize and Exhibition on. Click on the link to see more about it.

My favour was the field of Floribots (see picture). There were 128 flowers which blossomed up, then folded down again. They would do this in different sequences, which gave the effect of a wave passing over the field of flowers.
I was intrigued by the technology behind it, and delighted when one of the flowers broke, and would go up. I could relate to this example of technology not doing what it should!!! I thought that this was the best part of the art piece!

Oh yeah, and I did some work in Canberra - cause that was the point of the trip wasn't it
😊

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Photos

Manta Ray
This is actually a photo from the Museum of Contemporary Arts in Sydney, but they had the same sculpture in th ehibit in Camberra.
It was actually designed on a computer, and produced by a computer controlled machine.
I wonder if they could make one for me

Comments

[Seth]

Spelling
Being in a country full of ignorant Australians is no excuse for such bad spelling. foreigner grandiose parliament especially boulevard endeavour

[D]

Past and Future
Great comment. Knowing our past is important for our future especially in protecting our freedoms and dealing with the horrors of war.