Just like the pictures

I've never thought about visiting Canberra, the capital of Australia.  Never thought I'd visit or had any inclination to do so, except in a vague sort of way when I thought how nice it would be to catch up with an old friend and boss who now lives there.  Then along comes a surprise and find myself headed there for a brief holiday to visit a long lost relative.

I flew into Sydney and caught a bus to Canberra, just a three hour drive inland. I don't know why I thought there would be something to look at.  I was wrong, it was very boring.   But worth it.  Canberra in late May was crisp and cold at night but the days, oh, the days were glorious (even on the one day when the wind was bitterly cold) with brilliant clear blue skies.  

Being shown around by a local was a real bonus.  There's no way I would have seen or done half as much if left to my own devices.  I didn't even know Australia has a National Carillon.  It's an impressive piece of architecture, 50 metres high on Aspen Island, in Lake Burley Griffin.

Despite the cold wind I enjoyed our stroll around the little island, thinking of my granddaughter, Georgia and how she would have loved those willows.

Looking across the lake at the High Court of Australia offers a much more attractive view of the building than you see from up close.  I've read of it described as a 'brutalist' building and I had no clue what that meant until I saw it.  

Further around the lake in a quiet corner we visited the Beijing Garden.  Imagine my pride that my relative played an integral part in their establishment.   They are beautifully planned with curved paths that lead to stunning statues and amazing views - under that famous Canberra blue sky.  It was a good day to visit, few people and very peaceful, a place for contemplation.  The Beijing Municipal Government made a gift of the garden to the City of Canberra.  Workers from China were brought out to do the construction.  It is a formal garden designed in the Imperial Chinese Garden Style of the Qing Dynasty, 1644-1912.  (I got that from a plaque.)

In the background and to the left of the galloping horse above, you can see the flagpole on the top of the new Parliament House.  It's 81 metres tall and quite a landmark.

Parliament House

 Around the back of Parliament House

I liked the back view of Government House, too.  It's the official residence of the Governor-General of Australia and is set in 54 hectares of parkland.  

Another highlight of my visit was the time spent in the National Art Gallery.  As luck would have it, I was there on the very last day of the Pre-Raphaelite exhibition of masterpieces from the Tate in London.  Such a thrill to see Ophelia!  It wasn't near as large as I thought it would be but really, incredibly beautiful.

Photo taken from the gallery website.

That gallery is a great place for time to pass very quickly.   So many lovely paintings.  And, of course, some that were just beyond my understanding.  Like so many Australians I failed to appreciate the Jackson Pollock masterpiece which cost the Australian taxpayer $1.3 million back in 1973.  Ah well.

And this art work I found a little too confronting -