To Canberra and back, Part 5

At this rate, I might never finish posts about the Christmas trip to Canberra. So, where was I?  I hadn't finished with Canberra.

The single most interesting and impressive place in Canberra?  The War Memorial, without a doubt.

Yeah, here we go, the classic photo:                                                                                           

And no, I don't know who that woman is.  I don't think she was the Asian woman who was posing in an inappropriate reclining position around the pond later while her shady looking boyfriend photographed her.  But I could be wrong.



Anyway, the museum part of the place is now vast and extensive and very, very impressive, and I say that even though the entire World War I side was closed for renovation.

The place seems to have quite a large emphasis on air power, which suits me.  Now that I think of it, it really is the Navy that is a bit short changed in exhibit space.  Well, it is hard to sail a ship up to Canberra, I suppose.

Here's the newest gallery, which features audio visual presentations on G for George, a Lancaster that survived WW2, the Sydney Harbour Japanese mini sub attack (one of the subs is there), and a Peter Jackson directed film on WW1 aviation:

The Peter Jackson film was very good and I only found out he directed it because I commented to one of the attendants about its high quality, and she told me.   He's a WW1 aviation enthusiast, apparently, owning a few planes of the era, and it was filmed using them in New Zealand (but some special effects make it look like a pretty convincing Europe.)

I said to the same attendant that I thought the whole place was much more impressive than the Imperial War Museum in London, which I found disappointing when I was there in the late 1980's.  She said quite a few people from England have paid the same compliment.

So, apart from there, everyone should go to the National Art Gallery.  Like all Canberra buildings, it doesn't do entry areas well.  (I noticed that about all buildings, including Parliament House - they don't have particularly impressive areas when you first enter them - you have to move around to get to larger, more open spaces.)   The collection seems pretty impressive, but for photos, the Rodin sculptures were at least able to be taken:

OK, so I'm just amusing myself now, but the grounds outside the gallery also featured many fairy wrens, which everyone likes, surely:

Off to the National Library everyone should go too, and we did see the very interesting Mapping Our World exhibition, which I see is closing in a week's time - get in quick.

And, especially if you have kids, Questacon is worth a visit, even if it is one of the few places in Canberra you have to pay to get into.   I took this photo outside:

only because I had noticed while in Coonabarabran, one of the most science intense places in country Australia, that someone had put quite a few "Beware the Chemtrails" style flyers around the town. Why anyone would think Coonabarabran and the distinctly underpopulated Newell Highway would be worth targeting for chemtrail attack is one of the mysteries that will have to remain unanswered. Googling around, I half suspect it may be the work of this absolutely nutty sounding New Age family who may, or may not, have established their hippy mini kingdom near the town by now.  If you look around their website, you'll see that there is not a paranoid alternative lifestyle conspiracy theory which they seem unwilling to promote.  If you can spare a few minutes, check out some of the awesomely nutty Youtubes they have made too. 

Or I could be wrong, and chemtrail fretting may be centred somewhere else in country New South Wales.  Can't say I've seen it get a mention on Queensland street posts, but then again, I don't go to many Queensland country towns.

Back to Questacon itself:  I'm a little cynical of how well these science for kids playgrounds really work in imparting science to the intended audience.  But it is a pretty good example of the genre, and the staff are enthusistic and I suppose I shouldn't be too harsh.   The shop had some pretty good stuff too.

By far the most ironic thing I saw there was this photo of our PM, who cannot be bothered having a science minister, still showing up to hand out a PM's Prize for Science.

 What a joke.

Anyhow, we're near the end but time for one of my scrolling panaoramas which probably annoy some readers.  This was taken at the National Arboretum, which is definitely a work on progress, but should, in 20 years time when the trees have grown up, be quite impressive.   It has nice views back to the city anyway:

Other random observations about the city now:

*  the city centre now has very decent shopping with an extensive shopping mall.  Probably still no good eating or nightlife, but at least if you live near the inner city you don't have to head out to Belconnen or Woden anymore for good retail.   About time.

*  there was some grafitti around, even in Manuka, and I am surprised it was not dealt with.   

*  the shambolic old public housing (I assume) flats on parts of Northbourne Avenue (the main road into the city) were looking bad 40 years ago when I first visited the place, and are a spectacular eyesore now.  Why haven't they been demolished?

But, as you can tell, I still think it is a great place to visit, and I'll try not to leave it another 20 years before heading back.