Wet and Aggressive Corella challenges Magpie

Wet and Aggressive Corella challenges Magpie

Sunday 31 January 2016

Sunday Selections #261

Sunday Selections was originally brought to us by Kim, of Frogpondsrock, as an ongoing meme where participants could post previously unused photos languishing in their files.
 
The meme is now continued by River at Drifting through life.  The rules are so simple as to be almost non-existent.  Post some photos under the title Sunday Selections and link back to River.  Clicking on any of the photos will make them embiggen.
 
Like River I usually run with a theme.  I am continuing with my Tommy Tourist theme this week.  The uncle has gone home again, and I think he enjoyed his stay.  


The weather continued its mostly grey path while he was visiting.  Some sunshine, but not enough for some of us.  Some rain, but not enough for others of us.

We headed off on a cruise on the lake one morning, to show off the city's features from a different perspective.  



Although it was very grey when we started off, the sun was shining at the Nara Peace Park.




Apartments adjacent to the city centre.  Many of them have lovely views, and a matching price tag.

The Carillion


The National Library.


The High Court - which looks much better from the inside.


Commonwealth Park.


The War Memorial.  


There is a flag here for every nation which has an embassy or a consulate in my city. There are ninety or so of them at the moment I think.   A day or two later at the uncle's request we drove round far too many of them.  They weren't open, but we did a drive by just the same.





This Paddle-boat is owned by the National Museum, and is rarely taken from its wharf.  We got lucky.


A closer look at some of those expensive apartments.  



Part of the National Museum - a controversial looking building.

 Dragon boat racers practising.  I think there were races on Australia Day.

Since the sun came out while we were on the lake we detoured to enjoy the kangaroos in Yarralumla when the cruise finished.  As always they were totally relaxed.  I have often said I would like to be able to relax as well as a cat, but being a roo has some charm too.






A miniature steam train for children which runs in loops not far away from the kangaroos.

The next day we went to Parliament House.  No politicians to be seen fortunately.  The uncle and I come from very different political viewpoints...
Regardless of the people who work there, lots of the building is very beautiful.




The pillars in the entrance hall are strongly reminiscent of the colours of our gum trees.


The wood work represents native species, and is all done in a range of woods native to our land as well.




I enjoyed this tapestry.  Prepared as a gift for one of our politicians, who donated it.

The saddle was a gift to Malcolm Fraser - a Prime Minister who I remember well.  I liked him a great deal more after he left politics. 




 Poor Julia.  Gifts (over a certain value) made to our politicians can be paid for by the person and kept, or are retained by the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.  The portrait above was executed in coffee beans of Julia Gillard while she was Prime Minister.  I am not surprised that she wasn't itching to have it on her own walls.




Not only is the building on the posh side the politicians' private gardens have charm too.







The next few shots are taken from the roof.  







The House of Representatives (our lower house).


 The Senate.



 Jigsaws from the gift shop.  The gum trees look like they would be 'challenging'.  I took the photos thinking of LL Cool Joe who is a jigsaw afficionardo. 


Jazz n Jewel have come out of the wardrobe now, leaving me the delightful job of washing everything they moulted up a storm on.  They are happy chappies though.  And one of them celebrated getting out of their (self-imposed) prison by throwing up copiously on the spare bed.  Visitors are NOT welcomed by them.  Ever.

I am tired to the bone and the PC has an issue or six so I will be in and out a bit.  Someone who shall remain nameless decided to update to Windows 10.  It failed, so he started tinkering.  Now the previous system is suspect.  Sgih.

Sunday 24 January 2016

Sunday Selections #260

Sunday Selections was originally brought to us by Kim, of Frogpondsrock, as an ongoing meme where participants could post previously unused photos languishing in their files.
 
The meme is now continued by River at Drifting through life.  The rules are so simple as to be almost non-existent.  Post some photos under the title Sunday Selections and link back to River.  Clicking on any of the photos will make them embiggen.
 
Like River I usually run with a theme.   This last week while himself's uncle has been staying with us we have been playing Tommy Tourist.  The last time he came to my city was slightly over sixty years ago.  He hadn't been back because it is tooooo cold (I wish) and he is afraid of getting pneumonia.


From Red Hill Lookout.  We are known as the bush capital - and the photos do show just how much greenery we retain here.  Which I love.



This cafe/restaurant has been at the Lookout for as long as I can remember.  It may even have been there on his last visit...  Probably not though.




The Arboretum.  Another grey day which peeved our visitor.



Looking down on our Governor-General's home by the lake.


The wide brown land sculpture - which is in metal and stands about twelve feet tall, comes from a Dorothea Mackellar poem which, in part, reads:

'I love a sunburnt country,
A land of sweeping plains,
Of ragged mountain ranges,
Of droughts and flooding rains.
I love her far horizons,
I love her jewel-sea,
Her beauty and her terror -
The wide brown land for me!'




I do love the detail etched? into the railings here.


'Nest' is a favourite.  I take new photos every time I see it.


Tree torture.

Inside the Visitors' Centre


 A bearded raven sitting on a sign in the carpark.


And, because it was raining (which I loved and he took as a personal affront) we went to the Royal Australian Mint.  All the coins we use in Australia are made here, commemorative coins and coins for some other countries too.  And our Olympic medals....  The notes are made on the other side of the country.


I loved the Safety First, Last and Always sign.

L


 This representation of our dollar coin was a seat in the viewing area.


The Great Barrier Reef commemorative dollar coin is a beauty isn't it?  How I would love to see it in general circulation.





No free samples issued.  Sigh.

And a spectacular sunset.




He will have left us by the end of the week, and I hope to visit your blogs again.  I have missed you.  I will, as always, respond to comments but it is likely to take longer than usual.  When the rest of the household wakes we are continuing the tourist trail.