Woke to minus 2.6 deg with a frost. Got the washing out then headed into the city, firstly to Capital Hill to see the old Parliament and the spectacular NewParliament. We then drove round the big man made lake called Lake Burley Griffin which the city is built around. Walter Burley Griffin was the landscape architect for designing Canberra. The weather wasn’t the best today with the cold start, the sun did come up which soon warmed us. But unfortunately it clouded over then the wind got up which was sweeping a cold wind across the lake. But we kept going to see the things we wanted to see today.
First stop was Old Parliament House.
This one showing the full length. A superb building with lots of old character.
Now walking up Capital Hill behind the Old Parliament building to the very modern New Parliament Building. What a contrast.
Marble pillars out front looking very shiny like new.
This is to show how it is built in the shape of a boomerang. The building slips down to fine points either side.
Close up of the main entrance to the building. PTs in there somewhere amongst all this flash architecture.
Through the main doors and WOW what a entrance all
made of shiny marble.
Through to the first room the Grand Hall. Beautiful.
Now going up the marble steps to see the Debating Chamber. Just amazing architecture.
Looking down over the Debating Chamber WOW again.
Now on our way up to the roof top. Looking out through the windows into the courtyard.
We are here on the roof of the New Parliament Building. Just blown away by it all. They even have a lawn up there,
From the lawn on the roof looking down to the Old Parliament Buildings.
Looking down one of the many streets that branch off from Capital Hill.
Leaving the building coming out of the main entrance looking down onto the Old Parliament Building.
Walking back down towards Old Parliament Building.
The entrance to The Old Parliament House Gardens. They were originally designed and built in the early 1930’s, providing a place for both leisure and recreational, for the members and Sentors of the Parliament. Also at the back there is a tennis court.
National Carillon, Aspen Island
The Anchor is commemorating H.M.A.S Canberra. And those who sailed in her. She was sunk by the Japanese at the Battle of Savo Island in the Pacific Ocean on 9th August 1942 with the loss of 84 lives.
Driving around the area of the National Museum of Australia. A beautiful reserve surrounds the building.
Coming through one of the entrances leading to the main entrance of the Museum.
Main entrance. We didn’t go through.
Some of the gardens around the building leading up to the main entrance.
Continuing our drive around the lake we are looking over the lake to Yarralumla Bay from Black Mountain Peninsular where we made up some hot soup for lunch,
Driving down to another off shoot to the lake edge.
Continuing our drive around the Lake passing another Bay.
Above and below passing through the reserve where the Peace Bell is. Didn’t see it as where we stopped I had to walk back too far and at this stage the wind had got up and it was roaring across the lake right at us. It was freezing so just hopped back into the van and continued on our way. It’s extremely hard to find parking areas to accommodate our sized van so miss out on things sometimes.
Now going into the Australian War Memorial. The Army Dog’s human comrades are know as Military Dog Handlers Explosive Detection Dogs (EDDs). The dogs were used to delivering messages from the frontlines to the administration areas in the First World War.
A few shots inside the War Museum, above showing the battle on the ground and how they have dug out underground.
Above and below just to finish off before we left,
Another day in Canberra tomorrow to finish off what we want to see so I will continue tomorrow and give you our opinion of Canberra when we have finished. Weather could be overcast again making it cold but the forecast is for an overnight temperature of plus two degrees.
No comments:
Post a Comment