The Federal Suburb
Canberra, meaning meeting place, the centre of the Commonwealth of Australia's federal government. Fifty kilometres from side to side, nearly all of which is suburbs. And a good metaphor for Oz itself, which seems to be comprised, in the populated areas, of a strange suburban mass. Which I decided to travers by bike. So, I walked up to the Australian National University, where I hired a bike for the day (well, the half day as I'm still no early riser) for the pricely sum of $10, no deposit required. Before taking the bike, I took advantage of the comveniences, and saw the following graffitti on the door of one of the loos:
"Student Politicians Eat Shit", followed by:
"Until they become real politicians, by which time they're full of it"!
I almost pissed myself, handy comnsidering where I was sitting! But this was itself followed by a small comment underneath:
"I'll vote for anyone who eats mine!", which topped it off nicely.
I cycled up to the Federal Parliament (as shown below looking pretty stunning), not too far away but far too tiring, just in time to catch a tour around the building, which was very good. For some strange reason, though, I couldn't take my Swiss Army knife in. As if I was going to knife any ministers just for laughs! Hmmmm.....
Then I cycled off to the National Gallery, saw a great modern art exhibition and some Japanese Edo-era art work, then cycled back to the uni, just in time to get the bike back.
And now I'm in Bateman's Bay, Batehaven to be precise, staying with my relatives, Dad's cousin Shirley and her husband Alan, and very nice they are too!
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