30 May: Canberra

One day was not enough for Canberra. We didn't get off the bus until almost noon, so we didn't have enough time to visit any galleries or museums. Instead, we went to Parliament after walking around.
The Lake Burley Griffin. Complete with a 24 hour big fountain and accompanying rainbow. It was a cold day, but the walk made the view worth it. Canberra is higher elevation, so usually colder than other places throughout the year. It felt a little like late fall and everyone was bundled up in big jackets. Even I wished I had thought of a jacket.

Captain Cook memorial. It's a really cool memorial, but as you might be noticing, there is a very large Cook theme in Australia. Like Columbus, he didn't technically find it. Obviously the Aboriginals were there first and then Dutch sailors founded the North shores. I suppose Cook's claim to fame is he did map the big Southern blob on the map, thus putting Australia officially down on paper for the Western world. Don't get me wrong, I love the guy. I just find it amusing.

The Magna Carta Place monument. The "symbol of freedom." I guess the document still applies to them since they are a part of the commonwealth. As you will come to see, they highly value and treasure it. Seriously.
The new Parliament building. Where Shannon and I went in and were met by very FEW and very FRIENDLY guards. Nothing like in the US. There was only one officer standing out front of the Parliament. I figured it was because no one important war around. Turns out I was wrong. We went to sit in on Q&A in the House of Representatives so I could see the Liberals and Labor Party duel head to head like high schoolers (and believe me they do...it's rather amusing). But I got to see Prime Minister John Howard as well!

First, I fully admit he looks just like Dick Cheney. In fact I asked Shannon who the Cheney look alike was. Second, he never answered a single question. I mean he talked, but it was always about something else totally irrelevant. Actually, he talked about how great the Clinton administration was for reducing the debt. Had to agree with the little man on that one.

THE MAGNA CARTA! Well, the 1297 version. Sealed in...I believe halogen? One of the inert noble gases. How cool is that? anyways, they purchased it in 1952 for about 12,500 pounds. As of 2006 is was worth AUS$15 million. Less than the $40 million it was worth. But technically, I'd consider it priceless. I also saw the desk where Queen Victoria signed the bill in 1901 called the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act (UK). Go Queen Vicki!

I'll admit it, I feel as though the trip to Canberra made me a very patriotic Australian. And even though I'm not Australian, at least I could feel proud for a country that is not my own. Technically. But, I take a far greater interest in their politics because, let's face it, I'm sucker for stories about commonwealths.

For starters, they're all about federation and not freedom we Americans gawk on and on about. It's funny what those words mean to different people and yet how both of them in some respect represent the same thing. Only one was a bill signing and the other a bloody revolution. Oh, to have been a colony.