The last couple of weekends have found me sticking around Canberra, mixing time at home with forays into the bush, adventures in the shopping malls, daredevil cooking exploits, and a bit of high octane multi-culture. Okay, maybe a bit more sedate than all that but mostly true.
I’ve taken a few morning walks lately, in the hope that it will be cooler and those pesky flies will still be napping. It’s also a good time for all the non scary wildlife of course, as they are either getting up for the day or going to bed. Last weekend was the usual jaunt around Red Hill, catching up with the state of the long yellow grass, the local roos and the squawky creatures.
I’ve taken a few morning walks lately, in the hope that it will be cooler and those pesky flies will still be napping. It’s also a good time for all the non scary wildlife of course, as they are either getting up for the day or going to bed. Last weekend was the usual jaunt around Red Hill, catching up with the state of the long yellow grass, the local roos and the squawky creatures.
This weekend I took a nice amble along the Murrumbidgee River on the Western side of the ACT to a place called Red Rocks Gorge. These featured slightly reddish colour cliffs rather than anything quite as dramatic as the name suggests, but the walk was peaceful, cool and fly-less.
This weekend has also taken me to the Canberra Centre twice, picking up a few bits I need including stuff to take to Darwin, where I am heading this week. I actually bought some really hot thongs which are a little tight until I break them in! (NB: “thongs” are Australian for flip flops in case you have a horrendous image now embedded in your head, ha ha ha). Thankfully it wasn’t all bland shopping malls but the annual Multicultural Festival was taking place, with hundreds of food stalls with fare from all over the world, exotic dancers and the unusual sight of crowds in the centre of Canberra!
This weekend has also taken me to the Canberra Centre twice, picking up a few bits I need including stuff to take to Darwin, where I am heading this week. I actually bought some really hot thongs which are a little tight until I break them in! (NB: “thongs” are Australian for flip flops in case you have a horrendous image now embedded in your head, ha ha ha). Thankfully it wasn’t all bland shopping malls but the annual Multicultural Festival was taking place, with hundreds of food stalls with fare from all over the world, exotic dancers and the unusual sight of crowds in the centre of Canberra!
There was even a row of stalls from the European Union. Walking along took me past clog makers from Holland, German wenches serving Bratwurst with Sauerkraut, Irish dancers… all the while hoping to eventually find a tiny little piece of happiness called home. What will they have? Some Pork Pies maybe? The guys from Top Gear? No, in fact all we could muster was a lousy little paste table at the end of all the other European marquees with some brochures for Wales and that’s about it. Great, Britain.
Anyway, back to the food and given all the options it was nigh on impossible to choose something for lunch. In the end my decision was helped my logic that it was Chinese New Year and so I had some pork dumplings whilst watching some Turkish dancers before taking away some Macedonian sweet treats for later. I seem to be eating well lately, aided by the phase of cooking I am going through which has included Roast Pork, Lamb Shanks, Chicken and Chorizo Casserole, and the now legendary Chocolate Fridge Cake. I’m also really enjoying the Queensland Mangoes at the moment, and have finally mastered the art of cutting them in half you’ll be interested to hear.
Given that I am going to the Northern Territory in a few days I figured I best get some culture before it disappears completely, so headed to the National Gallery for an hour on Sunday afternoon. There was a free exhibition of Indigenous Art which was very impressive. I guess it also gives a bit of context to one of the big events happening in Canberra this week. Prime Minister Kevin is going to say sorry to the Indigenous folk for some pretty bad things old whitey has done to them in the past. It’s all going to be rather big and people are flocking to our little town for it. In fact, who would want to be anywhere else but Canberra this week? We also host an international cricket match, India v Sri Lanka, hopefully one that will be interesting and competitive given it doesn’t feature Australia, plus the Multicultural Festival continues apace. Crocs away, off to Darwin it is then!
Given that I am going to the Northern Territory in a few days I figured I best get some culture before it disappears completely, so headed to the National Gallery for an hour on Sunday afternoon. There was a free exhibition of Indigenous Art which was very impressive. I guess it also gives a bit of context to one of the big events happening in Canberra this week. Prime Minister Kevin is going to say sorry to the Indigenous folk for some pretty bad things old whitey has done to them in the past. It’s all going to be rather big and people are flocking to our little town for it. In fact, who would want to be anywhere else but Canberra this week? We also host an international cricket match, India v Sri Lanka, hopefully one that will be interesting and competitive given it doesn’t feature Australia, plus the Multicultural Festival continues apace. Crocs away, off to Darwin it is then!
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