Canberra

Well, the day started off on a rough night. I was apparently so exhausted from a week that involved 2 midterms, a presentation and a 4 page synopsis of the presentation that I slept right through my alarm. I was supposed to wake up at 6:20 since the cab was getting here at 6:40 to take us to uni. My friends called me at 6:47 at which point I got ready in 4 minutes and darted off for a day in Canberra, the capital of Australia. The international student office sponsored a trip for 54 of us international students. It was about a 3 hour bus ride. First we went to the Australian National Museum which was a joke. I was INCREDIBLY disappointed. I didn't feel like I learned anything. At least the architecture was cool! Next we spent two hours at the Floraids which is this big annual festival they have during September where they grow these magnificent flower beds where the colors of the flowers outline different pictures. They also have all sorts of little market shops and live entertainment. Right across from that was another museum focused solely on the history of Canberra. I felt like I learned a lot more there. Canberra is one of only two country capital's in the world (the other is Brasilia) that is entirely planned. It has this gorgeous lake running through the middle and all the main buildings forming a triangle across the lake. The last stop was a tour of the parliament house modeled after Great Britain's where the federal government sits and makes legislature. I'm glad I can say I went, but I would not want to spend more than a day there. It definitely does not hold a candle to Washington DC! oh AND I was told Canberra is the only place in Australia that sells Dr. Pepper but I never got a chance to go to the grocery store to look! :(