Canberra revisited morning schedule

This YHA had been recommended to us because it is quite a new one. The family room was lovely and we had our own bathroom....which had been our main issue with the one in Sydney. It was also cool to have a pool table & table football very close to our room. The only problem was....some idiot set off the fire alarm at 6.45 in the morning! The warning alarm was scary enough, but when the second alarm came....it was a high pitch siren...with the dalek voice repeatedly saying,"EMERGENCY, EMERGENCY...EVACUATE THE BUILDING!!" The children were terrified...apparently we later learned...they have never been so scared!




The plus side is that it gave us an early start and the impetus to fill a full day's itinerary. It started with breakfast in Kingston at Silo Bakery for a dose of "inner suburban cool" on the "bustling cafe strip". Which translates as very nice, very pricy and slimy green vegetables on top of your scrambled eggs.
Anyway we moved onto the political version of "It's a Small World". Driving around looking for all the different embassies. Two of the dullest and most fortified were The British and US Embassy. The latter of these two is on the right with security cars in view. Tina parked 50 yards down the road and I strolled up for the photo. This was enough to set alarm bells ringing and the guard immediately stepped out of the car and watched me intently. I wanted a shot of their unwelcoming entrance fortifications but thought I meant end up in Guantanamo Bay.



In the more aesthetically pleasing category, Thailand, Papua New Guinea and India rated highly. We were also impressed by New Zealand's Corrugated Iron Cows and the foreground blossom outside the pagodas of the Chinese Embassy.




A gorgeous early spring day in Canberra, so we took advantage with a one hour ride around the lake. Pink Blossom



The parade of flags. Which gave me the opportunity to share an anal "vexillogical" knowledge although I must admit Lybia's one had me stumped but all of us in agreement that it really is the most boring flag imaginable.



White bloosom




and the "Australian of the year" walk. We found our birthdates although Tina's was partly concealed by contributions from local birds. The Seekers,eh? Well it's not quite the Beatles.




Stuff the view. Coffee in a poystyrene cup is never nice.



Still mid morning so we bombed up the Telstra tower. Yep pleasant view across the whole city and back down 10 minutes later heading for.....