but there are avenues of trees.
I saw some springtime flowers,
but it was far too cold for bees.
The restaurants all close at nine
The hotel's beds keep you awake.
They empty the bins at 3 am,
At a 4-Star rating, that's hard to take.
Downtown really means just down,
The 'town' part has been forgot.
The 'peak hour' rush took half an hour
Perhaps its busier when its hot.
All in all I was tired but glad,
to squish my butt back in the seat.
And fly back west to the setting sun,
'cause home in Perth is hard to beat.
I apologise for the doggerel, but I had a fleeting visit to Canberra yesterday and while the public buildings are very nicely kept and the streets are indeed beautifully tree-lined, the place was hard to take for someone who is visiting and needs a shop/pharmacy/cafe/bar/open restaurant etc.
Embassies they had in plenty, unfortunately as I was not looking to defect or in need of political asylum, the availability of consular assistance was not of any use whatsoever.
The fact that I didn't get any sleep the one night I was there probably has jaded my perspective somewhat.
The taxi drivers were actually a high point as far as direction finding round the city but all of them seem to be able to tune in only one radio station in the cab. It was a bit like Hotel California and every driver seemed to have the same glazed look. Perhaps it is from so frequently driving august and noble political personages around on a daily basis.
Or perhaps terminal boredom - it seems the place for it!
I'm sure it is no coincidence that the ABC AM radio frequency for Canberra is 666.
I visited Canberra in September a couple of years ago and attended Floriade, the city was a blaze of blossoms and colour at that time of year and the tulip display was amazing. We took a few walks in the evening and early morning through the mall and was accompanied only by a flock of pidgeons!!!
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