Globetrottie
Realtor.Investor.Lifestylist.More.
Australia, Canberra
Compared to Sydney, Canberra is pretty much more laid back. Before I came I met a nice lady on the plane, a classy beautiful property lawyer, and she said Canberra can be really cold. Well, she would know- She stayed there for 19 years!
It is currently 13 degrees and it is summer! What kind of summer is this? Oh my...on days like these I really fight myself to get into the shower. It is a tug-of-war in my head. Should I bathe? I want to... but it's so cold! Hmm, let me see how I can justify not bathing. Ok, I have not perspired. I am TECHNICALLY still clean from yesterday's shower. Argh, but I want to bathe cos the water will be WARM... I still cannot decide. It usually goes on like this for half an hour before I decide what to do.
Today, I forced myself out of bed to workout, and then with a fully warmed-up sweaty body, I climbed into the shower before my temperature drops. Good job Serene.
Anyway, I will just run you through the places I have been in Canberra.
First, the city centre. There is this huge cluster of malls somewhat comparable to the Vivo-Harbourfront centre stretch or part of Orchard road. Buildings are shorter and more sparse, so there are little gardens around with artistic pieces. You cannot imagine what the luxury of SPACE can do to your mood. I feel happier when I don't have to vy for personal space in public areas, or "chope" any spots. There is room for everyone!
The city isn't very big. If you were to compare certain aspects of infrastructure like transport, Canberra is definitely lacking compared to Singapore. There are no commuter trains- and why would we need them when everywhere is 20 minutes from everywhere else. The roads are good enough. There is no bustling Chinatown. The best we get is a couple of shophouse rows at this suburb called Dickson, mostly restaurants with diversed asian cuisines, Asian supermarkets, and maybe a karaoke outlet that I heard is exhorbitant. -shrugs-
When it comes to nature, Australia in general is an advocate of preserving nature and super protective of their ecosystem. Because of that, we get to enjoy our nature spots every single evening. We could be down at Lake Ginnindera or on Black Mountain. People here love jogging and hiking, I realised. These activities are readily available cos of the wide open spaces in nature reserves. That's us at the Telstra Tower on Black Mountain.
The highlights of the weekend for me is always the Old Bus Depot Markets. That is the place for local buskers to showcase their talent, for artists to sell their masterpieces and for foodies to get a little of mmm-mmm! The aroma of fresh Pita Bread draws us closer, and the price of $3 for one huge loaf just closes the sale for us. Handmade jewellery, puzzles, wooden handmade toys, children's clothes, special Turkish dips, fresh strawberries and cherries...the list just goes on.
After shopping, we can take a short walk to the Canberra Glassworks where we can see how exquisite glassware and works of art are being made. My, the place can be hot with the furnace going! The exhibits are very creatively made. I saw this little glass pear with a purple swirly dancer in it. See the picture below.
Guess what, the entrance is FREE! They just go by a freewill donation box. Highly recommended! If you are dropping by Canberra on the weekend, go for the Old Bus Depot Markets and Canberra Glassworks!