Lake Burley Griffin in Autumn

Some cities in the Australia and New Zealand seem to miss out on autumn entirely. Usually due to the lack of deciduous trees. Canberra isn't one of them. Most of the plantings in the city itself are 100% intentional, and many exotic trees make for an interesting display at this time of year.

Yesterday morning I went for a walk along the lakeside, through Acton and Commonwealth parks. It is a walk I enjoy each time I visit Canberra, with a great deal of little things to discover; in particular plantings by famous visitors over the years.

A few photos:

Lake Burley Griffin, Canberra, ACT - April 2011

Emissions Cafe

So, I'm in Canberra - why?, because a client flew me (from New Zealand) here to present a one day training seminar. Could it have been presented by a local? Definately. Who was the client - the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency - just a wee bit ironic if you ask me.

I won't dwell on that though. While there I visited the Emissions Cafe on the ground floor several times (mmm coffee). The first thing you notice is that this is definately a cafe for the local workers. You see office workers and people in uniform from the surrounding buildings.

The coffee was OK, and the bagel slightly better (6/10), but, the system of calling out your name when your order is ready clearly does not work. If you go there, and have a common name, make a name up and use that instead. My bagel made it to the neighbouring building before a policeman of the same name as me realised he had not ordered a bagel.

An alright cafe if you're in the area, but don't look it up specifically.

Emissions Cafe - Civic, Canberra

Ottoman Cuisine

Naming a restaurant after a style of food is something I'd not be inclined to do. However, Ottoman Cuisine in both Sydney and Canberra lives up to it's eponymous style.

I have dined at the Sydney restaurant at Walsh bay many times, and yesterday visited the 'original' Ottoman cuisine in Barton, Canberra.

Needless to say, I was impressed again by their food. Almost as much as I was impressed by the fact they had to start a second wall for their awards as they ran out of space on their first (there are almost 20 consecutive years of Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide plates for example).

The chef/owner Serif Kaya has certainly done a good job, both restaurants are immaculate in terms of both venue and staff, and the food is undescribably good - certainely not something you can even remotely compare to the average Turkish restaurant, let alone kebab shop. In particular there is something about that wonderful fluffy pide.

I'd easy rate last night's meal of mantar, kofte and pide with a 10/10. These restaurants definately qualify among my all time favourites. Particularly with the views from Walsh bay.

The Qantas Heritage Collection

Hidden away above the bustle of Sydney's Terminal 3 lies a small museum, housing the Qantas heritage collection. To find it, go to gate 13 - it's just to the left.

If you transfer through Sydney domestic, defintely pop in - you're likely to have time to kill anyway, it's an airport after all. The gallery houses a large collection of Qantas and air travel memoribilia, ranging from models depicting the history of flight, through to Qantas uniforms of the past and present.

As the gallery is largely naturally lit, it is difficult to take nice photographs in there, so forgive some of the following.

Onyx of Cambridge

When you've been to a restaurant countless times, and had excellence each time, it's hard to resist going back. Onyx is one of those places, and they've never failed me. One of my favourites is the Manuka pizza, but I've over done pizza recently, so had this steak sandwich the other day.

Oynx Restaurant - Cambridge, April 2011

I regard this place as worth driving to Cambridge for, or at least, a worthwhile spot to go to on the way through. That steak sammie was worth a 9/10.

Age shall not weary them - we will remember them

Dawn of the 25th of April has a special meaning to those who live in New Zealand and Australia. It is the time when we remember the ANZACs.

ANZAC stands for the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, and was formed in 1915 for the Battle of Gallipoli. It marked the first time that Australian and New Zealand soldiers fought together, and suffered and fell together - the Battle of Gallipoli was hardly the knockout victory it was intended to be.

Since then, forces from both sides of the Tasman have worked together in pretty much every major war, and are remembered each year on ANZAC day, the 25th of April.

I'm not a believer in war-mongering, and don't even necessarily believe soldiers should fight in order to gain peace, but what is important is to remember the effects of war - the scars it leaves on society. While we remember, we help to avoid the same mistakes being made again.

It is for that reason, rather than any personal connection that I attend ANZAC services. In Hamilton, they are held in Memorial Park, near the river. It is a fitting place. The park was formed to commorate the losses in WWI, at which time the cenotaph was built, and a tree planted to represent each soldier lost as a living memorial. Many of those trees still stand today.

At 5:30 the returned servicemen march from Hamilton city, accross the river and into the park, after which a service begins with a bugler playing The Last Post. From there, hymns are sung, readings are read, and wreathes are laid. In amongst all of that, tears pour, memories flash back, and everyone supports one another.

During the National Anthem part of this morning's service a young woman collapsed. She was standing in place of a lost serviceman, and after being rushed to the ambulance by paramedics, was thankfully OK.

Let us not forget the horrors of war, and of the courage shown by these soldiers to defend our freedom. Whether the world would have turned out very differently where it not for their efforts is a moot point on a day like today - it is the intent of the actions that count.

ANZAC dawn service, Memorial Park, Hamilton, NZ - 25 April 2011

ANZAC dawn service, Memorial Park, Hamilton, NZ - 25 April 2011

A suburban house

Another day, and another neat Lego model, a house this time, made by a builder called Landlord (a rather apt name given the model).

Another Miami hotel in Lego

After posting a deco miami hotel in Lego recently, I found a much bigger, better example. This one by Lego Monster.

Elle s'appelait Sarah (Sarah's key)

Sarah's key is one of the saddest films I've seen in a long time. Then again, any film set during the holocaust isn't going to be pleasant.

Having said that, this film tells a different, and important story. Set in France, Sarah, and her family are arrested by the French police (who assisted in the deportation of Jews, hence Chirac's 1995 apology), but unbeknownst to the police, Sarah has hidden away her younger brother in a closest. Sarah soon realises her mistake, and makes every possible effort to return to save her brother.

The movie is set in two times, during WWII, and in the present, where Julia, a journalist is moving into Sarah's wartime home, and writing and article on the history of the parisian jews during the war.

Julia unravels the story as the movie proceeds, and the consequences for the present day survivors in the film are just as strong as the plot in the past. The tale had me in tears in a few scenes...

The movie deserves a 10/10 in my book, being one of the best movies on the topic I've seen. Definately a must see.

Sarah's key

Cavallero of Collingwood

There are still a stack of photos from my last aussie trip sitting on my hard drive, many of which haven't yet been posted, even though I'll be back across the tassie again within the next week.

Here is a tasty dish that I've yet to re-create, I ate this one at Cavallero in Collingwood, VIC. That is, Castel farmohouse blue cheese, proscuitto and pear salad with walnut dressing. Tasty.

All up, how can you go wrong with that for $14, and a long macciatto - all good - I'd give that lunch 9/10.

Hackfalls Arboretum

An hour outside of Gisborne lies a second arboretum (in addition to Eastwoodhill) , which I also recently visited.

This arboretum is a smaller, more private affair, but still very much worth visiting. If you only have the time for one, go to Eastwoodhill, but if you have time for two, then don't miss Hackfalls which is in Tiniroto.

Some more pics:

Hackfalls Arboretum, Tiniroto, Eastland - April 2011