Walkabout part three Canberra

We are back on the boat in Woolwich after completing the third part of our walkabout. John and Susan took us to the train station in Brighton and we went into Melbourne to catch the Countrylink train to Cootamundra and then on to Canberra by bus. We stayed at the Australia National University in a very nice suite. Dinner was the Boffins restaurant on the campus. I tried the kangaroo and very pleasant it was too, sort of a cross between beef and venison.
Next day, we went on a guided tour of the Federal Parliament building completed in 1988 at a cost of 1.1billion AUD. Very impressive it was but alas, the fragrant Julia Gillard was nowhere to be seen as all the pollies had left for their summer vacation.
Great views from the roof to the old parliament building to the National War Memorial.
Canberra is very new city, reminiscent of Washington, DC but without the people. It was started in 1913, due to the rivalry between New South Wales and Victoria.
In the afternoon, we visited the National Portrait Gallery and the Australia National Gallery with it's huge collection of Aboriginal art and a very impressive sculpture garden.
Next day, we went to the Australia National Museum, a massive structure which housed numerous exhibits showing Australia's history over the past 100,000 years.
Our time in Australia's national capital was far too short and we boarded the train back to Sydney the next day.
An uneventful journey and dinghy drill and we were back on the boat for dinner.
Some boat chores and some shopping and visits to downtown Sydney over the next week and we await the arrival of Julie on Christmas Day.
It's hard to believe that the year is almost over.