a week ago in canberra - 3

Leaving University House on the morning of Thursday 22nd. 

Building of the second Canberra tramline. Can't wait to see how this ends up. It's going to be great. 

Briefly accidentally ended up in Manuka, noted the death of the Kingston newsagency, this is its corpse. 

This (below) is what I was trying to get to when I accidentally sidetracked to the above - the Salvos near the train station. This bookshelf full of videos is not really telling anyone anything much but you can believe me when I tell you all of these DVDs apart from three vols of Offspring are American movies and tv shows. 

I don't know what these houses (below) are/were but they interested me. 

The brick on the buildings looks mid-late 70s, but the wooden wall inside the doorway looks much older, don't you think? 

a week ago in canberra - 2

The remainder of my Wednesday 14 October in Canberra was smoothish sailing though, having been up since before 4 I was frankly a little bit of a wreck but holding it together more or less. I mentioned a great op shop in Dickson, well, this is proof of that: 

I mean I'm not saying there's anything on those shelves I actually wanted (hopefully there's nothing you really wanted, either, because I didn't get you anything) just that it indicates remarkable bounty. I have no space for stuff or things, honestly. 

This is a set of stackable baked goods containers which pass the bechdel test but I imagine they probably also make the baked goods smell horrendous and become covered in mould in an instant. Real skew towards scones here too which is interesting. Why are scones only for old ladies? 

Oh yeah and also I found another one of these. 

Most of the day was spent, actually, in the National Library, which is one of my favourite buildings ever. It has a particular beauty to it, as well. I never have a bad time there. 

I'm staying at what is now known as the University House Hotel, it's very nice indeed. This is the late afternoon view from my little balcony. Anyway most of the rest of today will happen in the National Library again. Two of the most important things I requested for yesterday didn't show, for different reasons. One was my mistake (I requested box 3 not series 4, and got box 4 with series 3 in it, very confusing) and the other was maybe no-one's mistake? I requested an item that was embargoed until the death of the interviewee, and the interviewee died 11 years ago, but no-one had told the National Library so this had to be sorted out. I think it'll be fine. 

a week ago in canberra - 1

A week ago, or right now when I'm writing this, I was in Canberra, doing research. The first day was excellent (thought ultimately a little warm). I got up before 4am, which was mad, and got to the airport around 5:20, which was similarly crazy, and was in the Can by, um, 7:30 I suppose. The National Library, which was where I was ultimately headed for most of the day, doesn't open till 10am which is a bit backward but I coped. I got on the tram and went to Dickson actually and had some breakfast, then went to a very amazing op shop, didn't buy anything, but it was amazing. Anyway the pictures below are from before that time.

I do kind of love the bus stops but really... surely you have more to give than just peculiar bus stops, Canberra. This one is in the Canberra Centre i.e. it's not a bus stop a.t.a.l.l.

I don't hold out much hope for the future of these buildings:

More on this character (the one on the left) later: 

Can neither confirm nor deny:

i didn't do this

It's pretty interesting though. 

raglan st north melbourne

Someone(s) has put a lot of thought into popping little statues etc into the niches in this building in Raglan St. It's pretty cool. 

hot weather

I suppose you're probably sick of these walks. It's started to get hot and we have to start a morning walk regime - Maribyrnong River at Avondale Heights again. Going to have to go out earlier though, by 10 it was hard work. Perry had to get into the water. 

and this place (yesterday) even though it's not a park

I remember going in here at least once, that must have been over 20 years ago. I don't know how long it's been unused but it's been a long time. The back door's open (but behind a strong wire fence). I took a photo through the door. 

Imagine if there'd been, I don't know, some guy standing there holding another guy's disembodied head by the hair, but no, just the inside of an essentially derelict building.