Monday 18th May - Canberra

Monday 18^th May

On Monday we went to House of Representatives (which is green by the way and the seats get lighter when they get higher). In the House of Representatives they try to make good lars. But in the Senate they see if they are good lars, bad lars or if they need changing. (The Senate is red by the way).

After Parmdint House we went to a Reptile Zoo. At the Reptile Zoo we saw lizeds , snakes , turtles and crocs. We could pat some reptiles but most of them we couldn't.

Mum's note:
We had a really great tour of Parliament House. After we had seen inside we went up to the roof. We were very fortunate to be there as they changed the flag. Apparently this happens about 12 times a year as the flag gets too wind damaged.

The lift (on the right) rising to the top of the flag pole to change the flag.
It holds 2 people.

No flag.

New flag.

Caleb liked the grass roof - just right for rolling down! Also he liked the Speaker's chair in the House of Representatives. He thought he might like to sit in that one day when he is big!

Caleb wants this chair!

Capital Hill. Capital fun.

Mum liked the portrait that Dame Quentin Bryce chose to commemorate her time as Governor-General and the very very large woven tapestry in the Grand Hall. Dad liked seeing the Magna Carta.

Dame Quentin Bryce opening doors for women and reflecting on her love of nature.

Part of the tapestry of Arthur Boyd's painting, Shoalhaven landscape.

Magna Carta

For the trivia buffs: we learned that the Senate is the only room in Australia that is allowed to have red exit signs (all others are legally required to be green), and that a law had to be passed especially before they could be installed.

At the Reptile Zoo we got to pat a baby Johnson's crocodile. We heard it squeak. This is the call it uses to talk to its mum.
In the evening it was great to be able to meet up with my cousin Rebekah and her two girls. We all had a lovely time.