It was all...

Something about the bright yellow paint job and the slick grey asphalt/building just makes my eyes happy.

The end

...of Floriade that is! Well, only until next year. Here's hoping it's a bit warmer!

& turn into gold in the sunlight

More floral loveliness from Floriade.

You spin me right round

Giant Ferris Wheels like this actually freak me out, but all the kiddies and their parents seemed to be having a grand old time up there seeing the flowers from a different angle. It's lit up at night, but unfortunately camera-phones are useless after dark!

Rainbow connection

One of the many colourful stalls.

I see red

This looks a bit scary and hurts my eyes, but I still like it for some reason.

Bright Grey

This week is the final week of Floriade 2009, so I thought I would celebrate it by posting a few pictures from the festival over the coming days. The last time I visited was for a school excursion goodness knows how many years ago, so it was interesting to come back and see it from a fresh perspective. I was going to write a spiel about Floriade, but their website does a much better job, so I pinched something from there:

Floriade began in 1988 as a spectacular commemoration of Australia's Bicentenary and Canberra's 75th birthday. Floriade blossomed for the first time with a stunning floral display of exotic bulbs and annuals, which grow beautifully in Canberra's climate. The community embraced the inaugural Floriade, making it such a success that it became an annual event - Australia's celebration of spring. Since its beginnings in 1988 Floriade has been held in the city, in Canberra's Commonwealth Park.

Floriade is Australia's premier spring festival and a world-class floral spectacular. More than one million blooms create a stunning backdrop to a month-long festival filled with music, cultural celebrations, horticultural workshops, artistic displays, entertainment and recreational activities. Floriade runs from mid-September to mid-October and attracts more than 400,000 attendees.

Check out the Floraide website here.

Angular

Corner of Alinga and Mort Street, Civic

A matter of perspective

Putting yesterday's sign into (a much larger) context. Giant insect/plant mural found in the city near Garema Place.

FYI

This no standing sign in the city has become something of a haven for stickers and general randomness on an otherwise mural-ised wall. Confined to the sign only, I like the respect shown to the artwork.

Through the looking-glass

City Daily Photo theme day this month is contrast. Natural meets man-made at Floriade in Canberra.

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Pre-loved

Indeed, Kim's Chinese Grocery was immediately to the right of this picture. Garema Place, Civic.

Mixed Messages

Alinga Street, Civic

Awesome Chips!

This weekend just past I was visited by my fellow Photo-Blogger, French Sydneysider of My Down Under. Of course Canberra, as usual took a break from some lovely balmy spring weather to welcome her with lots of rain and cold wind. In conversation she made passing mention of experiencing something "exclusive to Canberra," so when we took refuge from the cold in the Canberra Centre while waiting for her bus home, we stumbled upon an exclusive Canberra experience: Kingsley's Chicken. Though a chain, it is located exclusively in Canberra.

A fast food institution of sorts, Kingsley's does all the regular chicken fare, as well as "salads, delicious Chicken Gravy and, of course, Kingsley's Awesome Chips - which many customers claim are the best in Canebrra, if not the world!" Wow!

Gimme shelter

Discovered these two pigeons huddled on a tool box in a vacant shop space at the Jolimont Travel Centre in the city this afternoon. I can't blame them - it was bitterly cold outside. How they got in? Another eternal mystery...

A different perspective

Target carpark, Canberra Centre

Take it easy

Ottomans (?), Canberra Centre

Koko is the new black

For lovers of chocolate, Kokoblack on Bunda Street in the City is probably the ultimate experience, for those with somewhat less of a sweet tooth (myself included) it induces thoughts of disastrous sugar-comas past. Founded in Melbourne in 2003, Kokoblack embodies the style and substance of the European chocolate making it aims to emulate. I didn't have a chocolate breakfast in mind when I stumbled across this place last week, but was just happy that I was able to order a coffee and take refuge from the winter wind. Coffee wasn't spectacular, but the cake plate we ordered was surprisingly good and not as rich as I had feared. I'd stay purely for the old-world, dark-wood, slightly stuffy decor!

Turn on the bright lights

Groovy lighting, Canberra Centre

All that glitters

Entrance to Dendy Cinemas, Canberra Centre