Now I've said before I'm a fan of modern architecture. However, as a general rule, I cannot stand postmodern design. And as far I'm concerned, Parliament House is an absolute postmodern disaster right down from the minty green lobby with the over-sized elementary school sharp-edged geometric blandness to the eucalyptus-colored House of Representatives that looks like it took it's inspiration from the interior of the architect's mother's minivan. (It might be good to note here that the architect was in fact an American, not an Australian.)
Gaudy and dated aesthetics set aside, the idea behind the design of the postmodernist Parliament House is actually pretty cool. The House was built into top of the hill overlooking Canberra and after construction, the hilltop was filled back in over the top of the building. Visitors can walk on top of the grass roof and this way the people of Australia will always be "above" the government. Neat idea. Ugly building. Still didn't stop me from getting my picture taken in front of it. Actually, I was coerced in a photo op by a very persistent security guard.
Security guard: "C'mon, you can't come all the way here and not get your picture taken. Now give me that camera. I'll take a photo for ya."
Me: "No, thank you, that's alright."
Security guard: "Give me the damn camera. You're gettin' ur photo taken."
Me: "Yes sir."
Take One:
Security guard: "Aw, bloody hell ...you look like a damned zombie! We're doing that again -- loosen up a bit why don't ya."
Take two:
Security guard: "Well, that's really not much better."
Security guard: "Well, that's really not much better."
Leaving Canberra, we headed to Thredbo Ski Village in the Snowy Mountains and arrived just in time to watch a magnificent sunset, have a pizza and schnapps-fueled Christmas party and go on a wombat hunt by moonlight (no wombats found). Tomorrow I conquer a mountain!
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