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22 December 2006

canberra in christmas

it is summer in canberra. there are very few people during christmas. students go back to their hometowns. public servants take their break elsewhere. many residents actually go to sydney or melbourne. south coast proves to be a worthy alternative for others.

being the nerd that i am, i will be staying in canberra throughout the holidays. some friends have invited me to lunches and dinners but i politely turned down most of them. my thesis is my top priority. i shouldn’t be allowing the jitters to take over. i must stay, write and rewrite. i am really determined to return to manila soon.

as it turns out, some of my close friends here are staying put. i’ll be having christmas breakfast with two other friends somewhere in the city. michael and marlene will pick me up for a christmas lunch with their immediate family. on boxing day, university house student-residents will be having a barbie at the garden. i will also have ample time to call up my family in manila and friends all over.

fortunately, canberra centre has opened its huge extension. for a long time, civic wasn’t the city centre it was meant to be. as a result of the mall’s huge expansion, people are converging towards canberra centre for a great number of reasons. i love the new mall because it has finally opened a branch of borders (the huge international chain of bookstores) and dendy (a chain of cinemas showcasing independent films).

it will not be a bleak midsummer christmas, after all.


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ascending borders
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borders at canberra centre
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canberra from mt. ainslie
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canberra centre
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view of telstra tower while bushwalking in woden
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post office and bus terminal at jolimont centre
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restaurants, bars and cafes on melbourne building, along northbourne avenue
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sydney building, along northbourne avenue
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view of telstra tower from the civic bus interchange
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at the national gallery of australia
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shops at kingston
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the national film and sound archives
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australian national university seal outside the school of music
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the a.n.u. chancelry
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a.n.u. pauline griffin building
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possums having their tea at 3:00 a.m. outside a.n.u. coombs building

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a cockatoo blissfully observes the tea room, a.n.u. coombs building
(research school of social sciences/research school of pacific and asian studies)
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a.n.u. coombs building
(research school of social sciences/research school of pacific and asian studies)
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a.n.u. j. b. chifley library
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the path leading to a.n.u. w.k. hancock library
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the a.n.u. r.g. menzies asia pacific library
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a.n.u. union building and square
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a.n.u. school of music
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a.n.u. john curtin school of medical research
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a.n.u. university house
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a.n.u. school of art

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view of australian national university from black mountain
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a.n.u. university avenue

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8 Comments:

Blogger The Nashman said...

I'm envious of the emptiness! Here there are still a lot of shoppers loitering but at least there aren't a lot of people...

And since misery loves company, I have this grin on my face after flights have been cancelled due to the thick fog (day 3 and counting!). Who's spending Christmas alone now, betches! :))

Fri Dec 22, 08:03:00 PM 2006  
Blogger wendell said...

nash! ive been following the news re: heathrow. this is the time of the year i am relieved because i am not there. it is big news even here. the fog is so thick, even the tower people couldn't even detect anything.

one of the reasons why i decided to pursue my studies in australia is that even at the height of winter (when it's spring and summer in the UK), i can still feel the sun and longer hours of daylight. i find winter in england very bleak, very depressing.

im trying my best to enjoy my last christmas in australia. i will be teaching in diliman (hopefully) by june 2007.

stay cool.

Fri Dec 22, 08:46:00 PM 2006  
Blogger Nick said...

Wow! I envy your weather there.
The threat of another oppressive winter this year makes me miss Manila all the more.
Nice pics.

Mon Dec 25, 12:27:00 PM 2006  
Blogger wendell said...

i miss christmas in manila too. manila will always be home for me. thanks for dropping by nick! merry christmas!

Mon Dec 25, 07:52:00 PM 2006  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

merry christmas wendell!
see you soon.

Tue Dec 26, 10:35:00 PM 2006  
Blogger wendell said...

salamay jay! feliz navidad y prospero ano nuevo!

w.

Wed Dec 27, 09:00:00 AM 2006  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

best wishes that you'll ace your thesis defense, wendell. that's my Christmas wish for you :)

reggie

Wed Dec 27, 04:11:00 PM 2006  
Blogger wendell said...

thanks so much reg!! have been really itching to go home. the philippines will always be my home. do ask everyone to pray for me. have been very tired writing and editing my thesis. i miss teaching in diliman! i miss family and friends most especially.

Wed Dec 27, 04:51:00 PM 2006  

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