Home Away From Home

I think it is necessary to document our home away from home, our taste of Americana, our favorite weekly errand----Costco.  We flew in on a Thursday and we were here by Saturday. 

 The menu is very similar to Costco back home, with one addition of the Aussie Meat Pie.  Around here, pie is extremely popular.  Pie in Australia is not the sweet dessert we serve at Thanksgiving.  Pie in Australia is always talking about meat pie.  Spencer has tried the Costco meat pie and said it was pretty good.

Obviously we drink a lot of smoothies, but I had to take a picture of these drinks as well. I had never seen such a large Vodka bottle in my whole life.  Pretty impressive. 

We can get many items that we love, but this Costco carries mostly local products and not as many American products.  Everything here is about double the price of what you'd pay back home.  I just shop with my eyes closed now since I can't believe I'm paying this much.

Postie Bike

 The kids love what the mail carriers drive around here.  Rain or shine, they drive around on these cool scooters, postie bikes, delivering mail.  All people who work as "tradees" wear that bright neon color to work.  They have a huge selection of neon work clothes at Kmart in case you're interested.

Floriade

 Today after church we went down to Floriade with some families in our ward.  It is pronounced "floor-e-odd."  It is Canberra's celebration of spring.  Weird.  I'm thinking it's autumn.  

 Bamboo forest.

 I can tell we'll have to come back another day to paint a gnome.

 A sword juggler.

 It really is beautiful.

 Bonsai trees.

 Wonder why Australia's colors at the Olympics are green and yellow, even though the flag is red, white and blue?  It's because of this tree that is everywhere.

 Floriade is at Commonwealth Park which is on the shores of Lake Burley-Griffin.  Lake Burley-Griffin is a man-made lake around the Parliament.  Canberra reminds us a lot of Washington, DC with the tidal basin and buildings surrounding it.

 Black swans.

 Counting for hide and seek.

It's a beautiful park.

Weston Park

 It has been pretty cold around here, so we loved spending this beautiful warm day at a party with Doug's co-workers at Weston Park.  (OK, so just so you know the lingo, co-workers are called work mates and BBQ parties are called sausage sizzles.)

 As usual, the girls were loving the dogs who came.

I'm starting to see how fun it will be here when the weather gets warmer.