CBR

Canberra's bold and ready (CBR) we've been told to tell everybody - which is a pretty tall order when most of us probably feel more timid and tentative (CTT?) most of the time . This is Canberra's 101st birthday weekend and there is an awful lot on. We're mostly enjoying the long weekend, beautiful 25 - 26oC days, the start of the Alliance Francaise French Film Festival (celebrating 25 years), and the joys of "Enlighten", Canberra's Autumn festival of light.

We saw our first French film on Friday night, the gritty "Grand Central", set in one of France's (many) nuclear power stations with a cast of vulnerable characters, so, by the time we joined the crowds around the lake we were in the mood to have our spirits lifted.

The crowds were as happy and as beautifully lit as a Renoir painting (hmm esp. his Moulin-Galette).

To say nothing of our national buildings....... This year animation effects were added to the ever changing visuals.

The entrance to the High Court was a sea of flame, a "Fire Garden", a stunning crowd pleaser.

Questacon and the galleries were open for evening tours and there was a South American Fiesta happening in the grounds of the National Gallery, to celebrate the "Gold and the Incas: Lost Worlds of Peru" exhibition.

We were intrigued by Fiers a Cheval...the puppetry: three inflatable horses, lit from within, and set in motion by their puppeteers as hind legs - an oddly mesmerising perfromance.

There's a balloon festival, Diner en Blanc, an Arboretum 10th birthday celbration, a comedy festival Elvis Karaoke at the National Portrait Gallery..too much for us to deal with really..especially with a french film we must see almost every day over the next few weeks of the festival. Anyway happy birthday CBR - we love you, bold and ready or not.