The National Arboretum In Canberra

Apologies to the great Joni Mitchell, Canberra does have a tree museum. And they didn't have to pave paradise to build their arboretum. Quite the opposite, the arboretum sits on land heavily burned in bush fires and in need of natural help. Plant 10,000 trees and start a museum.

Grand entrance to the visitor center. Fun for families.

The center includes a nice cafe and a stunning view of the arboretum and all of Canberra. Cool playground, big acorn seeds around which to climb.

Big lawn, big fun. Good for wearing out children.

Oh, you want to see some of the trees, OK. Wattle season brings out lots of yellow blooms. Bonsai season brings out tiny trees. Wait, that's not right.

Instagram stop, a giant sculpture of squiggly script, titled, "Wide Brown Land." It's inspired by a famous Australian poem by Dorthea Mackellar, "My Country."

Details Of Canberra

Suburban cities can look a little like David Lynch's film, Blue Velvet. Bucolic beauty with an undercurrent of menace. How menacing is Canberra?

Skate park and dam, divergent uses of concrete in similar forms.

Dumped KFC meal. Highway underpass, dark.

Lost shopping cart.

Discarded sunglasses. Hard trim.

Lawn girl.