Saturday morning we decided to pack up the boys and spend the night in Canberra. You know, just for something different :)
Marc had been talking about taking Owen to Cockington Green Gardens for ages. Pretty much since we have been living in NSW. So that was really the only thing that was on our Canberra To Do List. Not that it really mattered, I’d never been to the ACT and Marc really couldn’t remember much of the place as he was very young the last time he visited.
We stayed at the Crowne Plaza which is right next to Glebe Park and very close to pretty much everything. The Wotif deal that we took included a hot buffet breakfast for the four of us on the Sunday morning which was really lovely.
On the way down to breakfast:
Marc: Owen, what do you think you might have for breaky today? You know there will be lots of things to choose from.
Owen: Hmmmmmm… (very, very seriously) Just Weetbix this morning I think Dad.
That’s one way to waste a full buffet breakfast!!!!
Anyway, after a walk around the city on Saturday afternoon, we were freezing and getting hungry, so headed back to the hotel to thaw out, bath the boys and think about dinner.
Another short walk later, dinner was served – Nandos style. We walked back to the hotel after dinner and watched Monsters v Aliens and had an early night. Well, what did you think we would do? We have two young children! Owen got to stay up until past 9pm – that in itself was a treat for him. Not to mention eating chocolates on the bed (this is where we apologise to Crowne for the chocolate on the white doona cover….)!
It would be great to go back another time without the kids though, there are heaps of great places to eat and lots of very cool kid un-friendly shops to browse!
On Saturday, after our reasonably leisurely and delicious breakfast, where Marc even got to flip through the newspaper almost in peace (a very rare treat!) we packed up, checked out and headed over to Cockington Green Gardens to check out the miniature villages. Owen wasn’t so impressed to begin with, remarking that a drain in the walkway was exciting, but he warmed to the place very quickly… As soon as he’d spotted the first model train to be exact!
We watched this particular train make it’s way round oh, about 20 times!
And there it is again… Luckily there were more trains throughout the gardens. Unluckily, Marc forgot to charge his camera battery the night before, and about half way round the park his battery died! Really though, I think you get the drift of the place, lots of little houses and people and things, all surrounded by beautiful miniature gardens and of course a few model trains!
After nearly 3 hours of taking in all the little people, place and plants Marc and I were pretty much ready to go, but Owen wasn’t. I think he could have stayed to play with the trains for at least a few hours more! He has already asked to go back to Cockington Green on another day!
Woah, that *does* look cool! Know what you mean about Canberra too, it doesn’t have the greatest reputation in terms of things to do, but each time I’ve been there I’ve always thought that the food was just awesome.
how much more fun is it to got to these sorts of places when youve got owen to appreciate the trains! toot. toot.