The third stop of our 9-day Oz travel adventure is none other than the country's capital city, Canberra.  You know, to be honest, I actually thought that Sydney is the seat of the Australian government.  It was only a few weeks before flying to the Land Down Under that I learned or heard about Canberra.  Oh, how embarrassing!   

Of all the four cities (Melbourne, Griffith, Canberra and Sydney) we've visited and explored, I must say that Canberra is my ultimate favourite.  It's a perfect mix of city and nature, so you basically get to enjoy the convenience of urban living without missing out the perks of breathing fresh air.

We had two full days to tour the city but we only got to visit the Canberra Centre, the Parliament House, and the Australian War Memorial. (Ronnie made sure to make our itinerary more relaxed because I'm already six weeks pregnant then.)  We're lucky to have been welcomed and accommodated by my husband's cousin and his nephew during our stay, which made our short holiday even more fun and memorable!  Thank you so much again, Ate Becs, Ryan and Imee for your kindness and generosity!

Here are some of the photos from our trip:

This shopping mall wasn't really included in our itinerary but Ron had to return the car (he doesn't want to drive in Sydney's crazy streets anymore) to the rental office, which happens to be located just next to Canberra Centre.  So, we thought, it might be a good idea to check out the place and see what it has to offer.  Thankfully, it did not disappoint!  Just look at the happy faces of our little ones! 

The Parliament House is the place where Australia's elected officials make decisions on behalf of the nation.  The building is open to the public for free and allows its visiting guests access to (1) both chambers of Parliament, (2) the Marble FoyerGreat Hall, and (3) Members' HallHighlights of the Parliament House Art Collection.

"The Australian War Memorial is Australia's national memorial to the members of its armed forces and supporting organisations who have died or participated in wars involving the Commonwealth of Australia. The memorial also includes an extensive national military museum."  - Wikipedia

P.S.  Since my sister wasn't able to join us on this trip, my son, Rafa, (as expected) missed her a lot!  Upon getting back, they decided to go on videoke bonding -- since they both got a new microphone for themselves! (For the music savvy, you may want to try musiciansfriend.com blue snowball usb microphone.) 

Don't bother asking me how their concert went, for we'd rather keep it private!  Lol!