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Canberra Balloon Fiesta with Samuel & Nattie

As you would probably be aware, Nattie & I went down to the lawns in front of Old Parliament House on Sunday morning for the final morning of the 2006 Canberra Balloon Fiesta. This was something Nattie & I had been planning on doing ever since the “Circus of the air” hot air balloon festival around Canberra Day. Normally the Balloon Fiesta is held in the week leading up to Canberra Day, but this year it was moved to the autumn school holidays as an experiment.

Anyway, at 5am I got out of bed, after having no sleep but instead listening to John Kerr on 2CC whilst keeping warm with a hot water bottle. At about 5:15 I gave John a call and had a chat with his lovely producer Leonie, before having a chat with John.

At 5am it was about -2°C, and it warmed up slightly to hover around the -1°C – 0°C mark for the next couple of hours.

At 5:35 Nattie and I left for our walkies, and by 6am we were walking along Commonwealth Avenue, which is a little bit ahead of where we were last time we walked to the hot air balloons. Unfortunately John’s show ran into the news and there wasn’t any time for him to play “Good Morning Good Morning”, so I sang it anyway.

As we crossed Lake Burley Griffin on the Commonwealth Avenue bridge, we stopped to look out over the lake. It was still quite dark, with just a little bit of light in the sky, but the camera did a good job of “over exposing” the image to produce a brighter picture.
Lake Burley Griffin at sunrise [1]

The Carillion was also looking good.
Canberra Carrilion at sunrise [2]

As we got closer to the Balloon Fiesta, Nattie could smell the breakfast being cooked, and started to pull harder on the lead in an effort to get there quicker. We arrived at the event and heard Mike Frame acting as the master of ceremonies, and walked over to the stage to say hello to him. After that we went to the food tent and got some breakfast. We chose the bacon, egg and toast breakfast, with a cup of coffee.

Nattie decided that we weren’t leaving the food tent to sit down at a table unless she got some food first, so the food on the plate in this photo is already depleted of some bacon.
Breakfast at the 2006 Canberra Balloon Fiesta [3]

Nattie and I shared the bacon.
Nattie having breakfast at the 2006 Canberra Balloon Fiesta [4]

I ate the egg, but Nattie insisted on having some toast. She also insisted on licking the plate when we were finished.

By this time the balloons were starting to be inflated. Some balloons were unusual shapes, and this one had a cat on the roof (that will make sense when you see the balloon in later photos).
Cat on balloon roof at the 2006 Canberra Balloon Fiesta [5]

Mike Frame was still acting as master of ceremonies.
Mike Frame at the 2006 Canberra Balloon Fiesta [6]

Nattie was looking back towards the food tent.
Nattie looking back towards the food tent at the 2006 Canberra Balloon Fiesta [7]

Mike Frame was having his maiden hot air balloon flight, so Nattie and I followed him over to the area near where his balloon would take off from, and we watched the many balloons inflating.
Balloons inflating at the 2006 Canberra Balloon Fiesta [8]

The “Liberty” balloon is the one with the cat on the roof.
Balloons infalting at the 2006 Canberra Balloon Fiesta [9]

This photo is rather interesting in that we have two inflated hot air balloons, some inflating hot air balloons, plenty of bystanders (including Mike Frame bottom left, and new MLA (Member of the Legislative Assembly) Andrew Barr bottom centre), Mount Ainslie in the background, and the dome of the war memorial directly below the peak of Mount Ainslie and just poking up above the roof of the car.
The 2006 Canberra Balloon Fiesta [10]

The Click Photo balloons was the first off the ground.
The Click Photo Balloon at the 2006 Canberra Balloon Fiesta [11]

As the balloons continued to inflate, Mike Frame and Susan (I’m not sure of the exact relationship, although I’m sure I’ve heard Mike mention her name on 2CC) posed for a photo. Mike is holding a Canberra Balloon Fiesta mug.
Mike Frame and Susan at the 2006 Canberra Balloon Fiesta [12]

The Liberty Financial balloon started to hover just above the ground. It appears to be harder to get cube type balloons off the ground.
The Liberty Financial Balloon at the 2006 Canberra Balloon Fiesta [13]

It floated around for a while, and seemed to be heading in the general direction of the pond in front of Old Parliament House, thankfully there were plenty of balloon staff on hand to guide it away from the pond.
The Liberty Financial Balloon at the 2006 Canberra Balloon Fiesta [14]

The cat seemed happy on top of the Liberty Financial Balloon though.
The Cat on the roof of the Liberty Financial Balloon at the 2006 Canberra Balloon Fiesta [15]

Mike Frame’s balloon was inflated and almost ready to go.
The Doma Hotels Balloon at the 2006 Canberra Balloon Fiesta [16]

Mike Frame entered the basket.
Mike Frame entering the Doma Hotels Balloon at the 2006 Canberra Balloon Fiesta [17]

Other balloons continued to inflate.
The 2006 Canberra Balloon Fiesta [18]

Mike Frame seemed quite happy to have a chat whilst waiting for the balloon to take off.
Mike Frame having a chat in the Doma Hotels balloon at the 2006 Canberra Balloon Fiesta [19]

More balloons took off.
The 2006 Canberra Balloon Fiesta [20]

The Liberty Financial balloon finally got off the ground.
The Liberty Financial Balloon takes off at the 2006 Canberra Balloon Fiesta [21]

Nattie was keenly looking on.
Nattie at the 2006 Canberra Balloon Fiesta [22]

One of the balloons seemed very happy. (The John Stanley “Accentuate The Positive” Balloon perhaps?)
Happy (John Stanley Accentuate The Positive) Balloon at the 2006 Canberra Balloon Fiesta [23]

The Bumble Bee Balloons inflated.
The Bumble Bee Balloons at the 2006 Canberra Balloon Fiesta [24]

Mike Frame in a moment of madness, pretending to be very nervous, as the balloon started to take off. New MLA Andrew Barr is behind Mike Frame.
Mike Frame in a moment of madness at the Doma Hotels Balloon takes off at the 2006 Canberra Balloon Fiesta [25]

Up, Up and Awaaaaaaaaay….
Mike Frame in the Doma Hotels Balloon as it takes off at the 2006 Canberra Balloon Fiesta [26]
The Doma Hotels Balloon at the 2006 Canberra Balloon Fiesta [27]
The Doma Hotels Balloon at the 2006 Canberra Balloon Fiesta [28]

Mike Frame can be seen in this photo looking back towards the lawns of Old Parliament House.
Mike Frame in the Doma Hotels Balloon at the 2006 Canberra Balloon Fiesta [29]

Of course there were plenty of other balloons taking off.
The 2006 Canberra Balloon Fiesta [30]

Including the bumble bee ballons, which tend to fly together.
The bumble bee balloons at the 2006 Canberra Balloon Fiesta [31]

There was certainly no shortage of balloons…they just kept popping up everywhere.
The 2006 Canberra Balloon Fiesta [32]

It was about 7:15am, and Mike Frame gave David Young a call on 2CC’s “David Young’s Garden” programme. David lives in Yarralumla, and Mike said he could see David’s house, he also tested out his “Frame in the Plane” traffic reporting ability by correctly indentifying Parliament House. Incidentally, Mike was in the Doma Hotels balloon. People in Canberra may recall that Doma Hotels did some skywriting a couple years ago. Between 7am and 8am the temperature rose to 1°C.
Mike Frame gives David Young a call from the Doma Hotels balloon at the 2006 Canberra Balloon Fiesta [33]

More balloons appeared, this time it was a windmill balloon.
The windmill balloon at the 2006 Canberra Balloon Fiesta [34]

And the bagpipe player.
The bagpipe player balloon at the 2006 Canberra Balloon Fiesta [35]

A clearer photo of the windmill.
The windmill balloon at the 2006 Canberra Balloon Fiesta [36]

The bagpipe player seemed to match the building behind it.
The bagpipe player balloon at the 2006 Canberra Balloon Fiesta [37]

Ye gods…more balloons…
The 2006 Canberra Balloon Fiesta [38]
The 2006 Canberra Balloon Fiesta [39]

Balloons do look good amongst the autumn foliage.
The 2006 Canberra Balloon Fiesta [40]
The nudie balloon at the 2006 Canberra Balloon Fiesta [41]

The windmill balloon took off.
The windmill balloon takes off at the 2006 Canberra Balloon Fiesta [42]

And flew directly overhead
The windmill balloon flies overhead at the 2006 Canberra Balloon Fiesta [43]
The windmill balloon flies overhead at the 2006 Canberra Balloon Fiesta [44]

Nattie and I then started to walk home, whilst listening to David Young’s Garden on the radio. As we reached the Commonwealth Avenue bridge we saw some of the hot air balloons. Unfortunately the lens had some moisture on it, and part of the camera strap in front of it, but if you look to the left of the middle lamp post you will see a red and white hot air balloon, with another balloon above it, which looks a bit like a “patchwork art” balloon.
Balloons at the 2006 Canberra Balloon Fiesta [45]

And a few more.
Balloons at the 2006 Canberra Balloon Fiesta [46]

The Doma Hotels balloon was flying over Yarralumla.
The Doma Hotels balloon flies over Yarralumla at the 2006 Canberra Balloon Fiesta [47]

Lake Burley Griffin was evaporating…you know its cold when you can see the moisture in the air at low altitude.
Moisture above Lake Burley Griffin [48]

A short time later the Doma Hotels Balloon came down in Yarralumla, maybe they really did land in David Young’s Garden! Of course it is also possible that they merely floated at low altitude before taking off again, but it appeared to be down from where Nattie & I were on Commonwealth Avenue.

Nattie and I got home around 8am. Nattie went back to bed, and I had a cup of coffee.

Samuel

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Comments Disabled To "Canberra Balloon Fiesta with Samuel & Nattie"

#1 Comment By John B1_B5 On April 24, 2006 @ 1:34 pm

And a fun time was had by all .

#2 Comment By Samuel On April 24, 2006 @ 1:38 pm

Indeed it was. In fact Nattie tried to take me in that direction on her next walk, the thought of more bacon was quite compelling, but alas, the food tent would have been packed up by then.

#3 Comment By Chuck A. Spear On April 24, 2006 @ 2:32 pm

Was the food tent floating too?

#4 Comment By Samuel On April 24, 2006 @ 2:40 pm

No, but they would have a new way to cook the food if it was.

#5 Comment By heatseeker On April 24, 2006 @ 3:22 pm

For me, the highlight of this stunning photographic journey was the picture of your breakfast … do you have any more?

#6 Comment By Samuel On April 24, 2006 @ 3:35 pm

No Heatseeker, I’m glad you liked it though.

#7 Comment By Chuck A. Spear On April 24, 2006 @ 5:31 pm

Yeah that picture of Samuel’s breakfast and of the scotsman paying the bagpipes has made me hungry for Haggis.

#8 Comment By Aunty_Jack On April 24, 2006 @ 5:55 pm

mmmm haggis, love the food of the home country.

#9 Comment By lucylou On April 24, 2006 @ 10:55 pm

Your pictures are great Samuel. You must be quite fit with all the walking you do. Do you think you will buy a car soon or do you enjoy walking?

#10 Comment By Samuel On April 24, 2006 @ 11:03 pm

I enjoy walking, and to be quite honest I do have a fear of driving (something to do with controlling the sheer volume of metal, plastic and glass at those kind of speeds). Bicycles are good though.

#11 Comment By heatseeker On April 25, 2006 @ 12:33 am

Was there any Bacon-shaped baloons?

#12 Comment By jLo On April 25, 2006 @ 12:37 am

Samuel, thank you so much for this post and the fabulous photos. I used to live in Canberra, and reading this made me wish I was there to see the balloons this year.

#13 Comment By heatseeker On April 25, 2006 @ 12:44 am

Yeeesssss … and I note the composition of the remaining bacon pieces, and the denuded fried egg .. the image is sending me a message, but it is yet to be made clear …

Wonko, Chuck, Cunninglinguist? Have you also been caught in the clutches?

#14 Comment By Samuel On April 25, 2006 @ 12:47 am

Heatseeker, I’m afraid not, but if there had been I’m sure Nattie would have been chasing them.

jLo, welcome and thankyou.

#15 Comment By Chuck A. Spear On April 25, 2006 @ 3:04 am

I am gauging on Haggis as we speak.