Some First Impressions from Oz -- Birds, Coffee, and Rock Radio

I've been in Australia for a week now, specifically in Canberra, the capital. Some first impressions.

It's dry. It rained my first day here which is good, because southeastern Australia (really, most of Australia) is a pretty dry place that's been suffering from droughts for the past several years. If we don't get more rain soon, Canberra may face even tighter water restrictions than it does currently. But it's a beautiful city, although "city" may not be the right word. Canberra is a series of suburbs nestled in parks and greenery. And it's full of birds that are spectacularly beautiful and odd-looking and -sounding to North American eyes and ears. There's one bird that I hear every morning that sounds just like a squeaky see-saw.

The coffee here is incredible, as are the restaurants. Canberra's not big, but it has a great culinary scene. Australian cuisine is no longer boiled veggies and a bit of roast mutton.

And finally, Australian radio actually plays rock music. One station I've been listening to has played a great range of new music by bands like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, the Raconteurs (actually, they're called the Saboteurs here, some Aussie band already has the name and wouldn't give it up so Jack White's new project had to come up with an Aussie-only name), the Strokes, Wolfmother (not surprising, that's an Aussie band), the Bees. Not one song by Creed or Korn or Nickelback or Matchbox 20 or the lame Dave Matthews Band, the stuff that passes for rock radio in the US. There is an occasional hip hop or dance tune thrown in, but the quality of the music being played -- stuff that simply doesn't get onto American radio -- more than compensates.