Canberra: Deathly dull at 100?

[Richard ridealgh]

Australia's capital city turns 100 this weekend, but Canberra, like so many other purpose-built capitals around the world, is still struggling to convince outsiders that it has more to offer than political hot air, says Madeleine Morris.

"Canberra: Why wait for death?" was Bill Bryson's blistering judgement in his 2000 travelogue Down Under. "Pyongyang without the dystopia," was the verdict of the Economist in 2009.

If Sydney is brash and bold, and Melbourne is cool and classy, then Canberra, at least in the Australian public imagination, is dull and devoid of soul.

"Canberra: it's not that bad" is the caption on a well-known car licence plate in the capital city. Talk about damning with faint praise.

"My friend put it well - Canberra is like going to grandma's house," says Jenna Clarke, life and entertainment editor of the Canberra Times. "Other Australian cities are doing brash, creative things but here everything is wrapped in plastic. It doesn't mean it's bad. Canberra is just very mature and knows what it's doing."

The rest of this article can be found on the BBC website at:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-21715754

Have you lived in a city you found boring? If so, tell us what made it dull.

[Jack Field]

Concur

[Stefan Bugryn]

Dips

[Stefan Bugryn]

Figs

[Jack Field]

What?

[Stefan Bugryn]

Fieldy, the only location in Oz that is vile, inhospitable, and, quite frankly, dangerous, is your lower back!!

[Jack Field]

As a fellow aussie and visitor of canbra i can say it is not bad, but it aint that good either. its like those small faceless, colourless and nutrient starved sephalopods that live at the bottom of the ocean, useful but unheardof.

Melbourne on the other hand is a mecca for culture, sports, the arts and the best of food and coffe.

Sydney, junk.

Adelaide, worse,

Brisbane, persistent

Darwin, lets not go there,

Perth, good beer, swan draft,

Hobart, good cheese

Auckland, see it all in a day,

Apia, capital of Western Samoa, hilarious,

Bangkok, better off seeing other smaller cities in Thailand

Addis Abbaba, Intriguing

[Richard ridealgh]

Alright Matt, just for arguments sake, I take your word on "Can-Bra"(pass me another CAN of beer mate...and...take off your BRA please!), where is the dullest, most undesirable place you've ever been?

[Richard Roman]

Matt- but in the photo - where is the city?!!!

[Richard Roman]

My worst experience was Detroit. I was planning on a romantic weekend with an American friend. She flew up to Detroit from New York and whilst I was working during the day she toured the city. On asking her in the evening how her day had been, she said " we'll, I did manage to find the Motown Museum". The main nightclub scene seemed to be centred on one street - Greek Street. I had an alligator burger and that was my highlight. And the airport......No no no no!

Apologies to my American friends and I love every other US city I have been to but Detroit made me want to escape to Canada.

[Richard ridealgh]

And before you start my fellow AUSSIES, this is not a slur on your great country but rather a way of seeing where not to go!!