A Walkabout in Perth

For me, the point of reference in Perth is Hay Street. This is where the hotel we were staying in is located, and this was the street we were to grow very familiar with, making it our central focus. The fact that Hay Street and the parallel Murray Street are the shopping centres of the district might also have a bearing on why it is our central focus! It is very pleasant to stroll along the tree-lined street malls. It was winter there, and the wintering trees made a great setting for the buildings in the background. There's sure to be a busker or two providing street entertainment. Having a meal in the open-air cafes is a bit of a challenge especially when the wind blows.



I love the view of the Clock Tower below.



This photograph above prompts me to write the following haiku for Haiku Heights:

tower counting time

breathe life into your dreams

leaves fall one by one

 

  


Within the Hay Street Mall, I was delighted to find myself in Ye London Court. Walk in and you're in Tudor England! The arcade here is charming...you can get souvenirs, shoes, jewellery, get your shoes repaired, consult a lawyer, bump into Her Majesty herself, as well, I reckon.








Leaving  London Court, let's just walk on and take in the city scenery .  The  architecture is an interesting blend of glass and steel, as well as heritage buildings.




Perth City is easy to navigate, as the streets in the Central Business District are arranged in a grid-like fashion. The buildings in the CBD are where all the skyscrapers are found.

Dedicated to Skywatch Friday:






We shall end our walkabout with some night lights in the city.


  

A waka for Poetic Forms at The Purple Treehouse:

seek joy in everyday life

discover oceans to see

go near, if not far

feel with new eyes your own town 

take an orange, fresh

 peel the rind, breathe in the zest

be thankful and celebrate

everyday life - its a gift

rosie gan August 2011

Linking to:

Outdoor Wednesday
Share The Joy Thursday
Skywatch Friday
Poetry Picnic at The Gooseberry Garden
Poets' Rally at Poetry Palace
Poetic Forms at The Purple Treehouse
Haiku Heights

Fremantle

To say that the port city of Fremantle has character is an understatement...it has a charming ambience that distinguishes it from the modern city of Perth. A mix of late Georgian, Victorian, Gothic architecture make the town of Fremantle most interesting to visit, and certainly unforgettable.


Much of the architecture in Fremantle was built by the convicts during the colonial era in the mid 1800s. The Gaol, now renamed the Round House is a well-known landmark. It was a jail until 1886.




Another landmark is the Fremantle Town Hall, representative of Victorian  architecture. It opened in 1887.






Gothic Architecture
St John's Church attracted my attention at first glance. Overlooking King's Square, it is said to be the true heart of Fremantle.






Just look at these ornate facades. Just lovely!









Gold Rush Architecture
Described as a 'rich' style as we can see from the examples below. The Gold Rush brought prosperity to Fremantle in the 1890s, and the architecture of that era reflects that.





I like this pretty shop window.

  

The people  we saw on the streets and park were busy and on the go on that day, though.


  

  





Linking to:
Skywatch Friday
Weekend Reflections
Scenic Sunday
Shadow Shot
SOOC

The Fremantle Doctor is in.

The sea breeze on a warm summer's day

cannot compare to the passion

of his mistress

the winter gale

on a dark winter's solstice

in the treacherous high seas

when the lighthouse beams 

are hidden by the tumultuous waves

sailors cringe in fear

when they hear her howls

of wild abandon as she craves

for might

on that cold,cold night

a night of passion

in that Indian Ocean

of transcendent emotion.

my submission for Poetry Potluck Week #48

Can you see the Fremantle Doctor blowing in from the sea? Well , we could not actually see him, but we felt him blowing ...yes, the Fremantle Doctor is the name that has been given to the sea breeze as it gives you relief from the summer sun! We not only met up with that good doctor, we also met up frequently with his colleague who also cools you from the sun; I've named her Mistress Shower as she keeps showering us every half hour or so! My photographs of Fremantle were all taken on one same day, but you can see a mixture of sunny skies, and threatening clouds , and also totally wet scenes...beautiful weather!





The Indian Ocean! Yes, you are looking at the Indian Ocean. The Swan River actually flows into the Indian Ocean here in Freo (that's how you refer to Fremantle when you are there long enough to be familiar with her). This is how the sea looked when we got there in between the showers.




It got darker after a while, but it didn't rain , so I had the good fortune of spotting this perfect outcrop of white rocks behind which I could take a shot of the contrasting dark blue sea. That hole where the wild flowers were positioned was just too, too lovely. A nice touch to the composition, don't you think?




The sea was getting darker, making the white boats at Fishing Boat Harbour look vividly picturesque.







The waves were gentle, and not a threat to anyone who would venture in for a swim.







This is where you could make your way to the beach known as Bather's Beach. There weren't any bathers there that day...guess the intermittent showers kept them away. Besides, this was winter time.







This photograph of the same area as the one before this, was taken only about 20 minutes apart. This was taken when we arrived at the beach, when it was sunny. Mark the difference.





We took a walk to the Fishing Boat Harbour in search of food. Well, you can't go to Freo without sampling their famous fish and chips, oysters and mussels, can you?!







See how the sky has darkened? We strolled along the boardwalk, looking for somewhere to have our lunch. There are many popular eateries at this deep water harbour. We chose to eat at Kaili's Fish Market Cafe, favourite alfresco dining spot of the native population of seagulls, I believe.







There's one satisfied customer after a heavy meal on top of the umbrella. Do you see him? 
By the way, it rained just after we finished our meal.

I'm glad you visited this post, and that I could share the joy of my visit to Freo with you.
More Freo sights  to come in the following posts.


Linking to:
Watery Wednesday
Outdoor Wednesday
Share The Joy Thursday
Skywatch Friday
Poetry Potluck