Sunday, June 11, 2006
(When will I ever return back to City Beach in Perth to see such beautiful sunset?)
Gd'ay mates !! Sorry for the long awaited updates on my miserable life. Well, not too miserable so far as I just came back from Perth, Western Australia!! Woohoo...really had a great time there as it was the beginning of winter and the weather there was, well, cold as hell!!.....well not really as hell because hell is hot but, eh forget it. HAHA. Well I went there for a week with my family & relatives and accomodation was free cos we stayed over at another relative's place...how good is that huh? Damn good la..lol.
Oh yeah, on the day of departure for Perth at Changi Airport, I kinda bumped into Zixian and Pang Jian there!! So coincidental la. Well it seemed that pang Jian was taking a flight back to China to see her parents and Zixian was there to help her get to her flight, carrying her luggage as well...(altogether now, awwww...).
Perth was great, weather was cold but shiok and the sights were gorgeous! Not to mention the birds too! ( 'Birds' means 'gals' to Aussies...LOL). Of course animal kinda birds too la....haiz. Shopped alot there too, bought myself chocolates, sweets, 3 pairs of stylo milo shirts which were goin for $20 buckaroos at Harbortown and much more...hehe. The Australian 'Orange Muscat and Flora' wine by Brown Brothers was very nice, cos its more of the citrus fruit taste, so it goes well with dessert. Its a dessert wine anyways haha.
On the way back home at Perth Airport, I was lucky to bump into Jie Han, who was leaving on the same day as me and my family, and wads more was that we were on the same flight as well!! Wad a coincidence sia...he was wif a fren on holiday there touring around...lol.
Ok then, here's the pics to describe more of what, where, who, I visited..LOL Enjoy the pictures!!
(Warning: You may experience feelings of guilt after indulging yourselves in these wonderful descriptions of Western Australia's sights, sounds and senses, pls do be tolerant..hehe)
The City of Perth is focussed on the central business district and surrounding inner city residential areas. Nestled in a picturesque natural amphitheatre, bordered by Kings Park botanical gardens and the beautiful Swan River. Visitors find the city to be clean...nt very sure about that..err..yup, well laid out and easy to get around. Shopping enthusiasts will be easily satisfied by Western Australia's largest range of shops and boutiques, not forgetting public transport within the central city is free.
There is good shopping available, plenty of riverside and beachside restaurants and cafes to dine at, world-class golf courses, over 80 kilometres (50 miles) of white sandy beaches to sunbathe on and a mecca of outdoor activities and experiences to enjoy.
(My family and relatives outside Auntie Jenny's home at Paisley Court)
For my relatives staying there, they were staying at South Perth. The City of South Perth incorporates the suburbs of South Perth, Como, Kensington, Manning, Salter Point, Karawara and Waterford. South Perth has over 36,000 residents, and is a short drive across the bridges, from Perth's central business district.
With the magnificent Swan River and Perth skyline as its backdrop, the South Perth foreshore is a popular tourist attraction. Combined with many accessible shopping precincts and cafe strips, South Perth has a bustling, cosmopolitan atmosphere. The South Perth foreshore, with its cycling, walking and dog exercise areas, is a popular spot with visitors and locals alike. Hire a Surf Cat, walk through the gardens or relax with a barbeque lunch.
(Very nice view of Swan River)
The ferry which runs from Barrack Street on the city side of the river to the Mends Street and Coode Street jetties provides public transport to and from South Perth. Mends Street has a variety of cafes and restaurants, and is walking distance from Perth Zoo. The open grasslands provide the perfect setting for local fairs and a panoramic view of the Australia Day (Jan 26th) fireworks display.
(Another one of my relative's home near City beach)
With the backdrop of green reserves and ultra-modern residences, City Beach is only a 15 minute drive from the Perth city centre. Fishing is a favourite pastime for locals in the evenings, and the beautifully landscaped recreational areas & modern facilities add to its appeal. City Beach has also won quite afew 'Best Beach Awards'. There are other beaches like Cottesloe Beach, Floreat Beach and Scarbourough beach which offer spectacular panoramic views of the vast Indian Ocean, just like what City Beach presented me with.
(City Beach, I like this pic, looks quite 'artsy-fartsy')
( Say 'Ice-cream" !! LOL )
(Another favourite photo, seagull there was just perfecto)
(Witnessing the sun setting below the Indian Ocean horizon at City Beach)
(Me, a parrot and 4 ducks...lol..can u spot a pigeon hiding somewhere?)
Caversham Wildlife Park, situated in Whiteman Park, houses one the largest collections of native fauna in Western Australia. This park has an excellent breeding program for most of the species. Also included in the park are camel rides, a farmyard, and introduced animals. Have a photo with the koalas - with the wombats (look below) - with the kangaroos while you are feeding them. See the dingos, cassowary, flying foxes and a host more
(Caversham Wildlife Park trip)
(What a cute baby Kangaroo) , ( Cuddling a Wombat, so cute, and 26kg heavy! )
(Kookaburra, Kingfisher of Australia) , ( Me with a Koala, very cute indeed)
(Murray River, Pinjarra) , ( Persimmon packaging line at relative's farm in Harvey)
Pinjarra is one of the oldest towns in Western Australia and lies on the banks of the Murray River, where we stopped over to enjoy the scenery.
Harvey is located about an hour and a half's drive south west of Perth within an area of beautiful scenery. Harvey farms some of the best beef and has some of the best citrus growing, dairy farming and viticulture areas in Australia. While you're here try the local produce including; wines, cheeses and the famous Harvey orange juice.
It was very interesting and exciting to have a look around my relative's farm, cos they have cows, fish, yabbies (a kind of lobster the aussies call them), persimmon plantation and grape plantations as well!! The 'crimson red seedless' grapes that they gave me & my famimly were soo good, juicy and sweet. I really enjoyed my day in Harvey, cos i got to see how's farm life about, although my relative's main home is back at Swan River,Perth. The farm's another home for them..haha. Sweet place :)
(My relative's cows on the farm) ( And their huge persimmon plantation)
( Look at all those Persimmons !!) (Wordsworth Winery in Harvey)
( Interior of the man's home.) ( Trying some of the fine wine there, do drop by here cos wine here is great.)
Through thoughtful planning, spacious lawns and trees now bound Lake Monger on three sides. Bird life - notably Black Swans - flock to the Lake, to the delight of thousands of visitors. The birds presence is encouraged by the creation of a breeding island at the Western end. The eastern bank has been rehabilitated to remove the faunal habitate, replace exotic flora with indigenous species coupled with the creation of nutrient channels to assist in improving the quality of drainage water for the lake.
(feeding the swans at Lake Monger) ( Nice view of Perth's skyline from King's Park)
We also headed to King's Park to have a look. Kings Park occupies approximately 400 hectares of Mount Eliza overlooking the city of Perth and the Swan River. Situated only a few minutes from the centre of Perth, the Park has much to offer with its sweeping parklands, Botanic Garden, wildflowers (which are spectacular, especially in Spring), and native bushland (two-thirds of the park). There are extensive city and river views with a panorama to the Darling Scarp.
Classified by the National Trust the World War 1 memorial at King's Park commemorates the 94 North Fremantle volunteers who lost their lives in the First World War (1914-1918).
(Day of departure, leaving footprints behind, bye Perth)
Well, everything has to come to an end, and my holiday here was really great, meeting relatives and going sight-seeing. It truly was a eye-opener for me to see the different part of Perth when you're goin free & easy instead of the mad rush when going as a tour group. Oh ya, this also means that this post is coming to an end too...haha. Well, hope i can update it soon with more stuff, hope you guys can give ideas on what to post, and I'll try and see if it can be done...hehe. Gd'bye mates!!
(special thanks to www.westernaustralia.com for the info)
So where the bloody hell are you?
