Perth

We have relished our stay in Perth more than we imagined.  It wasn’t in the original plan but the city proved to be a very fruitful addition to the itinerary.

The day after the bus tour we walked Kings Park and Botanical Gardens.  Kings is the largest urban park in the world.  It is 2.5 hectares larger in size than the second-place entry, Vancouver’s Stanley Park.  We were struck by how green it is and how well-tended the army of park workers kept it.

View From The Park Lookout

We were dropped off in the middle of the park and walked the smooth surface trails back to the Visitor Centre.  The garden contains many species native to Western Australia and each plant has individual descriptor signage.  The walk over the sky bridge shouldn’t be missed for both a view of the foliage, the Swan and the City beyond.

From The Gift Shop

In the afternoon we Ubered out to Cottesloe Beach 20 minutes west of the city for lunch.  We dined on the deck at Barchetta’s overlooking the beach and the Indian Ocean.  We watched the sail and kiteboarders race across the active sea. before walking the beach to take in the Cottesloe Art Sculpture show.  Further out the freighters were anchored waiting for entry into Freemantle.

Cottesloe Beach

Yes - Homer Was At The Beach

That night we took a trip out to Freemantle to check out the Duke of George blues bar.  The club looked great but according to our troop's expert, the music was not.  We still enjoyed a few drinks and the night out.

Apparently, The Name Was Better Than The Music

Nice Venue In The Basement Of The Duke

We returned to Freemantle the next day.  We Ubered out in the late morning in time for lunch and a wander in the Freemantle Market.  After checking out the stalls and picking up a few things we parted ways with R & D.  We went off to the Freemantle Prison Tour while they set off for the harbour and the Maritime Museum.

Freemantle Market - Built In1897

Our Prison tour was led by an enthusiastic young woman who regaled us with stories of the prison dating back to its inception in the middle 1800s.  It only said goodbye to its last prisoners in 1991.

Three-Tiered Cell Block

Flogging Demonstration

Freemantle Harbour

The prison itself was built by convicts.  The term "Convicts" refers to inmates sent to Australia from Britain while prisoners are inmates that committed crimes in Australia.  The convicts were instrumental in building the towns of Freemantle and Perth.

We had a few drinks as the evening drew to a close before returning to the city by train.  We ended our night at the Fenian Bar across the street from our hotel.  Guinness was served and we were entertained by the Jarrah Celt.  We enjoyed an evening listening to the duo and Randall got invited to play the Bodhrun drum on stage for a set.  

Perth Night Scene

Our last day was spent shopping and preparing for the next leg of the trip.

Randall and I saw what we hope Rugby will look like in the future.  We caught a double-header rugby union match between the Tigers of Hong Kong and Manuma Samoa, followed by the Westernforce of Perth versus the Malaysia Tigers of Kuala Lampor at HBF Park.  These four teams are joined by the Fijian Latui and the China Lions/Bay of Plenty, in the Global Rapid Rugby league.  The rules are adjusted with the fans in mind: i) thirty-five-minute halves, ii) no kicking to touch from anywhere, iii) 9 point tries if the possession starts behind your own 22, regardless of the number of phases, iv) rolling free substitutions so the big men remain fresh & effective, and finally v) time limits on scrum and lineout formations, to name just some.  Great entertainment and venue despite the low turnout.

HBF Park With A View Of Perth Skyline

Samoa - South China (Hong Kong)

Super Try Score - 9 Points (No Conversion)

For those of our friends and family reading this blog in real-time, we want them to know that we are aware of the Coronavirus that is spreading across the world.  We are in a bit of a bubble here in Western Australia.  There are very few reported cases and lots of toilet paper still to be had.  We do have a return flight on March 31 and until Air Canada tells us otherwise, we intend to be on it.  We have registered with the Canadian government as citizens abroad and continue to try to make contact with Air Canada's Australian contact but to no avail.  We will keep trying but in the meantime, we are traveling north on the east coast enjoying the experiences.