TRAVELING THE WORLD 365 days/year. You can visit us on Instagram at whereintheworldaremikeandjan. Do not hit “Reply” to message us – Use Contact Tab, above.
If Sydney is analogous to New York City on Australia’s East Coast, Perth is Los Angeles’ twin on the West Coast. We weren’t expecting a sophisticated metropolis with skyscrapers, a busy harbor, sculptures, shopping streets, and a large variety of restaurants and cafes. It was crowded, busy, and beautiful.
For lunch, we tried a Toasty – Australia’s answer to a panini sandwich. Sitting at a cafe on Elizabeth Quay, watching the boat traffic on a warm, sunny day, and eating like an Australian made our day in Perth a perfect day. The train ride from Fremantle took just 30 minutes, and cost a whopping $3. The station is in the middle of all the city’s excitement and best attractions. We only had a few hours, but our tiny taste of the city was rich enough that we intend to return in the future to partake some more.
One of several pedestrian-only shopping streets.Santa plays cricket! Loving the cheekiness…..A Santa Cap on a crocodile. Normal.Once again, like a lot of Australia’s west coast, a late 19th century building.The Elizabeth Quay Bridge, from the boardwalk.Downtown Perth, taken from the bridge in the previous photo.Children’s play fountains in Elizabeth Quay.A man sculpting from sand for a holiday display at Elizabeth Quay...…and a completed sand sculpture of the Nativity.This sculpture in Elizabeth Quay, installed in 2015, is titled First Contact, also lovingly called “The Bird” or “The Penguin.”A shot of the harbor beyond the bridge.In the Barrack Street Jetty is the Bell Tower. An interesting feature is that its bells include 12 from St Martin in the Fields, London, which are recorded as having been in existence from before the 14th century and were recast by Queen Elizabeth I in the 16th century.A toasty! It’s an Australian mainstay, a toasted sandwich. When we said we’d never had one (in our American accent), our server said, “Well, you aren’t a proper Aussie if you haven’t had a toasty!”A wide lawn behind the Supreme Court of Western Australia.A pretty view of the Swan River.The Government Houseof Western Australia – gated in and all locked up, of course.There were extensive Government House gardens, which were so peaceful and beautiful – but fenced off with “No entry” signs.A retro building next to a modern art installation.The attractive Salvation Army building downtown has the inscription one level down from the top, “Erected to the Glory of God.”An alley with unusual upside-down bucket lanterns.Australian Commonwealth building. As you can see, the Post Office is also housed here.The main train station in Perth. It looks like it is straight out of an old movie, as so many buildings here do.Some street art near the train station.Perth Digital Tower at Yagan Square, with an ever-changing digital screen.Another balconied wrought-iron building reminiscent of New Orleans.Cacti! The US Southwest comes to the Australian Southwest!We’re ready….are you???
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