08 March 2016:- AUSTRALIA & NZ :-Perth>>Fremantle>>Perth

3rd Day : Local Tour :- Perth>>>Fremantle>>Perth

In order to be picked up by the ADAMS Tour (www.adamspinnacletours.com.au) at 07:00 o’clock, I woke up early in the morning at 06:15 and moved to the breakfast hall of the Hotel. Breakfast is served on the entrance floor looking to the Street. Breakfast is well enough and is responding to my tastes: Plain egg, cheese, croissant, boiled mushroom, some fruit, toast bread and cafe.

At 07:00 o ‘clock I stepped into the coach waiting for me. The old bus driver who was a well experienced and funny guy (around 70 years of age) collected some more people from various hotels and took all of us the Convention Centre where all the tour passengers of the day  accumulating.

I remained in the coach and some others who were also taking this “Half Day Morning Perth and Fremantle City Explorer” Tour came to my bus.

At 08.10 we departed to see the highlights of the City Perth. Our bus driver took us first to the Riverside Drive. Perth is located at the Swan River approx.20 km away from the coast. It is an internal city like Lisbon, has a connection to the sea but not at the sea coast.

All along the Riverside Drive we saw a lot of parks, Langley Park –maybe in length of 1,5 kms-, WACA (=Western Australian Cricket Ground) , Gloucester Park Race Course and then East Perth. Our driver took the Hay Street from the east end and drove up to the pedestrian zone in the middle somewhere. Hay Street is the longest street of Perth.

From Kings Park to the South (All water is Swan River)

From Kings Park

Second bulb (=enlargement) of the Swan River on the downstream side.

Perth City is located right at the Swan River. The river makes a wide enlargement and both banks of it is populated. There is also a narrow part on the river and then it enlarges again in the west direction to the Indian Ocean. Nights are similar to our Istanbul Bosporus. Lights from both banks of the Swan River makes the city beautiful.

Perth City by Night

At 08:50 we were at the Kings Park which is the most famous and biggest green park located around at 60-70 meter from the river’s water level, at the west end of the City Perth. It is a kind of botanic garden, with long walking lanes through the green trees and gardens maintained in a very good condition against this much warm weather conditions. There are also lots of birds belonging to this fauna.

Birds in the King's Park

Flowers in the King's Park

Trees of this region are under protection

Another beautiful flower in the King's Park

Dedicated to those soldiers died in the World War 1 (Gallipoli etc.)

Perth City in the backround from King's Park

Other side of  the Swan River

After finalizing our free time in the park we all came to the coach at 10:00 o’clock and our tour continued in the direction to Fremantle.

We took the Stirling HW and first saw the Swanbourne and Cottesloe Beaches. On the West Coast there are a lot of public places free for the people who want to step into the Ocean: Long and wide beaches at the Indian Ocean just in the north part of Fremantle.

Finally, our funny bus driver drove us to Fremantle Centre. Fremantle is a port city and was established most probably close to the end of 19. Century (?) There are a few buildings of the colonial type from the beginning of the 20.Century. Two storey buildings out of brick with a balcony is the typical view. Some shops on the streets are still resembling old fashioned shops serving to the sailors.

Fremantle-From the café where I wrote my postcards.

Fremantle-Old Brewery

Frematle-Town Center

Fremantle-From the Round House over High Street

Fremantle-One of the sculptures in the towncenter

Most of the passengers of the tour bus decided to stay here as I did, too. The weather is hot (around 30-31 deg C) and the city is friendly giving some flavor from the old maritime life. There are almost 10 cranes at the port and this port is in great portion handles containers. This port had been designed by a Japanese Architect.

As I saw the main post office in a refurbished but old looking building at the entrance of the Market Street, I decided not to share any picture on Facebook and neither to send picture on Whatsapp and bought some postcards and stamps in a small local shop.

I sat quietly in the shade of the Back Café on the South TCE, having café latte and lemon pie I wrote my postcards to my family and friends wide away from Fremantle-Perth. Most probably they will be surprised as soon as they receive them in a couple of weeks.

It was around 11:30 when I paid the bill. I walked to the old fashioned post office and let the postcards go. Then I walked to the “Round House” which is a round building out of stones at the sea side just behind the Bathers Bay in the type of a small fortress. Having inside circumferentially 8 separated cells was used as a prison. The people have refurbished and cleaned the building and is now an attraction for the visitors.

Frematle-Round House from High Street

Fremantle-Inside of the Round House (previouly had served as prison)

Exactly at 13:00 o’clock every day, they also use the canon in front of the building to make a fake

Shot which makes only sound. There is also a time ball showing the time to the ships (of the old times).

After the visit of the Round House –old prison- I walked to the corner of the High Str with the Market Str. There is a brewery there and I would suggest to have cold beer there. It really has a recharging effect.

I bought some souvenirs and walked to the Fremantle Rail Station. The train took me in 30-35 minutes to the Perth Station. It costs 4,50 AUD. There were a lot of high school boys and girls getting into the train on various stations. The summer holiday is finished in Australia and the schools are open after 7 weeks of break.

In Perth, I walked in the city heading the Kings Park which I saw in the morning as well. I am sure that the sun shine will be on the opposite direction and it will give very nice color to the city.

From the St. Georges Str. I took the bus 37. It is very practical and nice that some buses on three routes in the city are serving for free to public. And 37 is one of these lines running to Kings Park.

I was approx. 16:40 when I was at the top in the Kings Park. I took some pictures. There is also a memorial obelisk to the honor of the victims of the Western Australia during the 1^st WW between 1914 and 1918. Most of them were fighting in Gallipoli against our Turkish soldiers headed and commanded by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

Memorial dedicated to Anzac soldiers died during WW1

Around 18:30 I walked down to the city. I walked through the streets all the way down to my Hotel. There were altogether 23,670 steps done today as my IPhone tells me (?).

Just before entering the Hotel I made a stop at the Vietnamese Restaurant at the corner to my hotel. Chicken soup with sour veg and stirred lamb with veg and garlic was nice after this long day in Perth and Fremantle. A glass of red wine left also a nice taste in my mouth.

Tomorrow morning at 08:30 I will have the flight to Darwin.