Brisbane, QLD


Sunday, January 8, 2012

A DULL DAY IN PERTH

During our last trip I left you all stranded at the Pinnacles. So I will take you back to the tour bus and we drive south for a few hours and arrive in Perth, the capital city of Western Australia. I like Perth it is a modern city situated on the Swan River. It is a growing city and many people are moving there to work in the mining industry, which is booming at the moment, due to the demand of developing countries on our mineral resources.

We had a farewell dinner at the hotel as this was the last night of our Western Wildflower Wonderland Tour. The next day we didn't have to be at the airport until midday so we took an early morning walk through the streets of Perth. It was a dull, cold day and difficult to get good shots.

We found Hay St. Mall because, as usual, Bill needed to go to an Apple Store. I'm sure he wants to visit every Apple Store in the world. I've lost count of how many we've just had to visit.

Anyway, while waiting for him I saw this sculpture of Percy Button. He was a street entertainer between the 20's and 30's. The sculpture celebrates the spirit of the street. The artists were Charlie Smith and Joan Walshe-Smith.

Then I found a lane with interesting decoration. I thought Julie from Sydney Eye would like this.

After Bill had bought the latest Apple product we went looking for a coffee shop, another of his pleasures when supposedly sight
seeing. 




We came across London Court a gorgeous little lane that is full of interesting shops with an English feel. However, the clock at the entrance is a replica of the Great Clock of Rouen in France. Every 15 mins it chimes and 'The Tournement of the Armoured Knights' circle in the window above the clock.

We only looked at the chocolates but I still put on weight.
We found the always needed coffee shop and while waiting for the coffee I noticed this interesting group of sculptures through the window. They were business men through the ages walking to the entrance of the St Martins business centre.



Perth has many sculptures, almost one on every corner. This one in front of St George's Cathedral on St George's Tce is a beauty. It is a very modern interpretation of St George and the dragon. It had a beautiful flowing form. St George's cape is billowing around his lance. The sculpture is named Ascalon after the lance.

A $500,000 donation by Mark Creasy enabled the Dean and Chapter of the cathedral to commission local artists Marcus Canning and Christian de Vertri. They had Glen Swarbuick make the 18m cloak from a hybrid composite. The sculpture is said to "evoke a sense of righteous power and victory over a force of darkness and oppression"






 We were heading back to the hotel to pick up our bags and get driven to the airport when I saw a picture of our daughter Sonya's brother in law, Stephen Curry, on a bus stand. He is an actor and has the lead role in the film "The Cup".


Soon we were on the plane heading towards Adelaide, the capital of South Australia, where we would meet more friends for another tour. I hope you will join me.

27 comments:

  1. I have visited Perth on a number of occasions but usually for work so saw nowhere near as much as you ... I don't remember any of the sculptures!

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  2. I live here last 11.5 years and never knew what the London court's clock's name is or the chime and have learned so much of my own city just now.
    I need to go search for the business men sculputres too! Lovely post!

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  3. I cannot think of many things I would rather do than get to go on a Western Wildflower Wonderland Tour.

    How fortunate you are!

    Now if there were just fewer of those Apple stores to be visited, life would be about perfect. :)
    Enjoyed this post!

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  4. London Court always looked a tad twee to me, but I don't think any of those sculptures were in Perth when I was [unless I only had a boy's look].

    Ascalon is perfectly stunning.

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  5. Diane, thanks for the lovely tour of Perth. Your Bill sounds like my BIL visiting all the Apple stores. I like the look of the London Court. I would much prefer the coffee over the chocolates. I am addicted to coffee. Sounds like a great end to your trip. I will look forward to going on your next tour. Have a great day!

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  6. It doesn't look so dull to me. I like the sculptures very much, they make the city very dynamic. You spotted a lot of them in short time. Funny you met a far member of the family on a poster! And what did Bill bought?

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  7. What a lovely city to visit,I love the art and sculptures.

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  8. bieb: Bill bought wireless modem for his ipad so we could use it while travelling .

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  9. i really like all the statues and sculptures, this has been an amazing bus tour, for you and for us. i have neer been in an Apple store and i don't think we have one here.

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  10. This was very interesting! I love the pictures...
    well...I'll join you!!!
    I'll be waiting for more!
    BShell

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  11. Thank you for the brief tour of Perth - it was interesting to tag along. You certainly had a wonderful trip!

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  12. It's a real "old english" looking town, very nice ! And all the Honourables who were there, lol ! The statues are absoluetly great, they looks so alive !

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  13. Hi Diane, at the risk of repeating myself, I'm always so impressed with the cleanliness of your cities. The English scenes, the interesting clock, the fattening chocolate display (since our holiday even the names are making me fat!) and the lifelike sculptures are all so interesting to someone who would love to visit "down under" and has not yet had the chance. Ascalon is AMAZING; I could almost "feel" the texture of the cloak. Thanks for a wonderful tour through this beautiful city. Oh, and like Sandra, I don't think we have Apple stores here in Kenya. Have a great week. Jo

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  14. I didn't know how Perth looked like but it seems interesting with nice buildings. When we go to Australia we will certainly go to this city.

    Greetings,
    Filip

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  15. There seems to be lots to see in Perth. For a minute I thought we were in York, England!

    The series of statues is very interesting indeed.

    Wow, two actors in the same family.

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  16. Haha! If you're going to put on weight just by looking at the chocolates, you might as well have the enjoyment of actually eating them!! That's my motto, anyway!!

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  17. Perth looks like a really wonderful city! I love all the public art and the "walking streets". You daughter has married into a whole family of actors, hasn't she?
    Oh, are we off on another tour? Yippee! Visiting all these places in Australia is the next best thing to being there.

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  18. Yes, Julie is very impressed with your finding street art in a nearly gungy alley-way. Wuhoo. Actually, the art is very nicely placed with shape and line. Sometimes what I find in Sydney, I can find neither head nor tail for, that alone understand it.

    I do like the St George statue. One of the few modern pieces that use line and form to bring out the essence. A bit like Picasso did ...

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  19. The sculptures in Perth are really interesting. I like all of that you pictured. I admire Bill for his visits to Apple Stores. We've been to one -- they are pretty neat. And of course, we do like their products.

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  20. What a nice city and the sculptures are beautiful. Loved to see a bit of the city as some christchurch people I know have moved to Perth

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  21. Diane, I really enjoyed this tour of Perth. I am always fascinated by sculptures and these are all very interesting. My favorite is the last one of the lance and cape. I'm like Bill, I always look for the coffee shops.

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  22. LIKE your goodself and Billy B. we 2 also need at least 1 coffee a day.

    In our cases, they are usually flat whites, very hot, bought frequently as Judyth returns from her 6.30 a.m. hydro exercises in a nearby suburban heated pool. It's about 8.15 a.m. when she gets to the coffee shop.

    If she's slept in and didn't get them, we'll call in at one of our favourite cafes and order them there. Similarly if we're on family duties in Melbourne.

    Tell Billy B. I have an app. on the iPhone called 'Beanhunter'. Hit the button 'near me' and it will list [with drinkers' ratings] the 10 best coffee shops within a couple of kms. of where you're situated.

    But that's where Billy B's and my likes and dislikes part company. Not the slightest bit interested in techno-whizzbang gizmos. Especially NOT cameras. Have a Telstra son-in-law who handles all the iPhone, laptop and iPad purchases and updates. The iPhone camera suffices for our needs.

    Also don't mind boats, and travelling in them across the waters. Did one trip in a canoe-type one through spectacular underground caves in western Iran last April. It held 8 of us, and was powered by two blokes pedalling briskly in a padolo, with a rope pulling our little low-slung canoe !

    RICHARD

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  23. Another interesting post! I do love to go on your travels with you---I feel like I'm getting a grand intro to Australia.

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  24. Diane, it seems you are in a whirlwind of travel. :) I am envious.
    Love the sculptures especially of Button -very whimiscal.
    The alleyway looks like a wall of different peeling wallpapers.
    Can't wait to go along on this next tour.

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  25. Definitely NOT a dull day! Fun pictures. My Bill loves to shop much more than I do and when he does I often look for picture ops.

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