Festival Season Begins! Bring on Christmas!!
Trip Start
Sep 04, 2007
1
20
123
Trip End
Sep 01, 2008
Perth,
Australia
Sunday, November 11, 2007
This weekend represented the beginning of the Christmas season in WA! A huge symbolic Christmas tree in downtown Perth was lit this past Friday evening! Christmas decorations now dawn city streets! Shopping malls now have Christmas tree's and decorations hanging throughout! For a couple of Northern Hemisphere blokes like us, it's the 30+ C temperatures and arrival of summer that make this season a little.........different!
On Friday, Elsie and I took the opportunity to visit Fremantle! We've always loved the character of Freo! The restaurants, shops, bars and markets have long established this area as hip and the place to visit!
We had a full afternoon in Freo consisting of shopping in the market, stopping for a couple of middies in a restaurant called the "Mad Monk", culminating with a fish and chip dinner at the Freo fish harbor and later, a Freo sunset
High Street in Freo!
!Saturday involved an afternoon visit to the Northbridge Festival! This also represented a hint of the WA heat as temperatures reached 34 Celsius! If this was spring, we hate to see what the summer temps will bring!
The Northbridge suburb, long known for being one of Perth's best places for dining and night clubing, is also known for its alternative lifestyle! If you know what I mean! It's also home to a huge number of backpacker accommodations! During our two previous visits to Perth, we even stayed in this area! So, there was a bit of reminiscing!
The festival was well organized with great street performers and stage entertainment! In many respects, the festival reminded us of our own Fringe Festival in Saskatoon!
The day's heat got the better of us both so, we had to stop and enjoy a pint at a couple of Northbridge's most popular pubs, the Novak's and Mustang Bar!
Saturday evening had us attending a free concert in Inglewood (North Perth) by a Queen tribute band called Bohemian Rhapsody
Outdoor Craft Market in the Freo Town Square!
! The concert, which was well promoted as a "Queen: Will Rock You" tribute concert brought out a few thousand locals, including couples and families! All came out to enjoy an evening of music, much like the energy that Freddie Mercury would have sung!This event, much like any other public event in Australia, had locals bring ice boxes of food and alcoholic beverages! For Canadians, and North Americans, bringing your own bottle of wine or beer to a public event would be unheard of! Against the law! But, in the land of oz, it's the norm! People here, bring a nice cold bubbly or chardonnay for a picnic in the park! The evening was warm, following a day of 34 C. In the end, a few thousand people ate their dinner, drank their beverages and had a great evening of entertainment under the stars!
Today, the temperature reached 36 Celsius! Elsie and I could only manage a couple hours at the beach! It was soooooo hot! Tomorrow's forecast is 39 Celsius! Oh my God! This is still Spring!
This week, we'll be visiting Margaret River for a few days of wine, cheese and chocolate tasting! We know the wine will be great! We're hoping the temps will be a little cooler too!
Till next time, here's to good wine, good food and good health!
Cheers, Rick & Elsie!
