The PS Decoy...

You've probably guessed by now that water activities rank high up there on the list of favourite ways to pass the time in WA, whether it be along the coast or on the Swan River. From a really long way off I spotted the Paddle Steamer Decoy heading up towards and under the Narrows Bridge. The  PS Decoy built in 1986, a duplicate of the Scottish PS Decoy built in 1878, is such a fun way to cruise the river, day or night, private or open event.. check out the swing and razzamatazz fun here.. so cool! In the background you can see the rise of Kings Park and the rooftops of the Old Brewery. Note to myself.. add to list of things still to do in Perth :) Happy Wednesday, take care and stay safe...

Etsy Made Local.. time for a bit of pretty!

Not a spider, snake or rat to be seen.. it's time for a bit of pretty :) In cities and towns around the world the build up to Christmas day is preceded by numerous markets and craft stalls. One of the biggest here in Perth and around Australia is Etsy Made Local.  A selection of hand made and vintage goods that make that personal Christmas present all the more special.. Shot below, right hand corner, a clue as to my shopping companion :)

So here's the thing.. I got a little side-tracked, how could I not!

As soon as I saw the lampshade, above in daylight and below in the evening, custom made by Melanie at Mesmerizing Blue, I knew without a doubt I had the perfect spot for it. I miss the colourful parrots in my garden since Cafe Grace closed its doors, now it makes me happy to see them everyday minus le noise et le mess :) If you fancy a wee bit of Australia to brighten your day, check the link. Happy Tuesday, take care and stay safe...

Rats!

I know right! First spiders, then snakes and now... rats! The '20th Century Cocktail' sipping rodents part of a collaboration piece seen on the wall of the 'no frills and faintly divey' Good Shepard Small Bar, in Leederville. Spotted while enjoying coffee and the best ever almond croissant across the lane in Francois. Hope you had/are having a super weekend, happy Monday, take care and stay safe.. P.s. I promise there will be no 'nasties' of any kind tomorrow :)
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Reptile reflections..

Australian snakes are known to be among the most dangerous in the world, some biggies too! Not quite as humongous as the snake on Wellington Street reflected in the window of Jamaica Blue in King's Square, painted a few years ago by Belgian artist ROA during Form Public (have a look) Mexico has a ginormous reptile also! I was lucky enough to watch ROA at work and whatever you may think of street art a piece of this size and complexity is an incroyable endeavor. Hope you're having a better weekend than moi, have spent most of it in bed with change of season flu, c'est la vie! Happy Sunday, take care and stay safe...

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Arcadia.. dress rehearsal.

Arriving at Elizabeth Quay around 6pm it was impossible to miss the main attraction. In the evening sun it was more about size.. you can see the men climbing up one of the legs to the left side, but the giant arachnid was quiet, and then.. the music started, it slowly built up and suddenly a loud blast and fire spurt forth making everyone close by, myself included, jump..

Looking back to the city you can see many spectators lounging around in bean bags.. as the sky darkened the music grew louder..

... and then it was all on, lights flashing, music blaring, flames bursting forth.. quite an astounding sight...

The actual shows are Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, where the quay will be cordoned off for ticket holders, but to be honest I really enjoyed the rehearsal, it had all the pizzazz without the crowds :) The show is called Arcadia.. check out the link and you will see how the giant spider was constructed using recycled scrap metal and the spectacle of the actual show.. incroyable!. Happy Friday, take care and stay safe... P.s. sorry about the overload of shots, I couldn't decide :)

Huge night in the city..

It was all happening in the city last night..I came home with so many photos to edit that it freaked me out a little :) So have opted for a few and will get stuck into the rest today. Look who's back.. this time docked at Elizabeth Quay! The Duyfken returning from the 400 year celebration on Dirk Hartog Island.. I have wanted to catch the sun going down through the bridge at the quay, would have been better if I had taken my tripod :) but there it is going down ..

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... and gone!

 Perth.. a city of romance :)

And here's the real reason we were in the city on a Thursday evening.. it's big, it's noisy and it's blowing off steam. Stand by for full colour tomorrow :) Happy Friday, take care and stay safe..P.s. big catch up today!

Holy cow.. it's the good crack!

We were already heading at a brisk pace for a taste of 'the good crack' when we spotted  'Holy Cow' sitting on the corner. Created by WA artist Poppy Lissiman using her famously favourite motifs.. lips, evil eyes, serpents and hearts, personally I love the parrots, love and peace, can never have enough love and peace right!

You know that heavenly crack when you tap your spoon on the burnt sugary caramelized topping of the perfect creme brulee.. crunch and ooze into the divine vanilla bean cream underneath.. are you drooling yet, hold a minute.. I am :) Seriously the best way to end a morning cow hunting in the city AND it's on the way to the carpark, parfait! Jean Pierre Sancho patisserie has won awards for their coffee and cakes.. they've got my vote! Happy Thursday, take care and stay safe..

 

Fremantle encore et fini..

Bit of an overload of pics today to make up for somehow misplacing Tuesday :) When we arrived in Fremantle it was pleut des chats et des chiens! Couldn't resist a quick snap of the matching brollies ahead, two for the price of one? Below the delivery of the ale to heritage listed iconic Freo landmark the Sail and Anchor..

Bit quiet on the usually bustling Cappuccino Strip below..

Check out that turbulent cloud activity! 

A touch of blue appearing between the clouds. Below the heritage listed Kidogo Arthouse, built in 1884 as a 'dangerous goods' store for the storage of kerosene..

Looking out to sea below P observed something that I couldn't even see.. can you? I've pulled in a little closer second shot.. nope still nothing! Then right in with the longs lens and there it was.. shrouded like a ghost ship in the haze, a HUGE container ship waiting in Gage Roads to come into harbour. Oh to have 20/20 vision :)

It's not for nothing that Fremantle is known as the home of art. Here on Arthur Head Reserve there is an abundance of creativity.. inside and outside the J Shed, once a warehouse for Fremantle Harbour, now home to a mix of marvelous artists including Greg James, whose work you have seen here many times..

I can't be sure.. who can be sure of anything these days :) but I'm almost sure that this cow is not part of the 'Cow Parade' that's in the city this month, this is a cow with an air of individuality.. I like that! Happy Wednesday, take care and stay safe... P.s. Huge catch up today!

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More Monday Moorals.. 'Alice'.

I haven't yet snapped all of the bovine beauties in the 'Cow Parade' but am mega impressed with the creativeness of the cows I've seen so far. Alice is 'wonderful'.. the artwork on her ample flanks incroyable! Painted by Lance Chadd, aka internationally acclaimed Nyoongar/Yamatji artist Tjyllyungoo, take a look at his work on canvas here. Inspired by his father and all the Aboriginal stock-men 'who were not just known for their multiple skills with horses and cattle, they were also men of culture and law, having strong connections, knowledge and responsibility for their country'..  

It seems right that Alice should stand here looking out over the Perth Cultural Centre, surrounded by the art gallery, the museum, the State Library and State Records Office, all containing a fund of information about Australia's first inhabitants.. Doesn't that burnished derriere look wonderful in the WA sunshine! Happy Monday, take care and stay safe...

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The Dutch East India Company.. in search of spices.

During the period 1602 and 1800 ships from the Dutch East India Company made over 5000 grueling trips to Asia in search of spices, over that time (good link) only four ships were wrecked and three went missing on the WA coastline, not all went down with the ship, survivors thought to be some of the first European settlers.. The frantically busy harbour scene in the incroyable painting below captured my imagination.. isn't it spectacular, you can almost hear the din.. I think this is an Amsterdam harbour scene, I really should have recorded the details!

Below the quiet dignity of the Aboriginal and Malay depictions of a two masted steamship, possibly the comings and goings of the SS Xantho before she sank in 1872..

... and here it is, the pewter plate that was nailed to a post by Dutch mariner Willem de Vlamingh who arrived in 1697, 81 years after Dirk Hartog.  Hartog nailed the original pewter plate to record his arrival on the 25th October 1616, the first recorded European landing on WA soil. That plate, returned to Amsterdam by Vlamingh is now in the Rijksmusuem.  Hope that you're having a good weekend, take care and stay safe...

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