PPA – Travels with Ali

~ Taking it Easy – Perth, February 2025 ~

The Summer school holidays finally came to an end here in Perth. Master Lachie would be starting year 2 and Miss Rosie would be entering kindergarten. Time for new shoes. I took both munchkins to our local shopping centre to have their feet measured up for new shoes. Everything is so sophisticated these days, and feet are measured electronically. Back in the day your foot was put into a wooden contraption with a slide bar.

Rosie was going two and three days a week, so I can still have my days with her.

Out shopping for her favourite toys.

We had some extensive tree cutting and bush pruning performed by professionals. Although my dear hubby said he would do it all – eventually – it’s the removal of all the debris that is a problem. Now I have an empty flower bed to replant, which I’ll be getting advice about.

I’m looking forward to discussing ideas with a lady I found locally.

The weather is turning slightly cooler in the mornings and evenings which is a relief. I’ve been able to sit out in the mornings with my coffee. This little guy has been visiting every morning and having a morning feed. Luckily Zac and Rufus didn’t notice.

Hubby and I had a lovely lunch in Fremantle last week. We tried a place that was new to us but I’d heard good reviews. It was such a beautiful day, we managed to get a table outside.

A couple of sculptures caught my eye. The dog is so cute.

Say hello to Dwert (noongar for dingo). Created by sculptor – Martin Jaine.

The above is a life size sculpture of a memorial to the migrant children. Between 1947 and 1953 over 3,000 children (many unaccompanied) from UK and Malta migrated to Western Australia. They went to voluntary and religious organisations. Many of these children we now know were little more than unpaid workers. They suffered untold abuse which has only come to light in the last ten years or so. The children were told they were orphans. Some of them were. Others had mothers who, due to extreme hardship, had no choice but to let them go.

We stopped at a local delicatessen to pick up some goodies and this exotic lady was posing in the middle of the shop.

Please don’t touch. I am very fragile. My name is Caffe’tina. I was made in 12 days. Arrived 8th January 2023. Multicycling in Brazil.
Coffee beans used on me __ kilo ___ grams.

I thought this was so clever and must have taken ages to put together. I wonder what the answers were?

Well that’s February done and dusted already. Have a lovely March everyone.

I’m joining in with a few challenges.
The Changing Season hosted by Brian and Ju-Lyn
and also Dan’s CFFC – Blue and…
PPAC by Natalie

~ Hong Kong – Arts and Flowers ~

The annual flower show was on while we were in Hong Kong recently and when we arrived we were ushered in promptly through the free gate. There are some benefits to being a senior! The crowds were out in force, bus tours from old people’s homes and also school tours. People waited patiently in line to have a photo in front of the spectacular displays.

The theme for 2024 was “Floral Joy Around Town” and attracted more than 200 exhibits from local and mainland horticultural societies. The colourful Angelonia was the feature flower.

“Flowers don’t tell, they show.” – Stephanie Skeem

It was held in Victoria Park, named after Queen Victoria.

The sheer variety of flowers was overwhelming. Some were so intricate and would have taken hours to put together.

There were classic designs and fun exhibits. Something for everyone to admire.

The Art of Ikenobo

“Though we pursue an economic value in life, it is in admiring beauty and creating things that we enrich the ground of our mind.” – Senno

The art of Ikenobo dates back to the 15th Century and was founded by the Buddhist Monk Senno. Japanese people like to give deeper meaning to flower arranging and prefer them upright rather than casually placed.

There is an elegance and simplicity to these designs that bely the hard work that goes into creating them.

After leaving here we went back across the harbour and walked along the sea front to our hotel. On the way we noticed yet another new shopping mall and popped in for a look around. We were astounded by the sheer size of it, not just that but the fabulous art works on display, not something you would normally find in a shopping centre. Of course there were the normal high end designer shops and high class restaurants but I think most people were there to have a look at everything else on display. We were wondering how these shops make any money because most were empty.

K11 Musea

Sculpture Garden on the 6th floor

Looking up inside K11

This is a place I will definitely be going back to because I realise we missed so much of the fantastic artwork. It won’t be to shop for sure!

Goodbye March, hello April

Linking to Second Wind Leisure for Urban
Natalie for PPAC

First Week in the UK – Catch Ups and Celebrations

I’ve been in the UK for a week now and it’s flown by. I’m staying with my parents in Essex after not seeing them for almost a year, not the best time of year but my mum turns 90 (yesterday actually) and there is a big celebration for her.

So far I’ve had a day in London with Sarah from Travel With Me, a night out with friends from way back and a 90th birthday party.

The day in London with Sarah started at the Barbican where I had suggested we meet. I have no idea why that place came to mind because there wasn’t too much there. Anyhow we made our way to a cafe for coffee and a “get to know you” conversation. We had so much to talk about, it’s great to meet up with a complete stranger and get on straight away. It was my first time to meet a fellow blogger, hopefully not my last. My Dad sent me off with warnings about how did I know this was a real person or even a woman, the worry for a child never goes.

A few of our photos below of our wonderful day together. If you follow Sarah and myself then you will have seen some of these photos already.

After coffee we walked to St. Paul’s and looked for a place for lunch. We found a very cosy pub in a little alleyway called Williamson’s Tavern, former residence of the Lord Mayors of London. A walk across the Millennium Bridge after to walk off lunch and a visit to the Tate Modern to look at some of the fabulous art on display. Back across the Blackfriars Bridge and then we said our goodbyes. It was good to put a face to a name and make another friend too.

“Each new friendship can make you a new person, because it opens up new doors inside of you.”

🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷

The weekend was very busy with a family lunch on Saturday with two cousins, brother and family and my mum and dad. I had not seen my two cousins for over three years so we had lots to talk about.

Sunday was the big day and my mum’s 90th birthday. The party started at 2pm and finished around 6.30pm. My dad had hired a hall and my brother and sister-in-law had organised all the food. It was a wonderful celebration for my mum. She received so many cards, flowers, chocolates and all kinds of gifts.

“Age is simply the number of years the world has been enjoying you!”

I’ll be adding this post to Natalie the Explorer’s blog for weekend coffee share and public art challenge.

🐇 Kung Hei Fat Choi 🐇

~ Hong Kong – Day Trip to Cheung Chau Island ~

Finally we have reached our day of freedom so that means we can eat out in restaurants and cafes. Today I decided we should leave the urban jungle behind us and head to one of the outlying islands. I last visited Cheung Chau in 1989 and unbelievably Anthony had never been in his 45 years of living in Hong Kong.

We caught the 11.15 ferry and grabbed a seat on the outside top deck to enjoy the sea air and sunshine. The slow ferry takes around an hour and no need to buy tickets as we could use our Octopus Card which is used for all transport in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong is a country of contrasts; steel, glass and concrete skyscrapers dominate the skyline with dense green hills and mountains behind. Many visitors are surprised by the abundance of greenery and countryside that Hong Kong has to offer. It is a great place to hike in the cooler months.

There are no cars allowed on Cheung Chau, the narrow alleyways are not big enough for vehicles to pass through. There are mini fire engines, ambulances and police cars for emergencies. I did see an ambulance and it was very tiny, if you were a tall person I think your feet would be hanging out of the doors! Everyone rides bikes here and bells are ringing from every direction and you have to be on your lookout as they speed through the alleyways and around corners.

After disembarking we walked along the harbour front looking for a place for lunch.

Anthony was very surprised to find an Austrian cafe serving pork knuckle, one of his favourite dishes.

I had looked on the map before getting here and thought it might be nice to walk to the Mini Great Wall. A leisurely stroll is what I had in mind! Almost an hour and a half later, up many stairs and steep hills we ventured back into the village. It was one of those walks where I thought we can’t walk much higher and with Anthony up ahead saying we have to keep going.

Cheung Chau has many sandy coves and beaches, even though it is December we saw a few people swimming. It is home to around 20,000 people and has apartment style buildings designed for school camps. I remember both my children went to Cheung Chau for their year 4 camp when they were 8 years old for four nights.

Above are images of the different rock formations dotted around the island. Also part of the “mini Great Wall”.

There are many houses up in these hills and we were wondering how difficult it would be for the occupants to bring shopping up. Not just that but how furniture is delivered and how on earth they were built in the first place. There were also many abandoned buildings.

Finally making it down again we walked back to the ferry through the labyrinth of streets and alleys.

Below are some more photos I have taken of various murals, small shops and stalls.

It was a fabulous day exploring Cheung Chau and a great place to visit if you have an extra day or two in Hong Kong. There is a completely different way of life here, where a more leisurely pace is encouraged.

Cheers and thanks for reading – have a great Sunday everyone!

Australian Country Towns – Capel, Western Australia

I’ve noticed on the last few occasions travelling through these small country towns that the Councils have been doing their best to spruce them up and bring them back to life. The efforts have been so worthwhile making these small towns worth a stop or even a night’s stay.

We recently stopped at Capel for a coffee break on our way back from Dunsborough and we had a lovely walk up and down the high street, reading signs, looking at murals and enjoying a coffee in a quirky cafe.

The Capel area was originally inhabited by the Wardandi Noongar people. It was then established as a town in 1897. Historically Capel was a farming area, mostly dairy and beef. Nowadays it is very popular for hobby farms, including alpacas.

There was a real sense of community in this small town with lots going on and there was not a leaf out of place.

Capel Library

Once upon a time in a town called Capel,
I looked through the branches and guest what I saw,
Hidden deep in the Tuart Forest there was a Eucalyptus
Under the bridge by the river there lived a …pultenaea skinneri (Skinner’s Pea)

**A place to sit and while away a few moments** **and taking a rest from toiling in the fields**

We didn’t dare venture inside, imagining a butcher with a meat cleaver dripping in blood and a rifle under his arm.

Artist – Erin Rafferty

Stepping back in time!

Mosaic Mural with phrases from the local primary school children

**St. John’s Chapel, Higgins Bell Tower and Church Door**

Mother Horse and Foal sculptures outside the vets

I imagine this event would be well attended and everyone knowing each other. It would be like one big party, such fun.

Well that’s all folks and I hope you’ve enjoyed this walk along Capel High Street with me. There was so much more to see but not enough time. I will definitely be stopping here again.

I’m linking this post to PPAC hosted by Marsha and Jo’s Monday Walk.

A Beach Walk with Birds

After spending the last ten days practically housebound with the flu and asthma, I finally took myself off the couch and out for a walk. Time to get some fresh air into my lungs and stretch my legs and also gather some new material for this dormant blog.

I drove to the carpark along the river and decided to take a left turn so I could walk closer to the beach. After coming to the end of the trail I wandered off through some woods which took me back to the beach and I followed the beach around to the birdlife conservation area. I’m not sure why I’ve never done this before, but I’ll definitely be doing this again.

Trees for Cee’s Black and White Challenge, if you look closely there’s also a bronze sculpture for Marsha’s PPAC and a bench for Xing-Fu

**The Perth Skyline across the wetlands**

It looks like Spring is truly here and it was wonderful to get out in the sun once again.

A Night at the Hilton Garden Inn, Albany, WA

Continuing our three day break in the South West, we drove down to Albany with a stop in Coalmine Bay and Broke for lunch. I should point out that this isn’t a grammatical error, there is a place called Broke!

This beach looks perfect for a summer swim.

The drive from Pemberton to Albany is almost three hours, by the time we had stopped a couple of times, we finally arrived in Albany at 4.30 pm.

We normally stay in an apartment in Albany, but I noticed when I looked on Booking.Com that there was a new Hilton, so thought we would check this out. It’s in a great location, overlooking the harbour. I didn’t book a sea view but guess what we ended up with a fantastic view over the harbour. We had a beautiful luxurious room with lovely toiletries from Crabtree and Evelyn, no expense spared there.
The reception, bar and restaurant are all located in the same space downstairs, making it all very intimate.

After checking in and unloading our bags it was still light out so we went to have a look at the latest silo mural, which we could actually see from our room.

The above mural was painted by New York artists Yok and Sheryo. It features the Ruby Red Seadragon, and is only the third species of its kind ever recorded. It was discovered on the Albany shores 150 years ago. I’ve been fortunate to see quite a few of these silo art murals around Australia, but hope to see them all one day.

We had a quick drink at the Royal George Hotel before heading back for dinner at The Garrison.

For dinner that night I had booked The Garrison, which as you might guess is situated on top of the hill where the old garrison used to be. It’s a wonderful restaurant with great service and food. I find many places we go now are short staffed due to Covid, some places manage superbly with only two or three serving but others don’t seem to have coped as well. The wait staff seemed to move swiftly between table to table and we had no waiting time at all between courses. A definite 10/10 from me, I must remember to write a review.

After a great night’s sleep and an invigorating shower using the deluxe toiletries we headed down for a buffet breakfast.
The rain had set in by now so we chose to head off to our final stop, Margaret River. I realised after I looked at the map that I had planned our trip backwards, which meant much more driving! From here to Margaret River it was a four hour drive.

I spotted this cute elephant down an alley as we were walking around yesterday.

**On the side of a vets as we drove out of Albany**

The endless drive through rain and sun

A cheeky add for PPAC

🎨 Art and About in Subiaco, Western 🎨Australia

On a visit to Subiaco recently I saw there were some great new murals, so I went back the other day and did a walkabout and spotted a few more. I also took snapshots of sculptures which I’ve always admired.

The featured image is called “Sky’s Chorus” by Clare MacFarlane and shows a migrating flock of Carnaby Black Cockatoos.

From the same wall, quite difficult to get a shot of the whole wall down the alley.

**Subiaco was built on a Sunday** – **Artist: Melski McVee**

**The Boy on the Red Bike – Artist Evoca1**

God’s Chair aka
Arrive to Paradise – **Ayad Alqaragholli**

The artist’s statement for God’s Chair : God’s Seat…with an angel on each shoulder, decisions being made about who gets into paradise ..

**Artist – Robert Jenkins “Works for Walls Programme”**

I enjoyed my afternoon walk in Subiaco, reacquainting myself with this suburb. It was like a ghost town during covid plus the landlords decided to get greedy! Many places shut down, but on this Friday afternoon it was buzzing with weekend drinks starting early. I noticed too that the “Sip and Paint” bars are becoming very popular. Also called Canvas and Cabernet, where you paint a masterpiece with a brush in one hand and a drink in the other, sounds like such a fun experience.

My favourite mural here is “Boy on a Red Bike” – how about your’s?

Posted as part of PPAC by Marsha at Always Write.

Changing Seasons – Joyful June

Each Month Brian from Bushboy’s World and Ju-Lyn over at Touring my Backyard host a challenge where bloggers around the world share their thoughts and feelings about the month just gone.

Many of you will have already have seen some of my posts about the first half of June which was spent in Malaysia and the drama that unfolded there! I’m glad to say my dear husband is well enough now to take up his household chores once again, phew!

Although it is officially winter in Perth we continue to have the most glorious sunny dry days. Good for the laundry but not so great for the garden. There aren’t that many flowers in bloom at the moment, although the Aloe Vera is looking stunning.

**This monster has been living in the corner for many months now and is definitely getting larger**

I have continued to play Bridge twice a week, I don’t seem to be improving in the slightest though, but practice makes perfect so they say! I have also gone back to playing Mahjong with some good friends and we catch up once a week for breakfast first and then a few games.

**Pull up a Seat**
**City Beach, Perth – our view from the cafe where we play Mahjong**

Our book club this month was held at a friend’s house who had chosen the book, where we were served the most delicious carrot cake and champagne. The book this month was “Naked” by Eliza Redgold about the story of Lady Godiva. We have been theming our bookclub meetings for a while, I’m not so sure I would feel comfortable rocking up naked on a horse to this one. We had a wonderful afternoon discussing the book amongst other things.

I had a night at the cinema with a couple of girlfriends where we saw “How to Please a Woman”, it was hilarious and but I think I laughed more at my friend who was actually snorting with laughter.

My cheeky cherub of a grandson turned four at the end of June and we visited him for cake and presents.

These two beautiful little people bring the most joy to my life and I love my day of looking after them both. Although I have to say it’s hard work taking them to the park, it’s like having two run away puppies, I have to have my wits about me.

A gallery of June

I hope everyone had a good June also. Now onto July and looking forward to more sunny days in Perth.

Some photos here for

Pull up a Seat
Weekend Sky
PPAC
Thursday Doors

A Family Trip to Melbourne – Part Three – Lunch at Mornington Peninsula

With the weekend upon us it meant Laurence and Maddy were able to join us for a day out. We all fancied a winery but with so many in Victoria where to go, North, South or East? After some research we decided to wing it and try one in the South East, Mornington Peninsula. Well our first choice didn’t work out which was Foxey’s Hangout, but the carpark attendant suggested we try the sister winery around 15 minutes up the road, called Morning Sun Vineyard. There wasn’t much sun around but plenty of wine.

The menu was short and tapas style so we just ordered every item! Sadly I forgot to take many photos of the food as it disappeared all too quickly. The staff and service were excellent and you could taste any wine. The location was just perfect and it was very cosy inside.

A luscious Shiraz for three and a “flight of whites” for me.

**An almost perfectly quartered photo** – **Cows galloping across the field**

Another fractioned photo!

A wonderful way to spend a Saturday, family, food and wine

On the drive home we passed by a stunning mural on a water tank, so I jumped out and took a few photos. Located on Arthurs Seat Road it was painted by Michael Leeworthy. It depicts life in Arthurs Seat and is a tribute to the local firefighters. I’m linking it to PPAC.