This week Sarah from Travel with Me has chosen everyday objects for Monochrome Madness. I took Rosie to the playground yesterday and snapped a few of the equipment and used the shadows filter.
I’m not sure if playground equipment qualifies but I thought they were objects and used everyday!
Helter Skelter Slide
Swing like a monkey
Can you reach the top?
Practice your drumming skills
Fancy a Spin
Play a tune in the Sensory Garden
Test your balance
Everything in this playground is safe and fun. Squishy floors and tree bark to break any falls, safety chains on small swings and gates with locks at all sides. Nothing like the playgrounds of our youth, which were a veritable minefield. Vertical slides so high with smooth shiny surfaces to help you fly down and land in a heap on the concrete floor. Roundabouts that spun out of control as you held on for dear life and wouldn’t dare try to get off. Kids swinging and jumping off when it was at its highest. Most of you over 50’s probably broke a bone or knew someone who did!
Although saying that as we sat down for a snack on a bench, a kookaburra flew straight into Rosie’s face to see if he could snatch her croissant! We were both so shocked, she was so brave though and had a little quiver in her lips when she said “But I’m so kind to kookaburras”.
Had to laugh at this man, shouting at him, “I’m going to throw my cap at you”
After a very good night’s sleep, for me anyway, we took ourselves off for breakfast in Dunsborough. The plan was to walk but the weather wasn’t looking great so we jumped in the car again.
View from our veranda
With so many cafes to choose from but all looking busy everywhere we opted for the first one we saw and chanced our luck for an empty table. It was a good choice and I started the day with a cooked breakfast.
Just a tad more shopping and and a stop at the beach, then it was back to the house and a catch up on the books we were reading and then off out again for lunch.
I had seen these sculptures from the road and really wanted a photo, I’m the one who has the “bright” ideas for posing.
The colours of Geographe Bay are always stunning in various shades of blue and green.
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We were having lunch at Eagle Bay Brewery, which coincidentally is in Eagle Bay. It was a first for all of us and as soon as we were out of the car we saw the views were worth coming for.
It would have been perfect to sit outside but a bit chilly for us!
Even though it was a brewery we’re none of us beer drinkers so opted for a bottle of the local sauvingon blanc. It went down a treat with the delicious salads we all shared.
They had their own vegetable garden just outside so everything was fresh. Of course I took more photos.
More selfies! Hay Bales – or Bay Hales as I kept saying – too much wine!
As it was still fairly early in the afternoon we drove to the headland of Cape Naturaliste which is the northernmost point of the Leeuwin-Naturaliste Ridge. After parking the car we saw there was a trail that led through the bush and wildflowers. There was a couple coming back along the trail and they said they had seen around ten pods of migrating whales! So we carried on to a lookout and saw another man with camera and tripod also documenting the pods. We stood for around 20 minutes and witnessed a fantastic display of whales jumping in out of the water. A bit far to get a good photo but the thrill of seeing so many whales was awesome.
The photos below are just the scenery from on top of the hill overlooking the sea.
Blink and you’ll miss it!
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By this time it was around 5 pm, so on the way back we stopped along the foreshore and waited for the pop-up curry van to arrive. We were having take away that night and a full evening of games!
We were off home the next day but so far we had all enjoyed this time away together, eating, drinking, gossiping, shopping and playing games. Although there was still time for one more winery on the way home.
Homeward Bound
Leaving on the dot of 10 am – check out time – we packed up our bags and headed off. Maybe coffee and lunch on the way, depending how we felt.
We’ll be back!
As it happens Lisa mentioned a winery that she thought we would all enjoy for lunch, called Green Door Wines. Situated in the beautiful Ferguson Valley with views for miles. We didn’t have a booking but fortunately there was a table.
One for the Road!Intricate carved doors and windowsCarriage style houseRolling Hills and Furloughed FieldsPicture Perfect Window
Thanks for taking the time to come along on this trip with us. We had the best time and hope to be planning another one for next year.
Dunsborough in South West WA is the perfect place for a family holiday. I have just returned from a five day break with the whole family, dear husband, our two children and partners and two grandchildren.
I searched very hard for the best house, it wasn’t easy, as it had to accommodate six adults and two children, be close to the beach and not too far from town! I finally found a four bedroom house just 30 seconds from the beach and a short drive into town. It was called Quindalup Boat House.
We took three cars and many bags and suitcases with us.
The view from the house
Walking to the beach
Inside the house
Happy hour on the verandah
My Iron Chef
Lachie found a very good use for the wine rack
Quindalup Beach
The coast goes on for miles here and is very sheltered making it the ideal place for small children. Lachie and Rosie loved every minute on the beach. It’s great for running and walking.
Searching for treasures
The Old Man and the Sea
From bed to beach
Oops forgot to put bathers on
Over the next few days we visited farms, playgrounds, breweries, pubs and of course the beach everyday. We didn’t always do everything together and gave each other enough space to enjoy our own individual outings.
I think it’s been the one good thing about Covid that Laurence and Maddy were able to join us, having arrived from Melbourne before the borders closed.
Everyone agreed that it was one of the best holidays we’ve ever taken! Over the next few posts I will be writing about some of the places we visited.
When I first arrived in Perth, WA in 2004 and had reason to visit the Claremont Showgrounds, I was amazed at the size of this small enclave of buildings. It seemed like a well kept ghost village. There was a ferris wheel and a chairlift that goes all around the huge perimeter of the showgrounds, mostly unused for 90% of the year, I thought what a colossal waste. Sitting on 32 acres of prime land and home to The Royal Show for a week in October. Since then I believe it has opened up much more to concerts, events and markets. Also it is now home to the Covid Vaccination Clinic.
On the last day of The Royal Show the whole family visited. For me it was only the second time I had been to a show and for Lachie and Rosie their very first.
It wasn’t as busy and crowded as I thought it would be, although there were still small queues for the mini rides for Lachie. It was quite funny really, five adults all standing around waiting for Lachie to hop on a ride and shout and cheer him on while he passed slowly by. After lining up for one ride and getting to the front, he declined to board a truck wanting to wait for the black truck to become vacant, it was worth the wait just to see his face.
Soaking up the atmosphere and enjoying the view
I ended up buying far too many tokens thinking Lachie would want to go on all the rides but he was more interested in the animals.
Peregrine Falcon
At first I thought most of the owls on display were stuffed! They never moved a muscle or blinked an eye.
A wonderful array of animals
With so many animals to see it was hard to choose a favourite. There was baby chick holding, kitten cuddling, pig patting and goat stroking. The queues for the kittens and baby chicks were far too long for a three year old to wait his turn so we had to miss those out.
We walked down side show alley and purchased a show bag for Lachie, Laurence tried his hand at shooting hoops and managed to win a prize for Lachie on the rifle range, what a great shot.
After a few hours of walking around we were all in need of a stiff drink and food. We found a bench outside and enjoyed cocktails, wine, beer and a few tacos. Rosie was getting fractious by now and it was time to leave. The noise levels were well beyond my capacity by now and I needed to get back also for a lie down. But it was a great day out, to be repeated again in another ten years – maybe!
Our trip to Victoria included a one night stay on Philip Island. It’s a place I’ve wanted to see for a while and was intrigued as to why many of the places are named after Isle of Wight towns. I haven’t read anything definitive to explain it, just that the early settlers (1800 or thereabouts) had just holidayed there or saw a similarity.
We travelled from Melbourne with our two intrepid travellers, Laurence and Maddy, with Laurence driving. It’s an easy drive around 90 minutes and you can drive onto the island across the Philip Island Road Bridge from San Remo.
Our first stop of the day was lunch at Saltwater, a restaurant directly on the seafront. After pizzas and fish tacos, we wandered over to see a “squadron” of pelicans awaiting their lunch.
Newhaven
Philip Island Bridge
Newhaven Foreshore
As it was almost 4pm by now we had to get a move on to check into our accommodation. A little boutique guesthouse – The Castle, Villa by the Sea, located in the North of the island in Cowes.
Cowes was named by Henry Cox in 1865, a land surveyor who had just recently visited the seaport in England. Before this it was called Mussel Rocks.
We were already very impressed by the beautiful scenery on our drive up to Cowes. After checking in we walked along to the seafront. I could imagine how busy this place is in the Summer, such a wonderful island for a family holiday. Calm sandy beaches and grassy areas for picnics.
Cowes
Lengthening shadows
Cowes Beach
Mussel Rocks
Cowes Pier
Dinner that night was in a Greek restaurant a short walk from our guesthouse.
The next day we had an early breakfast along the seafront before checking out at 10 am. I had a lot planned for today.
Our first stop was Rhyll, a little fishing port named after the one in Wales.
Rhyll
A beautiful carving by Brandon Lawrence. Brandon created this sculpture from the massive cyprus tree that was blown down in a storm in 2016. It is called The Ferry Captain and depicts all things nautical. It honours all the ferry captains over the years.
Continuing with our tour we drove through Philip Island and down to the South West to Ventor, where we had a brief stop to watch the surfers. This is also where the penguins live and there is a nightly parade on show. We gave this a miss the night before as it was extremely chilly, maybe a visit is on the cards for the summer.
Ventnor
Mads enjoying the view
Cape Barren Goose
Downwards now to the very bottom tip of the island – The Nobbies. Home to the fur seals of Philip Island. There is a wonderful walk around the cliffs that takes approximately half an hour where you can see the roiling rollers of the sea. It’s quite mesmerising watching the waves.
The Nobbies
There is also an interactive Antarctic museum here which we didn’t visit but looked like a great place for families.
Churchill Island
Driving back now across the island to Churchill Island, where a historic heritage farm is located.
Churchill Island was named by Lt. James Grant in 1801 for the name of the man who had given him the seeds first planted here. There are beautiful well kept historical buildings and magnificent gardens to explore. It is still a working farm where there are many animals freely roaming around. A truly tranquil place to while away an hour or two and soak up the peace.
The Farm and Surrounding Areas
What fantastic murals!
Churchill House and Gardens
A fabulous weekend was had by all on this picturesque island. Below are some links for interest.
This week for Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge the theme is Old and New.
Over the years we have stayed in a variety of establishments – from two star to five star. It’s not always the five star hotels that are the best, I prefer ones that are a bit quirky and a view is even better.
OLD
Hotel Monterey, Nagasaki
Named after an American town and in the style of a Portuguese villa but located in Japan! This was a very cute hotel complete with an iron gated elevator. There is also the famous Chapel Bussola with its magnificent spiral staircase and stained glass windows. A sensational place to hold a wedding.
The Hotel Saigon Morin is not located in Saigon but in Hue which is around a three hour drive from Da Nang. Established in 1901 by a French businessman Mr. Morin and built in a French colonial style with a wonderful courtyard inside the hotel. Over the years many famous people stayed here, one was Charlie Chaplin. In the evening they have clips of his old films showing on the wall.
George Vl, Biarritz, France
Plantation Hotel, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Both of the above hotels are small boutique hotels. The Plantation Hotel had a fantastic swimming pool in the middle of the buildings surrounded by palm trees and our room opened up onto it.
The Belle Rive Hotel in Luang Prabang overlooking the Nam Khan River. We had the bottom left room, complete with our own front door. We loved this hotel and walked over the road in the morning to have breakfast by the river.
NEW
The Stones, Bali
We enjoyed our stay at The Stones in Bali, such an opulent hotel. The bath was on the balcony, we never did use it! As you can see there is also a helicopter landing pad on top of the hotel. We stayed here for a week a few years ago when there was an extremely well priced trip from Perth in the local paper.
Taj Krishna, Banjarra Hills, Hyderabad
The Taj Krishna was definitely a five star hotel, complete with excellent service. We stayed here for a week with our two travelling companions, Laurence and Maddy a few years ago and had the best time. The staff here could not do enough to make our stay memorable.
The Stamford, Glenelg, South Australia
Staying here was part of our road trip across five states. We had a wonderful room overlooking the ocean.
I was very excited to see this town, a whole place dedicated to murals. I find murals very intriguing as there is so much to see in them. Like an outside art gallery. It is the mural capital of Australia and it is modelled on a similar place in Canada.
As we were still driving towards our last destination of the day, Stanley, and it was getting late, we only had time for a very brief stop. I did managed to take quite a few though.
I tried to find out more about these murals, some have descriptions but some only have the artist’s name.
The titles mentioned are ones I have made up myself!
The featured image is of Cradle Mountain by John Landis
Friends and Strangers
Artist: Kerry Nicholson
Sports around the world
Artist: Kerry Nicholson
A day away from the city
Kerry and Malcolm Nicholson
The above murals were at the beginning of the road before entering the town itself, they didn’t seem to have much information on them.
There is so much colour and details in these murals, I think the above is my favourite, an afternoon quilting by the river.
There is a message in this one, I can only guess by the image of the old man on the left and what was inflicted on the indigenous people with the arrival of the explorers and convicts from England.
The end of the road
I did take more but am saving them for Monday Mural
Before heading to our next stop we took a detour down to Port Arthur. It’s a place I really wanted to see, hubby just says “where to next” and has no idea of the itinerary I have planned!
It takes around 90 minutes to drive from Hobart to Port Arthur, and you also have to book your time slot beforehand. We had booked a walking tour and boat trip and arrived around 12.30 pm. I have to say I was very disappointed with our tour guide as she didn’t move off her spot for 40 minutes, and I tuned out after a while as I watched the other tour groups walking around the many buildings on site. It felt rude to walk away. After she had finished her talk we had very little time left to explore before our boat trip.
The Penitentiary, formerly the flour mill, converted in 1854. This building had three floors. The ground floor was for the more dangerous prisoners and they were kept in heavy irons. The first floor housed men in lighter irons and the top floor accommodated up to 348 men in bunk beds. There was also a library, chapel and mess room. The prisoners were encouraged to read the thousands of books kept there, but after ten hours hard and gruelling physical labour I doubt they had the time.
This was the hospital where convicts were treated for respiratory or rheumatic ailments brought on by sleeping in cold and dank cells.
Looking through a window frame at one of the old cottages
The Guard Tower
Looking back on the Penitentiary and surrounding buildings.
On the boat sailing away towards Carnarvon Bay.
Isle of the Dead
There is a small island just off the site of Port Arthur that is the settlement’s cemetery. Between 1833 and 1877, 1100 people were buried here, convicts, military officers and their wives.
Some info on Port Arthur
Port Arthur was not just a prison but a complete community. It was home to convicts, military and civilian officers and their families. There is a church, school, cottages and law courts. The prisoners living and working here were repeat offenders from other penal colonies around Australia. Some prisoners survived and were by that time skilled and educated. Most did not and ended up in the asylum or the Isle of the Dead.
Port Arthur is also the place of the 1996 massacre, where 35 people lost their lives and 19 more were wounded. There is a memorial garden here commemorating them.
It is a very sobering place to visit but well worth your while. The grounds are beautifully well kept and also the buildings that are still intact. The boat trip is also worth going on.
We were pushed for time and didn’t really get to see as much as I would have liked, trying to fit everything in is not alway possible!
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After leaving Port Arthur and driving onto our next stop, we headed further down to Eaglehawk Neck. Here we had a long awaited lunch/snack looking over Pirates Bay.
Tasmin Blow Hole
Another very busy day on our tour and we still had another hour and half’s drive to our next destination, Richmond.
Responding to Bushboy’s last photo on your camera, here’s mine.
Taken from a friend’s balcony yesterday evening. Overlooking Leighton Beach, Fremantle. Cargo ships heading out to deliver their wares, I wonder where – not China anyway. The rain is coming and this week in Perth we are having a wet one. Unusual for this time of year, but very welcome.
It’s been the best five weeks since my son Laurence and his girlfriend Maddy have been back from Melbourne. The time has gone far too quickly. We’ve been lucky that they could spend so much time with us, especially over Christmas and New Year. Arriving on 4 December and quarantining with us for the first two weeks also meant we saw them every day. After that it was go, go go for them catching up with friends and Maddy’s family.
Yesterday we enjoyed an hour or so at one of Perth’s famous beaches. It took me a while to swim in the sea here, 14 years to be exact! But now I’m like a fish in water. It is extremely “refreshing” but once in your body does adapt. Hubby still refuses to go in.
In the distance is Scarborough
I prefer to swim where there are lifeguards for obvious reasons! But they like it here as it is not as busy as Cottesloe. I’ve bought myself a beach tent but have yet to use it, as it is not easy to take down, it pops right back up again!
I’ll continue to embrace the best that Perth has during this “no travel” period. I feel it will be a while before we leave Australia but I cannot complain at all after reading the daily news!
