Barely blogged since I’ve been in Perth, not least because I’m without broadband outside the office since moving into an apartment in Claremont. So just some routine diary stuff for now.
Perth is generally quiet – churches and church schools everywhere might be a clue – no casual pub cluture – feast and famine, teenagers packed in like sardines getting legless on Friday and Saturday, few sad old gits at other times. Millie was welder from Chelsea – long story for another time maybe. Don’t lean on me man, cos I can’t afford the ticket, back from sunday school city ? A fair percentage of restaurants and other commercial properties apparently closed down as well as closed.
Still amazed at the bird-life, with new perspective from my 8th floor balcony – too many to mention, must get a guide-book. Fish too, the waters around the jetty just down the road in Pepermint Bay / Melville Water simply teeming.
Metro-City closed (due to some gangland drugs incident ?) so George Thorogood played in The Lookout in Scarborough at the weekend. He never changes, and his kinda crowd appreciates that. No sign where Joe Satriani will be playing week after next – but I assume my ticket will remain valid.
Apart from Scarborough / Brighton Beach (which put on a great sunset display on Sunday) I explored other coastal areas north as far as Joondalup, back down to Sorrento and Hillary’s marina. The properties along that strip ! Not just the front row either – the ancient sand-dune line means several rows back the properties command sea views.
In the other direction, I went further south. Looked at downtown Fremantle and the docks – two large container ships leaving and arriving, practically filling the harbour mouth, and the endless stream of pleasure boat traffic to remind you this is not just any old industrial port. Freo has plenty of character – old-colonial, plus tourism. South of there to Rockingham and Safety Bay includes industrial Kwinana, but plenty more beach life. Futher on still south of Mandurah, and practically on to Bunbury the costal scenery, with the lakes and river inland behind the dune line too, truly spectacular in places. Plenty of evidence of efforts to develop housing property all along this stretch – “A beach at the end of every street” goes the tag line. Need to keep your eyes peeled to avoid running into road-kill the size of full grown ‘roo. Inland route on the way back, less spectacular mix of bush and agriculture (and alumina refineries).
Got my bearings anyway – it was a few days before I noticed my usually certain sense of direction was failing me – because I was in the southern hemisphere, with the sun going the “wrong” way across the northern sky. And seen the Southern Cross at last, and Orion on his head.
The commute to work certainly reveals the waterside attractions of the place. No wonder so many people choose to cycle, despite the heat and humidity.