Exploring the Arts in Perth

My friend, Teri, discovered a bargain even George can appreciate - free City tours every weekday. We explored the cultural offerings of Perth last Tuesday on the Art City tour. In addition to fellow Americans, Sherri, Nancie and Teri, we were joined by My from Kuala Lumpur, Olga from Russia, and our Aussie tour guide, Lindsay. My was enjoying an annual break from her busy family with a holiday by herself and Olga was spending a year touring Australia alone. We were like a walking United Nations.

I enjoyed the tour although it was a hot day. You'd think I'd learn to bring my hat but left it as it was cool and cloudy when we left Freo.

The three of us lunched beforehand and took a quick tour
of London on our way, London Court, that is.

I love the philosophy on this Bavarian building -
No minute comes ever back again.
Take heed & see ye nothing do in vain.

This decoration is typical of the gorgeous and
unusual holiday decorations downtown.

This Aboriginal art mosaic depicts creation of the Earth and the battle of two snake warriors. It contains over 10,000 pieces of marble embedded in the plaza concrete.

This sculpture is formed from one piece of rare Australian marble and rests on a bed of water, constantly rotating. It represents the world and weighs a literal ton!

This view shows the full sculpture and a glimpse of Perth life.

This work, entitled the Caller, is open to interpretation but,
since is was done by a German who escaped Nazi rule,
I prefer to think the figure is calling for freedom.

I agree with Lindsay's opinion that this sculpture deserves to be displayed on a pristine beach. The patina on the metal gives the piece a rich look you can't see in this photo.

These shots are from Earth From Above, an

international outdoor exhibition traveling the world.

It's tough to compete with Nature for beautiful outdoor art.

For some reason, this one intrigued me. I don't
think of Aussies as having low self-esteem!

What a beautiful place for a work of art!

This pagoda houses four fountains,
each representing a piece of Oz history.

Images like these span the top of a brick wall and
relate the cultural history of Perth.

My told us the Chinese characters mean happiness but
are upside down. Guess the artist wasn't Chinese!

Olga translated the Russian and Greek for us but I don't

remember what she told us. Senior moment! It had
something to do with building the railroad.

My is my kind of woman! She sought shade at every opportunity and salivated every time we passed a gelati shop or a pub. We were both rewarded with cool drinks at a pub at the end of our tour with Nancie, Sherri and Teri.

You Snooze, You Lose

Or, at least I did!

My friend, Nancie, is known for organizing fun trips and has formed a subgroup of American Women called WOW, Women On a Wander. Unfortunately, I have to get up at the crack of dawn to join them for these outings, or so it seems to me, a life-long night owl. I didn't make this trip but thought you guys would appreciate the scenery so I included it in this blog anyway!

This is the view from the top of the falls.

I hear it's a good thing I didn't come as the hike to the falls required bushwhacking and it's snake season. I only have sandals to wear since we still haven't received our shipment so it wouldn't have been practical.

Diana, Nancie and Karis enjoy their new friends.

Nancie cools her feet after a long hike.

Australian Beer Truck - Ingenious!

George is waiting for this truck to park in our driveway but no sign of it yet! Perhaps they'll come for Christmas instead of Santa. : )

www.tom-phillips.info/powerpoint/australian.beer.truck.pps

It's another good reason to visit! I will petition for some stud muffins for those of us who don't appreciate the beer bimbos.

Turkeys Live Long Here

Thanksgiving is not celebrated by the majority of Aussies, but we are doing our best to introduce the holiday by seducing them with the traditional foods. Our American Women's Club hosted a magnificent feast worthy of buffets in the good ole USA. For many of the attendees, it was their first Thanksgiving dinner. I can't count how many Australians and New Zealanders have asked us about Thanksgiving; they are intrigued by all the Hollywood versions they've seen. We had turkey, dressing and all the trimmings, including pumpkin and pecan pie.

The Australian-American Club President
experiences his first Thanksgiving.

Another American friend went to a potluck with a mostly Australian crowd with mixed results. Even though they were given recipes, some turned out a little bit funny, such as black pumpkin pie and watery green bean casserole. However, it is difficult to make the feast when you can't find the main ingredients. Pumpkin is a popular vegetable here but they are green instead of orange. You can buy canned Libby's pumpkin at a fancy department store for about $6 a can. I searched for Karo syrup and found a bottle for, you guessed it, $6. Everyone brings back little blocks of Crisco when they go home. Turkey is $9.95 per kilo here so a 16-pound turkey is about $80. I did order one for Christmas Eve; sometimes it's worth it to pay for tradition!

Does Santa have a South Pole workshop?

George did miss his college football as do many folks here, but Santa came to visit and everyone had fun. It was nice to see friends' families having a good time. This adorable little girl said it all when she found the microphone toward the end of the evening and shouted into it, "I love pie!"

Beautiful scenery is one of the benefits of getting lost.
Aussie Rules Football by the river.

We did have an adventure getting there and back. I wasn't able to find the Tawarri Reception Centre when I looked for directions on how best to get there via Transperth. I called their offices and was instructed which train and bus to take and was assured we only had to walk a couple of blocks. After going the wrong direction for awhile, we asked directions and ended up on the right track but walked at least two miles before finding it. It was a beautiful day as you can see. At least we worked up an appetite.

This house up on the cliff intrigues me.

Normally, one of our friends kindly offers us a ride home. However, everyone's cars were full with families. We assured them we could take the bus and train and got directions to a bus stop at the top of the path from the centre. We left about 10:30 and found the bus stop with no problem except that buses there quit running at 6:00 p.m. So we trucked back down the hill to call a cab to get to the train station.

Fred and Gail saw us walking through the parking lot and insisted we get a ride to the Stirling Highway where they had seen night buses running. They put the kids in the back window and dropped us off since it was a work and school night and they live an hour away. We again found the bus stop easily but discovered the buses that were running didn't come to Freo. Calling a cab seemed like a good idea but there wasn't a pub in sight and, of course, we have no cell phones. Finally, we spotted a 24-hour gas station and were asking the clerk for directions when a guy overhead us and said, "Get in. I'll take you to the train station." We have so many things for which to be thankful, especially for the kindness of strangers! We also are thankful for our friends and family who take the time to read this blog. We love you and miss you!

Still a Stranger in a Strange Land

Just when think I have assimilated I find I'm still clueless here. Arthur gave us a turkey breast he got from a friend because he likes us and hates turkey. It was frozen so I put it in the refrigerator to defrost. Two days later, it was still hard. George was worried it might spoil so I decided to cook it regardless. When I opened it up, the skin looked funny, all brownish, and the meat looked a bit odd. I smelled it and it smelled good. Then I finally realized it was pre-cooked and packaged, bone and all!

Then I decided to make one of George's favorites, turkey tortilla soup. I went to the store to buy some, only to have people stare at me blankly when I asked for chicken broth. I patiently spelled broth to the Asian grocer, thinking he just didn't understand my American accent and got the same blank stare. Finally, I searched for it myself only to discover they call it chicken stock. He and I had a good laugh when I went up to the register to pay for it.

Rambo is Painting Our Apartment

Otherwise known to us as Superman and Wonder Woman, Arthur and Rose pose as the Casa handyman and cleaning lady when not performing miracles browbeating our landlord into submission to make this place livable. We would have had to move without their help because the place was such a hole, but, most importantly, they are a joy to know.

Rose and Arthur are Characters with a capital C! Rose is originally from Liverpool and has a million stories. She lived in the States for thirty years and holds the title as the non-American obnoxious American because she gets frustrated with the way things are done in Australia by comparison. Rose is a get things done kind of lady and the Western Australia (Wait Awhile) mentality drives her crazy. She and Arthur also remind us of Andy Capp and Flo and are so entertaining when they are squabbling because you can see the love they have for one another despite what they're saying.

Rose might be tiny but, believe me, she's a spitfire.

We have Rambo painting our walls! Arthur just celebrated his 64th birthday despite the fact that he served multiple tours in Viet Nam with the Australian version of Special Forces. He's been struck by lightening twice, shot and blown up but still can run circles around guys half his age. Arthur loves to have fun and is so warm-hearted.

No Aussie barbie is complete without a sausage sizzle.

Arthur is more than a tough guy; he's an accomplished cook and enjoys throwing parties. He not only invited us to spend the day and have dinner at his home in Mandurah but also drove us there and back, with close to an hour drive each way!

Since no one is allowed to help in Arthur's kitchen,
Jill supervises instead.

Despite the fact that we occasionally get angry people at our front door when Vin overbooks, there is an upside to living above holiday rentals. We met two wonderful Canadian sisters and hung out with them while they were here. Arthur also invited them to come to Mandurah.

The crew at one of the beaches along the way.

It's hard to believe such a beautiful beach is
so deserted even on a cloudy day.

Doesn't this make you want to have a picnic?

The weather changes quickly here. What intriguing clouds!

The water is crystal clear and inviting.

This used to be a nude beach but is now
used to exercise thoroughbred horses.

Penquin Island can be reached on foot at low tide
and is inhabited by, you guessed it, tiny penguins.

Claire and Jill relax on our patio.