Perth to Darwin: glimpses of a few more worlds.
14th to 22nd March, Blog Post 16
“We are not going to Perth”, responded Shore Concierge. “We dock at Fremantle”. First realisation that these are two different cities, 1/2 hour drive apart!
“Freo” market opened 1897 during the gold boom. Lively, trendy surrounded by attractive Art Deco buildings. Excited to meet my cousin Susan and Mike her husband, who picked us up and took us around their “home turf” for the day.
Perth, often described as world’s most isolated city, dubbed “Bloemfontein by the sea” in some South African expat circles, didn’t feel like those at all.
We explored amazing sculptures along iconic Cottesloe Beach while Mike and Ray swam, trendy bistro for lunch, magnificent Kings Park Botanical Gardens overlooking Perth CBD and Swan River below, walking through diverse tree and plant species, many people, sensitively built memorial commemorating the 2002 Bali Bombings: 88 Australians killed, 202 altogether.
The day passed too quickly. Wonderful to catch up. Thank you Susan and Mike!
Fremantle / Perth was a cruise segment “end” and “beginning”. Approximately 200 passengers (more than half!) disembarked, also the Captain, a familiar face around the ship. And 200+ embarked. So again, goodbyes to those we had met and many new faces. Always jarring!
Moving north from Perth, Geraldton featured Greenough Wildlife Rescue Park. How our granddaughters would have loved to feed its animals. Not the crocodiles, snakes nor emus, but the kangaroos, alpacas, horses, goats. Fascinating Greenough preserved “ghost” town, leaning trees – bent dramatically by winds, excellent art gallery featuring local artists.
In Broome, after experiencing the “Kimberley massage”: seriously bumpy dirt road en route, we were taken at Willie Creek Pearl Farm through the fascinating entire pearl culturing process including the delicate “surgery” on living oysters and years of natural growth, ultimately yielding lustrous, beautiful pearls.
Spectacular sunsets along Northwest Coast of Australia, much calmer than the bight. But calm before the storm! Our Darwin experience cut short to move away from Tropical Cyclone Narelle. Just enough time for Salvatores Café scrambled egg on crusty bread and a few grocery purchases.
A glimpse of 12 fascinating ports. Farewell Australia fair! Next stop: Indonesia.
