The smooth sailing out of Indonesia lasted for a day and a bit before things got a bit bouncy for the next day or so. There were some who felt discomfort but we survived very well. On the third day of our run from Indonesia to Fremantle we were fortunate enough to see a partial solar eclipse. This is a phenomenon neither Gail nor I have ever witnessed. I believe there may have been one opportunity at some time in my life but weather was uncooperative. This time we had a great view through the safety glasses provided by Princess. I even managed to get some photographic evidence.
The final day of April marked our visit to the port of Fremantle and the city of Perth, the capital of West Australia or WA as the Aussies call it. We had great weather, sunny and temperatures in the low 20s C. with no hint of rain. The port at Fremantle is very nice. No long industrial jetties, just a pleasant, spartan terminal building. Our motor coach was awaiting us in the parking lot and we were soon off on our tour. The coach meandered through the streets of Fremantle to provide a quick look the it was off across the Swan River on our way to Perth.
The traffic between Fremantle and Perth was quite heavy and not that different from Melbourne or Sydney, a little surprising considering the differences in size. Our tour guide rattled on continuously throughout the trip, filling our ears, if not our heads, with fact and folklore. We were impressed by the appearance of the homes and streets. All seemed clean and well cared for. The area is remarkably green considering how little precipitation actually falls. Prime real-estate is at least as expensive as at home.
We eventually arrived at King’s Park which reminded us in some ways of Stanley Park in Vancouver, particularly, I think, because of its size. We spent our time walking through the park to find the Treetop Walk and the Glass Bridge. There were some great views of the expansiveness of the park, the city of Perth below and the Swan River. Unlike Stanley park which is at sea level, King’s Park is high above the river and city centre. It would take weeks to explore the whole park. Near the parking area were some shops, cafes and on the edge of the escarpment an extensive war memorial overlooking the city.
We boarded our coach again for the return to Fremantle and a brief stop at Cottesloe Beach. There were quite a few people in the water, a few trying their luck surfing although they didn’t get very long rides. There were a couple of the iconic Australian Surf Rescue guards along the beach. The port and the Dawn Princess funnell was just visible from the beach.
The coach returned to the port and after a quick stop for lunch we set out to wander about on the streets of Fremantle. Many of the buildings have some history. The Maritime Museum displays an America’s Cup yacht inside and a submarine.There are thousands of names inscribed on a welcome wall outside the museum. There are the expected assortment of souvenir shops along the streets but the port area contained no conspicuous hotels or resorts. We worked our way back to the ship across the pedestrian bridge that conveniently crosses the railway almost directly to the terminal entrance.
