Perth

This is our 7th trip to Perth.  This time we flew together with Ricky and wife. We went by Air Asia flights, two ways cost each of us only Rm600.00. We go to Perth so often because we like the climate, environment and scenery there, moreover my sister-in-law(Siew Geok) and family has been migrated over there for more then twenty years, and this trip we intended to visit our friend who just migrated four months ago. It was a midnight flight, so reached Perth at 5.30am, we were received by Ricky's brother-in-law(Joe lee) who flew over there one week earlier before us to visit his brother (Ricky lee and family). They sent us to Siew Geok's house  in Attadale for our rest and they promised to take us to Ricky Lee's house for barbecue the same night. 

Ricky Lee a real good cook , he marinated all the meats,kangaroo meat, beef, mutton and chicken so well that I am very sensitive to smell that I do not eat beef and mutton but I can even able to eat all these meats including the kangaroo meat. All were so tender and nice to eat. Other then meats ,we had potato salads and vegetable salads, fruits and wine too. We really enjoyed our dinner and companionship and discuss about our travel programs in Perth.

The next day Ricky Lee came to drive us to his house to meet all the others who planned to join us to go to the Pinnacles at 7.30am.  While waiting for the rest at his house, I wonder around his backyard, surprisingly he and his wife (Ah Lan) were able to plant and upkeep some of the tropical fruit trees, like longan(dragon eye), mango, pomelo,guava and vegetables like lemon grass, screw pine leaves, winter melon and bitter guards.

The Longan tree, winter melon and bitter guard.

One album before we take off to The Pinnacles outside Ricky Lee' house while waiting for the other few guys to come.

From left, Alfred and me, Christine and Ricky, Joe Lee, Ricky Lee and Ah Lan and the son, Raymond.

Finally they came, we took off at about 8.30am, it will take us about three hours to reach our destination, we had two stops before we finally reach the entrance of The Pinnacles.

We had our lunch, picnic before we go in for our tour inside The Pinnacles. Ricky Lee and wife and other friends were so kind and good in preparing food.  We had fried noodle, two types of sandwiches, yam cake and fruits and drinks.

Yam cake made in Australia and fried rice vermicelli

When all are filled  up with energy, our driver Ricky Lee, drove us into the park.  The minute when we were at the entrance, all of us open our eyes big, really amazing, the sand rocks, the formations were all natural, how great our Creator was.

Though the sun is shining but the wind is cold, see the clear blue sky in the desert, the contrast of the colours, so beautiful.

We spent about an hour exploring and taking pictures in this desert.  From here Ricky Lee drove us to another amazing natural formation place, Lake Thetis,which is home to diverse microbial communities.

These rock-like platforms and domes are both stromatolites but they are built by different types of cynobateria, hence their different shapes.

We had a simple dinner at a Chinese restaurant to end up our educational and memorable day trip.

On the third day, we invited Johnny(a male nurse in one of the hospital here), a friend of Siew Geok to join us for bread fast at home so he can be our next day tour guard. We just wanted him to lead us to our friend, Beh Swee's house, who had migrated to Perth four months ago.  With his guard, the place Nedland,where Beh Swee stay was easily located. Beh Swee was so happy to see us, homeland friends to visit her, coincidentally,her husband has flown back to Malaysia for some business,left his wife and two children behind.

We were very well welcome, as usual,Beh swee always treat us as family, she invited us for dinner at home later the night. We chatted a lot about her new home and environment, children's school and our old times back home. We really had a great afternoon. We had a walk around her house after our tea. She took us to the rose garden opposite her house, really very attractive and beautiful!!

Having tea with Beh Swee and this is her house.

The Rose garden is dedicated to the glorious memory of all who sacrificed their lifes on active service in their country's cause. This rose garden has been well kept and is very neat , and it has many colours of roses,red, yellow, pink, orange, white, purple , really lovely.

While we were in the rose garden, Beh Swee went into her kitchen to prepare dinner.  In just a mere hour, the dinner was ready.

 

We admired Beh Swee, she had not been cooking for more then ten years back in Malaysia, but here she can prepare a delicious dinner within an hour, great of her. We had stewed chicken with eggs, stir fried broccoli with scallops and prawns, fried prawns and another dish of vegetable. Though simple but really enjoyable home cooking.  We had varieties of fruits for desert.  We hang on till about 9pm then we had to say good bye to our host.  Beh Swee wanted us to join her for another home cook dinner, we cannot oppose but to accept her invitation.

The forth day in Perth. We drove around by Siew Geok's

The Bell Tower and the city centre view from the area from the Bell Tower.                              

The city centre at the background from Kings Park and the giant baobab tree which is more then five hundred years old . It took six days to transfer this tree from the jungle to this park in the 2008.

From the Kings Park, we search our way to Beh Swee's house.  Co-driver and the driver were excellent, without any difficulty we manage to get to our destination within minutes.  After some light tea, Beh Swee drove us to local Vietnamese market and it was near closing time, so there were special offer for all the vegetables and fruits. We manage to buy banana at only ninety-nine cents per kilo, normal priced at two ninety-nine, grapes at only one ninety-nine while normal priced at three ninety-nine; apples at only ninety-nine cents a kilo, persimmons were cheap too, only one ninety-nine , we had our happy hour marketing and the car booth were loaded with all fruits and vegetables.

So excited to see so many types of fresh fruits and vegetables selling  at so cheap prices.

Beh Swee  prepared dinner for us, we had curry chicken, scallops stir fried spinach, dried fried sour prawns and two other types of vegetables.

Though it was a simple dinner, all of us really enjoyed each other company.  After our desert, it was already 9pm and this time we really have to say goodbye to Beh Swee and her children and promised to see them when they  are back home in Malaysia. I really miss them.

On the fifth day, four of us travelled on our own. With the help of the map, we drove to Sorrento Quay where the aquarium was located.  We did not go in the aquarium because it was too early when we reached there. We wonder around enjoying the beautiful scenery at the quay.

We spent about an hour here and left to drive along the coastal road on the way home.  The beaches were really beautiful, white sandy beach with bright blue sky and the waves. Along the way, we stopped at the City Beach for our lunch, home prepare fried rice noodle and sandwiches.

We took a slow drive on the way home and ended at the Coles supermarket to do some marketing to prepare dinner.  We had promised my nephew that we will cook him a home cook dinner . We bought a herbal roasted chicken, an uncooked free range chicken, some vegetables and potatoes.

This is the first and only home cook dinner we prepared in Perth. Curry chicken, fried mix vegetables, onion fried eggs and the bought home roasted chicken. Though it was simple, but my nephew enjoyed it very much because he missed home-cook food for a long time.

We invited Johnny to have bread fast with us at home as he promised to guard us to Mandalay, another suburb of Perth which was about an hour drive away. We enjoyed the beautiful views along the way and the beaches near Mandalay.  We had fish and chips at The Cecilio for lunch, we love the chips very much, yum..

The finger liking good fish and chips and one of the beautiful house with frontage facing the canal and the sea view at the back. Real relax and enjoying type of home.

We had tea at home and have a good rest before we were driven to the city for a farewell dinner hosted by Johnny and Shirley(wife).  We had our dinner at a Chinese restaurant, Lok Fook in the China Town in Perth.

It was quite a big restaurant, can lay about thirty tables. Lotus soup was served once we were seated. Real good and efficient service. We had.....

Clay pot seafood and stir fried fish fillet with vegetables.

Roasted spring chicken and Shi Chuan tafu

Stir fried Kangkong with beef

We had oranges and red bean soup for desert.  All the dishes were very delicious, the chefs were from Hong Kong while the restaurant was owned by a Vietnamese couple. They had a very good and successful restaurant.

We left the restaurant at about 9pm to do our last minute packing.  Johnny was so kind, he offered to send us to the airport at 3am as our flight will take of at 6.50am.

We really wanted to thanks all those who had spent their precious time with us in Perth, Ricky Lee and Ah Lan, Joe Lee, Johnny and Shirley, Beh Swee and children.