Christmas 2013

Christmas 2013 was a huge event for us. It was the first Christmas we had spent away from family and friends, in all our lives. We were a little melancholy, perhaps even a little homesick, but with the aid of mobile phones and skype we were able to mostly fill the void, and share some time with our family and friends back east.

The Narrows Bridge in Perth.

Having settled in at the Karrinyup Waters Resort, we immersed ourselves in the region, taking lovely walks each morning through the nearby huge parklands, criss crossed with walkways, that wound their way around Lake Gwelup. Our caravan park itself was very big, and incorporated a big lake and wetland area that teemed with bird life. It didn't take the ducks long to find Carolyn, and her now ever present box of seed, and every afternoon around five, we'd sit and have happy hour with the flock!

The nearby Karrinyup Westfield Shopping Centre had all the big name department stores, and we soon became junkies, walking the retail halls! It was nice hearing the buzz of people and the sounds of Christmas carols, and seeing all the wonderful decorations. We must have looked like old bushies from the country, all wide eyed and awe struck! I joined the queue for a haircut, whilst Carolyn headed for a manicure. The head barber was an eccentric Italian. You know those times when you meet someone, and immediately wonder how on earth they could make a living, well that was the barber. While he had one small victim strapped in his chair, the other

Perth Christmas decorations.

4 barbers were madly cutting away. Maybe it was an infliction, but he couldn't perform more than four snips without breaking off to find a book or magazine for someone, apologise for having to wait, or get someone a seat or drink of water, or heaven forbid if someone rose to take their place in the barber's chair, and their waiting room seat was left vacant! He spent 15 minutes rearranging the seating, asking people if they'd mind swapping seats with little Billy so he could be next to his mother, and then when someone stopped to look in his window, he bounded out the door selling the virtues of some strawberry scented shampoo! The poor little guy in his chair just sat their, resigned to the fact he'd probably miss Christmas! From the time I joined the line until I left, it was about an hour and a half of pure entertainment. As I paid my money, he stopped cutting and came over to shake my hand, wish me a Merry Christmas, and give me a Chuppa Chup. I thanked him, and as I left the shop, gave the lolly to the kid in his chair. He'd need it more than me. He had gotten the chair of doom, and he was in for the long haul! I met up with Carolyn, and we just wandered around among the crowds, and finished our Christmas shopping, then headed into town to look at some more Christmas sights. As we left, and walked past the barber shop, I noted that the little kid was still in the chair of doom!

The Perth Bell Tower.

A couple of old Bell Ringers.

We headed along the River front to the Bell Tower. This is an impressive structure, built to commemorate the Bicentenary in 2000. It is a truly spectacular collection of bells, housed in an equally spectacular building. We were directed up to level 4 as there was a demonstration about to take place. The little lady running the show was a bell ringer. Her face rang a bell (I'm really sorry about that!), and she had been ringing bells for 50 years, which probably explained why she spoke very loudly. Well, we all got a turn to ring the bells. It is a damn sight more strenuous than it looks, especially if you get one of the big bells, and I looked at the skinny little old bell ringer in a new light, after she'd had me pulling on the rope for a couple of minutes! At the end of it all we got a certificate, so I'm quite excited about the next coronation or royal wedding, when I'll be able to apply for a bell ringer's position. Up on level 6 there is an open air walkway, and you get a nice look at the city and Swan River.

Downtown Fremantle

Yum Cha in Freo.

Down in Fremantle, we were amazed at the transformation that has taken place over the last 20 years. The wonderful old buildings have been restored, and the place is abuzz with cafes, boutiques, pubs and all kinds of Hotels and other accommodation. The waterfront has come alive with restaurants and huge marinas. The famous fish 'n chips  of Cicerello's still has prime position. For all you Sydneyites, this is the Doyle's of Perth, and is a must when visiting Perth. We walked the streets and sampled coffee and cake in one of the traditional Italian cafes, and then found a little Asian market for lunch, where we enjoyed Yum Cha. We couldn't remember when last we'd

Esplanade Hotel in Fremantle.

had Yum Cha. It used to be a regular thing back home, where we'd meet up with Cheryl and Chris in Sydney's Chinatown, for Yum Cha and a movie. There is so much to see around Freo. We will spend a lot of time around here over the coming months. The other trendy little suburb we liked visiting was Subiaco. It is a bit like Paddington and Woollahra back home, with expensive boutiques and gift shops, wonderful cafes and restaurants, and price tags that would stop a train. Shops like Simon Johnson The Grocer. Wonderful turkey and ham and cakes and puddings at around $18 a mouthful!! But not for us. We are off to the Crown for Christmas dinner!

Xmas Party at Lake Karrinyup Resort.

Sausage Sizzle was pretty good.

On the evening of 23rd December, the Caravan Park hosted a fantastic Christmas Party for everyone staying at the park. It was held in the Camp Kitchen area near us, along the lake. It was a sausage sizzle, where you could go back as often as you liked, and there was a band belting out songs, both modern and Xmas, and at around 8.00pm Santa arrived in the bucket of the caravan parks tractor! He handed out lolly packs to the kids young and old, and it was a great night for all, even the mosquitos!

The Foyer of the Crown.

Doorway to Heaven.

On the morning of Christmas Eve, we packed ourselves up and headed into the Crown Metropole Hotel and Casino for our special Christmas break. We had the best couple of days! The beautiful Hotel was dazzling, and we had a wonderful big room, looking out over the Perth City Skyline and the pool. We got dressed up in "real" clothes and "real" shoes, and lived the life of the rich and famous for a couple of days. The hotel foyer had this huge white tree and reindeer, that at night came alive with lights. Simply stunning. For our first night we headed off to Rockpool Bar & Grill. Yes, Neil Perry has one of his famous eateries in the complex, and as usual the standard and the fare was wonderful. In the daylight hours we just lazed around the amazing swimming pool area. It is also unbelievable, and it is easy to people watch and be lazy. After dinner we wandered through the casino and had a small flutter with the usual result. On Christmas Eve, the Casino was packed. When we headed for bed just after midnight, they were still coming through the doors in droves. They closed the doors at 3.00am and they wouldn't be open again until 10.00pm on Christmas Night. 

Lazing around the pool.

Xmas dinner at Market and Co.

Our Christmas Day was quiet, and mostly spent around the pool. It dawned a beautiful, sunny day. We were up early Skyping John's mum. His brother Neil takes his computer, and mum marvels at the technology. It is as if we are there in her living room. We chat with all the family, as John's other brother Ian and his family are there as well. It is lovely "being there" on the day. We'll do it all again tomorrow, when we also catch up with John's sister and family as well. They will be enjoying Boxing Day as part of the traditional Anderson get together, this time with a new addition, great grandson Marcus. The wonders of modern technology!! After all the

Traditional Xmas Dinner.

Entree of Prawn Cocktail.

farewells we head for the pool, saving our strength for Christmas Dinner that night, at the hotel restaurant, Market & Co. Here, we enjoyed a traditional Christmas Dinner with all the trimmings. Wonderful staff, didn't rush us. We just had a special night. The menu was, Entree: Prawn Cocktail with Mango, Main: Turkey & Ham with Roast Veggies, Dessert: Gingerbread Santa with Sorbet. It was beautifully presented and tasted as good as it looked. Washed down with a choice of bubbly, white or red wine, beer or soft drink, there were no

Gingerbread Santa.

complaints for us. And of course, no washing up!!! Santa came and handed out presents for the little kids, and the Christmas music played. It was a wonderful atmosphere. The room was a mix of large and small family groups, and couples young and not so young. We joked about how casual our culture has become. We had dressed up, but many had dressed down for the occasion. A good example was the next table, where mum was dressed in a beautiful dress, the little boy of around six was in a tailored three piece suit, his sister in a gorgeous frock, and dad was in jeans with the knees out, a T-shirt and thongs! The Maitre'D should have evicted him, but a quick look around the room, showed that then the restaurant would have been half full! After dinner we headed out into the bright lights and buzz of people. The casino was open for business again, and it was mind boggling to know how many people were in attendance. Has Christmas become just another day?? I hope not.

Next morning we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast, checked out at the latest possible hour and headed back to the reality of the Karrinyup Waters Resort. It had been a lovely escape. I wonder if that little kid is still in the chair of doom? We're off to the Boxing Day Sales, so I'll get to check!!