Western Australia Day 10: Fremantle Markets

The section for bites you can have as you shop, or take away for later.

It was Christmas Eve morning. We arranged to meet a friend at Fremantle Markets in the late morning so we woke up a little later today. We visited the markets in 2011 and enjoyed ourselves, so it was one place we were looking forward to visiting again.

This section was dominated by fresh produce. Although about the same price as what we get back home, the produce here looked somewhat fresher.

We found parking at a nearby street corner and enjoyed a short walk down Cappucino Street before arriving at the entrance to the craft and souvenir section of the market. The market is laid out like a fair, with similar items and services placed together in the same sheltered hall.

We strolled along quickly as breakfast was already some time ago, and we had room in our tummies to try something at the food section. What surprised me was the variety of international food available at the market. Alongside Australian choices were Bratwurst, Asian noodles, Russian cake and a number of other fusion concoctions.

A large, juicy Bratwurst brings back memories from our previous trip here.

The kids just called it a 'hot-dog', but this was no ordinary sausage. After a few passes most of it was gone, and the girls requested for another on (this time without mustard). I suggested we try something else.

Chocolate coated strawberries? Sweet treats will have to wait till after lunch.

How about another 'hot-dog'? This one is branded as a Wassup-dog. We got a free egg stuffed into it.

Waiting in line for a hot snack is extra appetizing in the chilly weather.

This ain't no ordinary hot-dog! Sausage is split open down the centre, grilled, and stuffed with egg, corn and onions. We requested for no veggies, and topped it up with ketchup!

mmmmm.......

More sampling stations: this time, we pick up a piece of 'Russian Honey Cake'.

Very sweet!

There was a stall selling all kinds of jerky and biltong.

I requested for a bag of mixed flavours and pieces. It was quite nice but a little too much for just me alone.

The freshly squeezed juice bar was quite a hit with the kids. The juice is served as an icy slush in a large cup big enough for all of us to share.

On one side of the stall, Rocky-Road candies were quite a hit. On the other side, the lady was selling olive and truffle oils.

The street market atmosphere is completed with messy displays of gifts, souvenirs, food and of course, the occasional busker playing a tune around the corner.

In the spirit of the holidays, we let the girls pick out a gift each. They both fell in love with this Floonie toy.

After a fulfilling morning out at Fremantle Market (we stocked up lots of gifts for our friends back home here too), we headed to our next 'old' spot from our last trip here - Harbour Town. We were surprised to see that the shopping centre is now known as Water Town instead. The complex hosts a variety of factory-outlet shops that offered pretty good bargains if you had fashion or sports gear in mind. We stopped at the exact same Noodle Inn restaurant we lunched at during our visit in 2011. They serve large portions of Asian food, including dim sum, curries, rice and noodles. We shopped, or should we say, Mummy shopped with her dear friend (the one whom we met at Fremantle) while Daddy and the girls just followed Mummy from shop to shop.

The old 'Harbour Town' label is still alive on the banner of this eatery. The food was just as good. I have to say it's a lot cheaper back home in Singapore through <cheeky grin!>.

Lots of branded-items for sale here.

Back at our base, the girls 'discovered' that our family blog had past entries depicting travels when they were still too young to remember. After dinner, they requested to revisit the entries and read what Daddy and Mommy wrote about them when they were just toddlers. There were laughs and gasps as they flipped through our online scrapbook of memories. It was heartening to see such a positive response to our blog from our youngest readers, and I get a strange feeling that they'll be writing some entries of their own soon. Watch this space!

Western Australia Day 9: Rottnest Island

Getting our tickets from B-Shed.

Everyone woke before six today to an unexpected chill that swept through our room. The temperature was 17 degrees and strong gusts of wind made it difficult for us to get our engines warmed up. We did not have much of a choice as we booked the first ferry to Rottnest Island at 7.15am from Fremantle, about 40 minutes drive from our accommodation in Perth Hills.

We found an all-day parking spot near B-Shed and bought an all-day parking ticket for $7. At B-Shed, a line was already forming to board the Rottnest Express. We forgot to bring along our e-tickets and collected a printed ticket from the counter after verifying our reference number.

The journey on the Rottnest Express was less than 45 minutes and smooth throughout.

It was a cold and windy day, a little too cold to start the day. We hope that it gets warmer.

We arrived on the island at about 8 am, and the weather was still too cold for the kids. After a quick visit to the Information Centre to pick up some maps and bus schedules. The first Island Explorer bus departs from the Main Bus Stop at 8.45 am. Since it was gusty and cold outside, the plan was to hop onto the Island Explorer for a quick round trip around the 23 km long island before deciding what next. Daddy dropped off at Little Salmon Bay to snorkel around the reefs there. Despite the cold weather, he was not going to miss this once in a lifetime chance to experience the underwater beauty of the island.

These photographs don't do the beauty of Rottnest Island any justice. Simply beautiful beyond words.

The beach where Daddy would be doing his underwater exploration

Crystal clear waters at the Just 4 Fun Aqua Park at Thompson Bay. 30 minutes of slides, stand-up paddle boards, paddle boats at $7.50 for Kids Knee Deep Park and $13 for Main Park.

While exploring the shops in the Thompson Bay Settlement, a curious Quokka strolled up to us and began nibbling away at some dried leaves, providing a wonderful photo opportunity. The island of Rottnest owes its name to this adorable marsupial, which was mistaken to be a giant rat, hence the name 'Rat-Nest'.



After a quick tour of the island on the Island Express, we hunkered down inside this Dome café to warm up to some warm food and hot-chocolate.

The sun did come out around noon time, and it started to look more like a typical summer's day. We explored the Thompson Bay Settlement, which has rows of cafes and souvenir shops alongside heritage buildings.

Playgrounds are a hit with the kids, especially those with climbing structures. Despite the mid-day sun, we slapped on sunscreen and went for it.

After the 'hour under the sun', it was a great idea to cool off at the Simmo's café. The girls' favourite flavour was Bubblegum.

 

 

 

Lots of activities on the island to occupy your day with.

 

 

 

We always jump at the chance to visit the local museum at every new place we visit. The Rottnest Island Museum is a great way to gain an overview of the island's rich cultural and natural history. 

Entrance to the museum is 'by gold coin' - a small donation that goes to support the running of the facility.



The island's history is not all pretty, and the many photographs, information panels and artwork describes the role of the island as a prisoner camp.

An adjoining gallery has exhibits on the island's natural history.

Finding out more about the ecology of one of our favourite delicacies.

A display showcasing some birds found on the island.

The Quokka is a marsupial endemic to the island.

It was a short visit to Rottnest, and we must say the island is as beautiful as advertised. Postcard-perfect beaches with crystal clear calm waters and fascinating rock formations. We caught a ferry that brought us back to Fremantle at 3pm, and headed out to get some dinner. Despite the fatigue, we were thankful for the opportunity to step foot on the paradise island. When the next opportunity arises, we hope to stay there for a few days, cycling around the island.