The Olivers and I realized that so many of my adventures had been along the beach so we decided to take our final walk together along the Swan River on Saturday morning.
It was cloudy when we set out so some of our pictures were a bit dark. We spent some time hanging out with these black swans. Black swans are native to Australia and they were one of the first exotic birds seen by the Europeans when they settled in Western Australia and are now the state bird. Swans mate for life and are usually seen in pairs like these two.
Scotch College is a private boys school. Erin and Kinsey say the cutest boys in Perth go to school there and the best of them all are on the rowing team. I would like to go to school there. It would be so fun to be part of their rowing team.
There were lots of dinghies down at the foreshore. Dinghy is a funny word.
The dinghies are left there by boat owners so they can row out to their bigger boats.
The river was very quiet and calm this morning. There was a large group of people about to head out in kayaks. I hid behind the tree and watched them get ready.
This is as big of a truck as you will see driving around Perth. It's very common to see vehicles with kayaks and canoes and surfboards on the weekends.
Erin and Cheryl showed me the osprey nest they had discovered. There are two really big ospreys on the branches but they are very hard to see in the photo. Ospreys look very similar to bald eagles.
When the water is calm, you see a lot of paddle boarders. Paddle boards look like really big surfboards and people stand on them and row using long oars. It uses a lot of stomach muscles to stay upright in the water. This guy had just finished his workout for the morning.
We passed by this little cafe among the trees along the foreshore. It smelled like bacon and eggs. So yummy. Erin and Kinsey often walk down here for ice cream in the summer.
There are over 700 species of eucalyptus trees in Australia. This one grows all over Perth and smells a bit like peppermint.
It's fun to take the leaves and rub them between your hands and make them smell like a peppermint-spearmint-menthol mix. I wish you could smell this. It is amazing.
Weekends are all about sports, family, and getting together with your mates. There was a huge group of little girls gathered at this playground for a birthday party. I stayed far away from them. Cooties!!!
At the parks around town, they have these grills that are free to use. Just turn on the gas and throw some snags and chops on the barbie and invite all of your mates for a game of footy.
Lawn bowling. I have no idea what that is, but here is where they play it.
A dragonfly sculpture at the top of the hill. Did I mention we had to climb a monster hill to get up here. I'm puffing away here trying to catch my breath.
Whew. Made it to the top of hill. Now the river is down below. It's so pretty up here even if it is cloudy and dreary.
This is a very odd house. Whoever lives here is crazy about art.
I had feared I would leave Perth without catching a close up glimpse of the brightly coloured lorikeets that fly around all day. It was so lucky to catch this pair hiding in a low tree on our way back home. Lorikeets mate for life like most parrots and the black swans. They are beautiful and bright.
Only a few more days here. Scott has been doing a lot of running while I've been here to prepare for the London marathon. We leave on Thursday. I can't wait!
Location:Perth, Western Australia
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