09.05.2026

After we took a small tour around Perth yesterday, today we had the larger one, and it truly was grand!

This morning we had to adjust our clothing. With temperatures at 13°C, long pants and a jacket were necessary. The thermometer climbed to 23°C during the day, but around 5 PM, just before sunset, it noticeably got cooler again. To get a good overview, we decided on a 'Hop on hop off - tour'. You receive all explanations in German and discover places that you can later take a closer look at. However, we did not visit the 'Optus Stadium' again. The train station is not depicted as it's difficult to photograph while on the bus tour, but you learn a lot of interesting things. For instance: traveling by train from here to Sydney takes 66 hours, including 3 overnight stays. There is a segment of 480 km on the route that is perfectly straight, which is unique in the world! This also shows the gigantic dimensions of this country. We passed by the bell tower again, and today we heard the bells in action, a beautiful melody. It was also enjoyable to stroll through the alleys and browse in the shops. You consistently notice the British influence, for example, the 'London Court' (shopping arcade) and the 'His Majesty's Theatre' (the white, Indian-looking building). The city center appeared quite empty today. When we took an 'Uber' to the district of 'Fremantle' in the early afternoon, we understood why - everyone was 'all' here. The 19th-century houses in the old core are really well preserved! There, cafes, galleries, and many vintage shops invite you to linger and shop. People meet here! The beach was well attended since it was calm, clean, and fairly warm. Naturally, we had 'Fish & Chips' there, along with burgers and wraps, which are typical here. The next 'must' was the 'Fremantle Market' - the old market halls - with about 160 stalls. You can find everything, even a German bratwurst stand! However, we opted for ice cream with strawberries and Nutella in these unusual, freshly baked waffles. A great investment! We made stops at two more attractions: 1. the 'Shipwreck Museum', after all, there are over 1600 known shipwrecks along the west coast. You receive a lot of information - for example, the tragic story of the Batavia - and can look at many finds. Finally, we visited the prison, which was in use until 1991. This massive complex was built by prisoners. In 2010, the prison was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. Then we took an 'Uber' back to the hotel! There was a lot of activity on our street. Dinner time! Here, there are some Japanese restaurants that must be good, as there were long lines. Reservations are not taken, so the hungry wait patiently - just like in Japan. We truly experienced a great metropolis with many facets. The numerous sculptures and monuments in public spaces stand out - whether they depict personalities or animals! Graffiti-covered walls are hardly seen. The modern skyscrapers impress with interesting facade designs, and it's green everywhere!