Celebrating Birthday & Wedding Anniversary Twice!

It’s not often that one has the privilege of celebrating birthday twice within a year. This year, I was given such rare treatment, first in Perth and then in Singapore.

Well before the pre-birthday celebration in Perth, my grandson had been telling me that he would take me to eat in “The Last Drop”. Indeed, this pub and brewery serves good food and each dish is served with exceptional quantity. We had a very sumptuous dinner of pork knuckle, chilli mussels and German sausages. The dinner ended with the staff bringing out a birthday cake and serenading the birthday boy with the “Happy Birthday Song”.

That celebration surely will be remembered for a very long time…..

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For the celebration in Singapore, we were taken to The Candlenut at Dorsett Hotel. We were treated with a unique dining experience of Peranakan or nyonya food. The chef besides his emphasis in originality, also puts in special effort in the presentation of every dish. Unfortunately, Jun Shi could not join us for this great meal.

No birthday celebration is complete without pieces of cake and a candle.

Starter: Kueh pie tee, warm minced pork relish, grilled spiced marinated satay and tumbuk prawn.

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Chap chye braised cabbage and grilled king tiger prawn.

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Rawson soup of beef cheek and wok-fried spicy baby squid.

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Braised pork belly and Candlenut’s signature cendol. 
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We took advantage of our trip to Singapore to buy a pair of rings to commemorate our 37th wedding anniversary.

Revisit of Perth Zoo

Two years ago, we visited Perth Zoo without my grand-daughter Gracie because she wasn’t born yet (Read here).

We thought the kids would surely loved the elephant show in the Zoo. As it turned out, both Nathan and Gracie were not particularly amused by the antics and tricks performed by the elephants. What these elephants could do was world of a difference compared to those elephants we saw in the Elephants Sanctuary in Chiang Mai in Thailand (Read here). Some suggested that this “failure” to bring out their optimum potential could be the result of the Aussies not wanting to exert too much stress onto the elephants in their training.

Similar to the training of the animals, the question occasionally comes to our thought in raising children is: what level of stress should be exerted onto the children so as to uncover their optimum capability. In Southeast Asian countries, we are often accused of exerting too much stress while in some western societies, could it be too little? Fortunately, we have passed that milestone and this is no longer an issue we have to confront with!

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Clearly Gracie was fascinated by the many animals she saw. But in comparison, food was still the central attraction.

Picnic at Bibra Lake Park, Perth

The black swans and wild ducks reminded me of Windermere, Lake District, UK we visited in late 2014. Unlike Windermere which is congested with tourists and packed with heavy traffic, Bibra Lake is so much smaller and serene. This is perfect and ideal for family outings and picnics.

A morning spent in the park by the lake proved to be relaxing and fun for both the kids and adults. We had such great time!

Exploring Perth

We discovered that one of the most cost-effective ways to explore Perth is by using the city’s excellent public transport system - namely, the train and bus services operated by Transperth.

For just A$12.00, a FamilyRider pass allows up to seven people (with a maximum of two adults) unlimited travel on trains and buses from as early as 5:30am until midnight on weekends and public holidays. It’s truly one of the best travel deals for families looking to explore the city and its outskirts without breaking the bank.

On this trip to Perth, we took full advantage of the pass and rode the train as far as it would go - both north and south. Our northernmost stop was Butler Station, from where we boarded a bus to Two Rocks, a quiet coastal town with a name as literal as its landscape.

As the friendly staff at Butler Station warned us, there really isn’t much to see in Two Rocks. Apart from the actual "two rocks" at the seafront, we saw a number of boats moored at the jetty - but barely a soul in sight. From a distance, we caught a glimpse of the massive King Neptune statue, the once-iconic centerpiece of the Atlantis Marine Park, which was a major attraction in the late 1980s. Though the park has long since closed due to financial difficulties, the statue remains standing, weathered but iconic. I vividly remember visiting Atlantis during our first family trip to Perth in the ’80s, when it was still alive with activity.

Unfortunately, during this most recent visit, we couldn’t get a closer look at King Neptune because we weren’t driving and the statue wasn’t easily accessible on foot from the bus stop.

The only person who “entertained” us in Two Rocks was the bus driver we met at the terminal beside the only grocery shop in town. As we waited for our ride back to the train station, he candidly shared his personal story - once a wealthy man in the UK, now a bus driver in Perth. According to him, after moving to Australia, his wife ran off with his best friend, and he lost 60% of his assets in the divorce under Australian law. We listened politely, though with a rather large pinch of salt.

Besides the unexpected bus driver tale, we also had an amusing encounter with an actual local - a blue-tongued lizard, which made a brief appearance and gave us something memorable to talk about from our brief visit to this quiet seaside town.

King Neptune

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On another day, we took the train southward to the final stop on the line - Mandurah Station, which lies approximately 110 km south of Butler Station, the northernmost point of the network. It was a long but scenic journey, offering glimpses of suburban life and stretches of open landscape along the way.

Mandurah turned out to be a surprisingly pleasant destination. It carries the charm of both Perth City and Fremantle, yet on a much more relaxed and intimate scale. With its clean streets, beautiful waterfront, and laid-back atmosphere, it’s easy to see why the area appeals to developers and retirees alike. The town has become increasingly popular for the construction of serviced apartments and holiday homes, catering to both weekend holidaymakers and those seeking a quieter pace of life by the sea.

We were also delighted to find a familiar name at the seafront promenade - Cicerello’s Fish & Chips, a well-loved institution originally based in Fremantle. This Mandurah outpost retains the same reputation for serving fresh, hearty fish and chips, drawing in locals and tourists looking for a classic Aussie meal with a view.

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As an Engineer, I was impressed by an old timber bridge that is still being used to support a paved road for heavy vehicular traffic!