The cows are back!

Perth is holding the 2016 Cow Parade, which started on the 31st October and runs until 11th December. This is one of the most successful public art events in the world, since being established in 1999, with more than 250 million people having seen more than 5 thousand cows over the years.

About 40 life sized fibreglass cows are on display throughout the city, painted by Australian artists.

Of the ones I managed to see today was  "Empire Rose Jersey Girl", certainly my favourite!
 "Styled" by Kathryn Cizeika, the Empire Rose designer (women's clothing from Fremantle), it took her 1 month to cover the cow in her signature sequin fabric painted with car paint and embellished with Swarovski crystals.
Just have a look at the detailed photos below.

Empire Rose Jersey Girl - by Kathryn Cizeika

Details of work on "Empire Rose Jersey girl"

Some of the other cows around town:

Beauty X Ethics - by Benjamin Kontoolas

Trans dimensional Cow - by Liam Dee

Blue - by Olga Cironis

Amilita - by Audrey Fernandes Satar and Mohamed Arif Satar

Missy Moo - by Jean and June Pastore

Ikicow - by Elle Campbell

Luxury Lady - by Alister Yiap

I had last seen a cow parade in Margaret River (3h south of Perth) in 2010, so it's fun to have it in Perth now.
This was certainly an overload of photos, I hope you enjoyed the fun cows.
Which one was your favourite?

Monday Mural - Baby face

I found this mural in Cascais (Portugal), painted for Muraliza Cascais 2014,  by  Nuno Reis AKA Nomen. Check out his website to see other fascinating murals painted by this young man.

For other murals from around the world follow this link.

Sunday outing to Rottnest Island

 We were invited to go to Rottnest Island on Sunday. 
Rotto, as it is affectionately known, is located about 18km west of Fremantle, and was named by Dutch captain Willem de Vlamingh, when he landed on the island in 1696 and saw numerous quokkas (native marsupial) and thought they were large rats, so naming the island "Rat's nest" (Rattennest in Dutch).

Even though the island is now considered a relaxing paradise for Perth residents, it's history has not always been rosy. After the British settlers established the Swan River Colony in 1829, the island was used as a penal colony, for military installations and internment camps for enemy aliens. Many of the island's buildings were actually built by convicts and now serve as holiday accommodation.

 

At the Royal Perth Yacht Club with the city of Perth in the background

On the Swan River leaving Perth behind

 We met up with the rest of the gang at the Royal Perth Yacht Club and left the port, with the Captain steering the yacht on the Swan River via some of the richest of Perth's suburbs.

Mosman Park, one of Perth's most expensive suburbs - the 3 storey house to the left sold for $57.5 million in 2009

 It took us about 1 hour on the river to reach Fremantle, where we went past the modern Maritime Museum building and then the green and red lighthouses on either side of harbour entrance.

Maritime Museum

  Once on the open sea we picked up speed until we docked in Thomson Bay on the east side of the island.

Approaching Rottnest Island

After putting down anchor we gathered around the table on the deck for a wonderful breakfast of croissants with cheese and ham, fruit, coffee and tea.
I had made Brazilian cheese bread (delicious cheese puffs) that I added to the breakfast table.

Afterwards the  younger crowd swam ashore, while the older ones were helped to the rubber duck boat to go ashore. 
The island was teeming with people who were enjoying the best Spring day we've had so far - 31C. We went to Dome coffee shop for a beverage and a chat and returned by rubber duck to the yacht. 

Getting the Rubber Duck ready to go ashore


 The various rubber ducks and water bikes by the eating zone

                                                             Island accommodation   

And for those who've never seen a Quokka, here is one eating out of my hand. They are so used to people on the island and unfortunately they also get fed a lot of rubbish...and believe it or not they also steel from people camping on the island, so all food must be securely stored away otherwise overnight they will eat it all!  But they are cute!!

After coffee we got back on the rubber duck towards the yacht, and when all was secured back in place we returned to Perth, having enjoyed a wonderful day outdoors with great company.

                     The Rottnest Express - ferry between Fremantle and the island

                        Map of the island with Thomson Bay top right (from the internet)

Monday Mural - Sailor Story

This mural painted by the Russian artist - Rustam Qbic - for Public Form 2016 in April,  in the Library building of Curtin University, Perth.

It's entitled "Sailor Story"  and you can see a lonely man on a paddle boat filled with books while battling the heavy seas, symbolizing the learning process and the forces that get in the way of learning.

For other murals from around the world click on this link.

Monday Mural - Millo at Curtin University

Another mural at Curtin University, for Public Form 2016 in April.

This one was painted by Italian artist Francesco Camillo Giorgino AKA Millo in his traditional style of monochromatic designs with bits of colour.

As you can see in the photos, at first there was only a girl in a blue dress with a pink shadow by her side, but days later the pink shadow turned into another person when the mural was finished.

If you would like to see more murals from around the world follow this link.

The mural now finalized.