Mum, meet Fremantle

What do you do when you have your first visitor?? 

Unfortunately, I had to work a double shift the Friday that Mum arrived in August. I wasn't very happy about it and asked for the lunch shift off to meet her at the airport, but we had a booking for a party of 40 so as a compromise, I had the entire Saturday off. I kept looking out for her the entire day, wondering when she would walk into the restaurant I was working at. I would go over to clear the tables by the bar, taking "extra care" to wipe them down as I stared out the window, inspecting every pedestrian that looked familiar, or more so lost. When she did arrive eventually, I cried. It had been eight months since I last saw her in Ireland and I was given a measly, cruel half-hour break between shifts after she had traveled twenty-eight hours to see me. So, I came back forty-five minutes later and no one said anything. To make up for it, the next day we had the entire day to ourselves and I took mum to Freemantle, or Freo, as she so quickly picked up upon that Western Australians love to add an -o to the end of everything. 

First stop on a Saturday morning: The Fremantle Markets.
First photo: Mum eating.

I thought that mum might not be so impressed with the Fremantle markets after the ones she's seen in New York and around the rest of the world, but she said she liked it. It is a happenin' spot, filled with locals and tourists looking and sorting through the various things for sale - some more unique to Perth than others. Out of all the food stalls offering corn on the cob, sausages in buns, seafood paellas, meat jerky, spun sugar, sushi, and fresh fruits and vegetable samples, we got a donut for our post-breakfast pre-lunch snack. 

It was, as the sign noted, "healthy." cholesterol free, high in antioxidants, low in saturated fats, no trans fat, no GMO's, omega-3's AND 6!!

 The huge donut was sugary-crispy on the outside and moist-doughy on the inside. I'd like to say guilt-free as well, although I'm sure at the bottom of the sign it said "just kidding, you morons, it's a donut."

We wondered throughout he streets of Fremantle, admiring the architecture and stopping to read the little historical signs along the way until we crossed the Esplanade to Little Creatures - the quintessential go-to spot. I took mum here for her first taste of Australia: kangaroo and locally brewed cider. 

Mum loved the trees in Fremantle, especially the Christmasy ones that had their own star on top.

Mum's first view of the Indian Ocean. No feet in...this time.

Downtown Freo.