On the day I went to watch the sunset, I decided to walk around Fremantle a bit before heading to the beach. I was also at Fremantle at around 3:30pm, so that gave me about 2 and a half hours to explore. So I did!
The first place I passed was the Fremantle Markets of course. The Fremantle Markets are open every weekend, and were established in the 1890s. It has a really interesting facade, and two parts. One part is more for the artsy stuff, and another part is more for food. I've been to the Markets a number of times, and bought a couple of bracelets and charms from there.
Was standing at the back of the Markets, so I took a picture of the trading hours :) I've posted some pics of the Markets and its vicinity in my post "Extras from Photo Outings".
Passed by the Scots Presbyterian Church along the way, and went in when I heard some gorgeous piano music. The Scots Presbyterian Church was built in 1890, and was conceptualised by Rev. Hanlin from Scotland. It's now a heritage listed site along South Terrace, Fremantle.
The cloud formation was absolutely amazing that day, and formed a great backdrop for the church.
The church's interior was simple, but very cosy. It gave a welcoming atmosphere, and together with the lovely piano music, I felt as if I was in heaven. It was extremely peaceful, and I really wanted to stay longer. But my main agenda was to head to the beach to watch the sunset...so I decided to head off. I'll definitely come back again for a second look - and to enjoy the peacefulness.
I still can't figure out who was playing the piano - as there were a number of people surrounding him. He was pretty good though! One thing on my bucket list - to play piano in a church. I've never tried it before. Maybe a bit of Mozart or Bach would be most appropriate :)
My next destination was the Fremantle Town Hall. Here's the plaque on one of the tiles.
And here's a view of the street from the main entrance of the town hall...and the town hall from the street. The town hall was opened in 1887 (building commenced in 1885) and has a number of Corinthian pillars, and a really impressive facade, including a clock tower.
Statue of John Curtin - the 14th Prime Minister of Australia. He was widely recognised as one of the greatest Prime Ministers of Australia. He led Australia during World War II. This sculpture was unveiled in 2005.
Spotted members of the Western Australian Symphony Orchestra (WASO) leaving the premises. So I assumed that the town hall would be open for a while more. Being curious...I decided to wander in.
I was totally captivated by the gorgeous interior! There was a transparent ceiling letting natural light in, and the interior was just...grand. I couldn't help but take more pictures of this whole area. It's my very first time into the Fremantle Town Hall - and I wanted to have as many good pics as possible, before it closed. I wonder when I'd be able to enter the town hall again.
Part of the clock tower could also be seen from the transparent roof.
Best part? Well - there was an antique grand piano at the corner. It was rather battered...but hey, it's a piano! There were people around, so I didn't want to touch the piano. It looked too precious anyway. I was certainly tempted though! Anyway - I satisfied my piano cravings later on in the common room in the student village.
I ended up wandering into the concert hall - the entrance was just near the grand piano! If I'm not wrong, the WASO actually performed here. This is one of the most gorgeous concert halls ever!
Headed to Fremantle Prison for some serious, black-and-white pics. More to that in our next post :)
I had serious chocolate cravings by the time I got out of Fremantle Prison (damn, why did the cafe have to close so early???). So I walked into my favourite chocolate lounge - Theobroma. :) I didn't want to overload myself with too much sugar (as I was going to have dinner with my mates!), so I ordered a small cup of dark hot chocolate. Delicious!
I couldn't help but take pics of the hot choc too - and I also noticed that there'll always be some chocolate spilling from the side of the cup. I wonder if it's deliberate - everytime I go to Theobroma I'd notice this. Well - I licked it off before even dipping my spoon into the chocolate!
Walked down the Cappuccino strip shortly after. And then rushed through the Reserve (a couple of pics down) to get to Bather's Beach to watch the sunset.
And that's it for now! The next post will be on the walk to Fremantle Prison. A lot of black-and-white pics there. It's been a while since I have been to Fremantle Prison - the last time I went was in 2012, when I walked the Convict Trail (Fremantle Prison and Fremantle Arts Centre). I probably won't go back into Fremantle Prison for a while...since I've been in there once.
Anyway - do stay tuned for the next post!