And here we are - the 2nd post of the Kings Park Wildflower Festival! I couldn't resist going back to Kings Park a second time to take pics of the lovely flowers! This time, I went with my housemate and her friend, and we also took a walk around Kings Park.
Before we started - we went over for lunch...and I had this delicious brownie again, with MORE chocolate sauce! I think they must have known that I'm a regular. Instead of having a large hot choc, I decided to settle for a smaller one this time.
Took this pic just as the bus was going up the hill. We were really lucky - it had been raining lots over the week, but it was really nice and sunny on the day we went.
Stopped by to take pics of the smaller flowers. They're a challenge to photograph sometimes...especially when the wind isn't in your favour. But once you get pics of them, there's always this sense of satisfaction. The flowers may look pretty big here...but it's because of my telephoto lens (with a built-in macro function).
My housemate spotted this bunch of people in flower costumes walking up the hill, and so I quickly took this pic before they disappeared into the trees. I think they were mascots for the Wildflower Festival.
We also found this hollow, but really old tree. It was really cool!
On the way to the Glass Bridge, we stopped by to take some pics of the Memorial Gardens, before taking some more pics of the city skyline and Narrows Bridge - a bridge spanning the Swan River and connecting the north and south banks of the river together. Narrows Bridge is a major landmark of Perth, and is very popular amongst photographers.
The Glass Bridge was actually part of the Lottery West Federation Walkway, established in 2003 in Kings Park. The walkway itself is surrounded by towering eucalyptus trees, and the Glass Bridge literally arches over the canopy of these trees, providing excellent views of the river and of the city.
Went up the Glass Bridge...and up till now I'm still impressed by this magnificent piece of architecture. The Glass Bridge is actually made of steel, with glass panels on either side. But it blends in really well with the surroundings. It isn't flat - it actually goes up and down - peaking right in the middle of the bridge. And that point is also a very popular spot for photo-taking.
So here we go - a walk across the Glass Bridge!
New bird stickers on the glass panels of the bridge. How cool!
On the way back, I noticed that the skies were much less cloudy than they were before. Which meant...these boab trees stood out in stark contrast against the skies...and I really like the effect it created.
Boabs actually live for a very long time, and their branches are usually bare in dry seasons. They have water stored in their trunks - which explains why their trunks have such unique shapes.
Unusual roots spotted on one of the plants. I had to crawl under the leaves to get a pic of this!
Also spotted some unusual, yet fascinating flowers and leaves along the way, as we made our way to the War Memorial. I believe these are native plants in Australia.
As we made our way up the pathway to the War Memorial, I caught a glimpse of Narrows Bridge and South Perth. I haven't visited South Perth much - and that's a part of the city which I'd like to explore more.
Ended up at the War Memorial, where we spotted lots of people chilling out and enjoying the wonderful sunshine. The War Memorial was built to commemorate soldiers who fought during the war. There is also an eternal flame - "Let Silent Contemplation Be Your Offering".
Some more mandatory flower shots before I called it a day. Well - I spotted these growing outside the "Aspects of Kings Park" shop...and decided that they deserved to be photographed!
As we were walking down Fraser Avenue (the main path leading up to Kings Park from the city), I spotted this gorgeous bell...and decided to have a pic of it against the clear skies. Turned out pretty well!
One last pic of some of the tall trees lining Fraser Avenue, before hopping onto the bus.
And I guess that's it for now! Will post more pics soon! Do stay tuned!