On with the Show

I've been hearing about the "Perth Royal Show" since I arrived. It sounded awful fancy like it should involve the Queen or at least a prince. Turns out "show" = fair in Australia, and the Royal Show is Western Australia's version of the state fair. The last thing I did in the U.S. was go to the Ledyard Fair with my family, so it seemed only fitting that one of the first things I did in Australia was go to the show.

On a side note, that sign below was for One Direction, who had a concert here last weekend, and I ran into all the teenagers and their mom's on the train last Saturday.

Of course there were lot's of rides and games like any fair.

And the local agriculture like local fruits and vegetables, sheep's wool, and the Grand parade of horses and cattle (if not a little bit different) were all on display.

There were performances by an aboriginal dancing group and the Western Australia Police Pipe Band. I wish I could have brought my niece, as there was a dog show (and it wasn't cancelled!) with an Oz theme.

While waiting for the Southern Cross Bush Band to start in the Sheep Shearing Shed, I also caught the finals of the standing block wood cutting championship. The announcer kept going on and on about how these axe men were the 9 best in the world including this guy who was on Australia's Got Talent . The winner, in 20.8 seconds, was a local boy from WA!

 The big thing for children, besides the rides, are the show bags. There are booths and booths with different variations of chocolates, candies, and novelty toys (one kid on the train seemed to have a joke bag with floating eyeballs and fire hot tea bags. There are cheese and spice show bags for the "Adults". I saw this as an opportunity to sample the different candy bars. Cherry delights are cherry flavor mounds bars, and Freddo's are chocolates in the shapes of frogs.

My sampler didn't compare to most children's. These kids were waiting for the train with their spoils.

I didn't make the annual splurge on fair food because, unlike the South Carolina State Fair, the fried culinary selection was sparse. There were burgers, chips, and donuts, but no fried dough, fried candy bars, fried mushrooms, or Krispy Kreme burgers to be found. I guess Americans are the most obese for a reason. I did over hear one man talking to his son,

Dad- "What should I get to eat, maybe a roast beef roll... What show food do I want, what do I need?"
Son- "You should get the smallest thing, so there's more money for me."

Kids are the same everywhere.