no mac apps showing in application folder?

[wakkaday]

i can only see a few apps .app files and also window 10.1 (parallel desktop) stuff and 'chrome apps'

usually there is a list of apps installed. i need to enter this directory to create aliases

can anyone advise

running el capitan
macbook pro 2013 retina 13"

 

[old-wiz]

There can be two applications folders: one is the system wide folder and another is the user's application folder. Chrome puts stuff in the user's application folder.
Systemwide is ^/Applications and user's is (user root)/Applications.