Hobart

Although we had 3 nights in Hobart, we didn't do much conventional sightseeing.

The first part-day, after an early afternoon check-in, was mainly devoted to catching up on the sleep that we lost in NZ before setting off for the airport. 

In the evening we went out to familiarise ourselves with the local geography and find dinner. The motel was on Sandy Bay Road, and a short walk to the West found us surrounded by shops and cafes. As we were reading one of the menus a lady passing by strongly recommended the establishment. “I always get my takeaways here.” It was Asian fusion cuisine under the unsophisticated name, “Yummy Kitchen”. It was indeed yummy, and it captured our custom for all three dinners.

We can also recommend Daci & Daci Bakers for coffee that really hits the spot and memorable edibles. Their croque monsieur was especially awesome.

The motel was very shabby. It looked as though nothing but critical maintenance had been done since it was built. The stair carpets were worn through to the concrete in places. The bed was comfortable, the room was clean and the plumbing worked, so those essentials were covered. The Wi-Fi worked in the reception area but not in our room. These days good access to the Internet is also an essential, so this has to be regarded as a significant failing. There was no lift and our room was on the top floor, two levels above reception. Climbing all those stairs was healthy for us no doubt, but we didn't enjoy it.

The motel itself wasn't much, but it provided a fine view.

We think the building lit up in blue is a casino.

To our surprise, Bill's occasional employer contacted us. He wanted Bill's opinion on an unusual audit matter. To avoid huge international call charges Bill sat in the reception area and called back using Skype. Fortunately, the area was deserted so no confidential information could be accidentally revealed. At the same time Eve went out and bought an Australian SIM card so we could communicate with the world at reasonable cost.

We learned to get around on the buses. Passengers aged 70 or older get concessionary fares. Thank you, Hobart. The Botanic Gardens, though, are not convenient for bus travellers. You can get pretty near them on a bus from the city centre, but if you miss the stop the bus goes sailing over a huge bridge into East Hobart. And there's no corresponding stop in the other direction because it's a major arterial road. So we didn't visit the Botanic Gardens.

Hobart's big Saturday attraction is the Salamanca Market. As at the Nelson and Motueka markets you can find local produce, craft items of all sorts and various foods and drinks. But the Salamanca Market is very much bigger than Nelson and Motueka combined. It took a long time to amble up and down the street taking in what was on offer. The first stall we saw was selling nothing but “scallop sticks”. These were long kebab sticks with scallops and pieces of vegetables. We went back there at lunch time. They tasted as good as they smelled. Delicious! We also bought Heritage brand honey. It wasn't offered by a previously unknown relative, they just liked the word. And Eve was impressed by 3 pairs of merino socks for $30. They were men's sizes, so Bill will have warm toes this winter.

Much of Tasmania's history since European settlement is related to the convicts transported there. In Hobart there is the site and remains of the Cascades Female Factory, where women were incarcerated. We got there in time for a guided tour, Notorious Strumpets and Dangerous Girls. This not only explained life in the 'factory', but related the lives of 7 of the inmates. The title of the tour was rather misleading. They were unfortunate women rather than notorious.

The wall at the back is original.  The low, reddish walls are to illustrate the size of the rooms the women lived and worked in.

An extract from the list of babies born to the inmates.  Few of them lived beyond toddlerhood.