Out and about in Hobart

Tassie update.

 

This place is too English-it’s a stunning reminder of how Australian history is British, and like living in a museum!

The weather, alas, is also British-it’s been overcast and showery since I arrived, but on the plus side, apparently it’s been so stormy in Sydney there’s been flash floods…so maybe I had a lucky escape.

After the excitement of Saturday, Sunday passed quietly, just walking around the parks/buildings/botanical gardens (SO English-the roses and fuchsias are stunning)…the waterfront is a mixture of working harbour-mainly marine laboratories, and yacht clubs/little covers-with marine cottages selling antiques, etc, and tearooms….

There is a stunning avenue in one park with an oak/pine avenue where every tree is a memorial to ww1 soldier-gorgeous but there were a lot of them!!

 

Yesterday was great-I caught the harbour ferry inland for half an hour to MONA-the Museum of Old and New Art. The ferry ride itself was worth the money-it winds up past the hills, like a scene from a western, past tributaries, seals and dolphins swim everywhere despite the lurking refineries on one side-under enormous bridges(bigger than the Sydney bridge, apparently) and to the museum, in caves in the hill alongside a winery.

 

I spent the whole day there, I was fascinated by the bizarre eclectic collection ( see online if you’re interested, esp. the Wim Deluve exhibition)…Wim’s machines which mimic the human digestive system are originally disturbing, challenging, and then gripping-they eat real food from the canteen, have live bacteria, and yes, do excrete like humans!!

 

But alongside Damien Hirst et al is also historical artefacts, Mummies, and sandstone carvings…although my personal favourite were the living artworks, esp Tattoo Tim, who is a licensed work of art-which he says is very tiring!!

 

The light here in the evenings is stunning, the sun sets over the waterfront, falling from behind the surrounding mountains onto the sea, it’s obviously an evening tradition to wander along the harbour front and up past the historic buildings of the city-one I too am a fan off!!

 

I do wish the weather would improve though-it’s not too bad, about 19, but after Sydney , I’m freezing-still, easier on the body, my feet/eyes/sunburn etc have recovered in the cool…its my mind that craves more sun.

 

There’s tons more art galleries/museums/walks to cover, so I’m going to explore those today-my feet will be grateful when I hire a car though…my legs ache every morning, doh!