A new day dawns for two Tassie tourists ...: Hobart Saturday is Salamanca Market Day … what else!

(Record of activities on 18^th September, 2010 but posted on above date)

We left our caravan site at New Norfolk early today because we know no one ever spends their first Saturday in Hobart without a long visit to the world-famous Salamanca Market.

To give you an indication of just how popular this market is take a good look at this photo taken at 8.10am:

Now look at a photo taken from virtually the same spot at 12.10pm … just 4 hours later:

I confess to not being a great fan of markets. Barbara loves them and visited every stall offering Tasmanian wood products like cutting boards and fruit bowls, looking for something different as a gift for a special friend. I just find markets dead boring ... full of kitschy souvenirs, ornaments, jewellery and mountains of other merchandise I would not buy in a fit!

But I don't deny I enjoyed the atmosphere of Salamanca ... I especially liked the voice of this young baritone, singing to music from a cheap-looking tape recorder, and listened to by a guy (in foreground) I will swear was an American tourist. Let's face it ... who else would dress like that on a cold Hobart morning!

But the buskers who really struck a chord with me were these talented kids calling themselves "The Pyjama Brothers" {at Salamanca Markets to create a Google reference} . If we don't see them on a future episode of "Australia, You've Got Talent" I will be most surprised.

There were a few items for sale that caused me to chuckle out loud. My friends know of my love for animals and BIRDS so the following pics will not surprise (especially not Don Hopkins!):

Whoops ... how did THAT one get into this family-friendly blog! I have to admit I really wanted to buy THAT T-Shirt, but Barbara said "What's the point. You want us always to be together, and there is no way known I am going out with you if you are wearing THAT!"
From the market our next destination was Salamanca Square, a ritzy area surrounded by up-market eateries. Sadly the one we had been recommended to visit, Mr Wooby's, had not, it turned out, been in existence for two years.

So we headed for Constitution Dock and the legendary Mures Seafood Restaurant, marveling along the way at Australia's enormous antarctic ship, Aurora Australis This towering focal point of the Hobart waterfront was launched 21 years ago this month.

Just one year earlier the replica Lady Nelson had been launched. The contrast in size of the two ships is dramatic. Given we had only recently learned of the role the original Lady Nelson played in the transportation of settlers and convicts from Norfolk Island to Tasmania in 1807/8, we were in awe of what those poor wretches must have endured in such cramped conditions.

Having missed breakfast in order to get to the market early, our tummies were now really grumbling as Mures came into view.

With an icy wind howling down off the unseasonably fresh snow blanketing nearby Mt Wellington, we were delighted to find a wonderfully cosy sunny spot on the ground floor. I was instantly captivated by a magnificent sculpture of a fish school

But sadly, that is where my romance with Mures abruptly ended. My crumbed trevalla was over-cooked, dry and tough, and the french fries were more what one would expect to be served at a truck stop in the outback. Hugely disappointed, I toyed with the idea of asking for a refund but decided a little bit of adverse publicity might be a better way of having Mures management think more seriously about their quality control. We later spoke to a couple at the caravan park who concurred with our thoughts. They said they had been disappointed on each of two visits and certainly would not be recommending the restaurant to anyone.

The Royal Botanical Gardens was next on the agenda and certainly no disappointment here. The camera shutter worked overtime and these are just three shots from a great portfolio we gathered.

The other shots can be seen in a slide show on this blog's side panel. (as soon as I can remember how to add it ... lol).

A drive over the restructured Tasman Bridge to the suburbs of Bellerive and Battery Point resulted in a different perspective of the Aurora Australis and Constitution Dock.

In the icy wind I referred to earlier, the local seagulls put on an exciting precision airshow for us ...

before slaking their thirst from muddy riverside puddles ...

After taking the time to admire one of the many luxurious dwellings that front the Derwent River ...

it was time to point "Ranndy" in the direction of New Norfolk Caravan Park.

And what a joy to come across another ornithological picture opportunity ... a Black Swan pen and her clutch of day-old cygnets. Only problem ... the cob has a passionate dislike for the paparazzi and let me know it in no uncertain terms ...