After breakfast I headed down to the waterfront to check out the Saturday Salamanca Market. On my way I passed a busy and delicious looking bakery...may have to stop by for a treat tomorrow....so many yummy treats.
When I arrived at the market it was in full swing. This is a huge outdoor market with 315 stalls that line up and down Salamanca Street.
It was only 9am, but there were hundreds of people around shopping. It was also very hot...today the forecast was for around 28 degrees which is unusual for Tasmania and the sun is intense!! I decided to do one full section of the market and then headed up to the tourist information center to book some accommodations. This place was a blessing in disguise...
With it being SO busy here and since I am going to all the main tourist destinations over the next 4 days most things were booked. After about 1.5 hours I finally had accommodations...lord knows what they will turn out to be like...my park fees were paid and I had a bit of an itinerary. Unfortunately I'm stuck with a crazy expensive car rental, but that's what happens when you don't book ahead during the peak season...lesson learned.
After finishing up at the info center I headed back to the market to continue looking around. It was very hot out, so I took a stroll through David's Park...what a beautiful little place to escape the heat and just relax.
After having a bite to eat I headed to the car rental place to make sure everything was in order. Along the way I took in some of the sites. Lovely English style architecture here....the Post office was by far my favourite building...
There were also some places still decorated for Christmas and I came across a pedestrian zone full of stores and the laneways marked with these funky signs...nice touch.
It was approaching 4:30pm and I booked a shuttle to Mt. Wellington. It's about 20km outside the city and everything I've read said it's a must for the views. Unfortunately there were some clouds rolling in so I was a bit disappointed by things at the top...but nice either way.
Apparently Tasmania has the cleanest air in the world...that's quite an accomplishment!! The foliage up the mountain changed quite substancially, from extremely tall gum trees to little bushes and barren patches and small flowers in bloom.
After returning from the mountain, I picked up some groceries for the next four days, dropped them off at my bunkhouse and then headed back to the Taste of Tasmania for one last visit...frozen strawberry yogurt with fresh strawberries and chocolate chunks, and a glass of local cider...yummy...no spillage this time either!! Just as I sat down to eat however, it started to rain. For the next 45 minutes I was trapped in a tent listening to live blue grass music as a huge thunder and lightning storm passed by...so much for the light rain showers forecasted!
I finally made it back to my bunkhouse, planned my next few days and I think I'm ready to venture out on my own tomorrow on the left hand side of the road...look out!!!
Until tomorrow...
Lisa
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