Posted in Fiction

I’m just playing the part of a tourist today.

Posted on by TravellinPenguin

We have had shocking rain and strong winds here and I’m very tired of it. We finally had a break for a day so I decided I needed a little project. I grabbed my camera, jumped onto the bus to town and photographed a bit of Tasmania as if I was new to town.

The bus dropped me near the general post office in the middle of town.

I then crossed the street and walked through Franklin Square in my 10 min walk to the waterfront.

I got distracted by the Daci and Daci cafe that has the best pastries and decided to sit outdoors. I had a lovely Pain Chocolat Croissant and ate it before thinking of photographing it. 😀

Then I finished my walk down the street to see one of the two new Bass Strait ferries that will one day transport people between Tasmania and the mainland. Our wonderful government bought two of these boats before working out they don’t fit the port in Tasmania so are now rebuilding the port which could take two years before the ships can be used. Yup! That’s all I’ll say.

Off to historic Salamanca. A long street of sandstone buildings with cafes and shops. The buildings are from the 1800s.

Of course I had to stop and admire this lovely dog. He was incredibly laid back.

Next a peek into the Hobart Book Shop. I don’t get to it often as parking is a nuisance and I only drop in when on foot. Besides Fullers is my go to book shop.

Then I looked at the selection of 2026 calendars in the basket out front.

I always stop and look at these statues by an artist I don’t remember but these guys appear in several countries in various positions.

There is a games and puzzle shop that tracks people of all ages. It used to be called Platos then they may have changed hands or names but it is now called Socrates. This is their Halloween window. Yes, Australia is following America with more Halloween activities than in the past.

Next we have the laundry mat cafe. Sit outside while washing and tumble drying your clothes inside. I haven’t sat there for quite awhile butthe coffee was always good.

I decided to walk a circle from Salamanca Square that is behind the old buildings to the front of the buildings. I sat outdoors at long time running cafe called Retro. It is a good place to sit and people watch. My waiter was happy for a photo but I told him to look away and please don’t pose.

A very jolly man.

Then onto Norman and Dann, a premiere chocolate shop. They have many coffee beans too and other wonderful little food stuffs. I bought a small container of dark chocolate/chai powder to try at home. It looks quite decadent. I chatted to the woman running the shop and left when a bunch of “Other” tourists arrived.

Time to head home so a short cut across Parliament House lawns was in order. I stopped briefly to see a small meeting of a Greens Member of Parliament and some anti salmon farming protestors. Our salmon in Tasmania are crowded in pens off shore and are full of disease and anti biotics. Change is needed and many work on that change. Again our government is blind to what the people want. Sound familiar. Even the chefs in the restaurants in this tourist district won’t put salmon on the menu at the moment.

But never mind – I’m relaxing today. I’ve had a brilliant spring day and needed to get the bus home. Here I am back at Franklin Square at the stop.

Home Sweet Home. The bus stop is half a block from our front door.

As I write this now, there is yet another severe weather warning out for us and more rain. Typical Tassie spring weather. When you think there is no land mass between us and Antarctica to the south and South Africa to the west you can see why our weather gets so wild and wooly at times.

Have a good week and let me know something fun you’ve done or are planning this week.

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Author:

I live a retired life in Tasmania, Australia. I love books, travel, animals, photography, motor biking and good friends. I indulge in all these activities with the little Travellin' Penguin who has now shared five continents with me. We love book shops, photography walks and time with friends as all our family is in USA and Canada. I enjoy visitors to my blog so hope you'll stop by.

16 thoughts on “I’m just playing the part of a tourist today.”

  3. I’ve been playing the tourist this Saturday, too, in the closest city, Nijmegen. I’ve signed up for a couple of Dutch history month activities, starting with a 90-minute trip up and down the River Waal on the Pancake Boat, without the pancakes, but with an onboard talk by the retired editor of the local newspaper, covering floodplain management, industrial redevelopment and housing development. All very interesting. I took lots of photos! Then I had a little wander on the quay under the famous bridge to see the fairground rides (not yet open). Next I visited a nearby museum, De Bastei, which is built around the remains of the old city fortifications, with digital displays about its history and a temporary exhibition about Roman artefacts retrieved from the river, gravel pits and building sites. It has a fantastic panoramic view over the river and the Waal bridge from its cafe and terrace. After recharging my phone at the library, I couldn’t resist the book shop, where I accidentally bought Neneh Cherry’s memoir, which somebody raved about recently. At the station, I idly checked the book swap, not expecting anything good, but ended up bringing home a Thomas Hardy short story collection. A very successful day!

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    1. Sounds like a very fun day. You have such deeper history than we do here in Australia. Sounds like a good fine too in the little library. We have a few little libraries around our neighbourhood but usually not the best books but you just never know.

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  5. Your pictures of everyday life are wonderful, what a great idea to be a tourist for a day. I especially liked your photo of the waiter, it looked so natural.

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  7. Thoroughly enjoyed your tour of Hobart. Of course I recognised most of the places, even the cafe at the laundromat. Hobart Bookshop is my brother’s go to (still I think). If I send him a book he’s got or already read they will usually exchange it, which is special I think. I don’t believe this happens often however.

    I hate spring’s wild weather but sounds like yours has been very wild!!

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    1. Yes we are under severe weather advice now through weekend. I know people like the Hobart Book shop but they only sell books. Fullers have many more activities and a cafe of course you know. The previous owner of theHobart bookstore once made derogatory remarks about what a customer purchased once she left the store but that person is gone now. I never went back but new owners seem nice.

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  8. I thoroughly enjoyed our stroll together around Hobart – thank you – I felt like I was there with you. And some of your wild, windy weather has blown all the way to the Blue Mountains! Some of the wind gusts here have been around 90km/h, bashing against the side of the house with a real shudder.

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