Today’s blog is a two-parter. If the other part isn’t up yet, it will be soon. Keep an eye out!
Yesterday’s blog was written in a sleepy haze. I mainly wrote that blog in an attempt to stay awake for as long as possible, as by that time (about 5/6 pm) I was massively flagging. I knew that it would be better in the long run if I went to sleep at an appropriate time, rather than taking an afternoon nap which would only set me further back, so I tried to write a blog. In amongst the untidy grammar and poor spellings (I blame my lack of sleep rather than my normal lack of proof reading) I wrote something about my first impressions of Adelaide. I mostly stand by what I wrote. But in writing about Adelaide, I neglected to write about my last day in Hobart! What a nightmare! So here’s what I got up to in the Bart.
As it was my last day, it was felt that I should do something nice with it. So Colette and I walked down to Salamanca Market (infamous throughout Tassie as being the best market around) and while Colette went to get her motorbike fixed (long story) I wandered up and down, looking at the various stalls. Salamanca is a very artsy and cultured place (it’s where MOFO was in one of the earlier blogs), so it was no surprise that there was a lot of pictures, photographs, and pottery (as well as plenty of other things not beginning with p that are related to art) on sale, as well as other general market stuff, like fruit and sweets. Unlike Redhill Market, however, there weren’t any stalls offering fascias for old Nokia mobiles.
It was a real destination, and it seemed like the whole of the city had come out to make a day of it, which was great. There were loads of things going on – singers, guitarists, even a violinist playing Lady Gaga’s Alejandro. My favourite, however, were two blokes doing keepy uppies and other random skills with bean bags, and were collecting money to enter the World Footbag Competition. I gave them 50 cents for their trouble, because they really were quite good. Colette then came back from the garage (bike all sorted) and we went to have a milkshake and a bacon sandwich in a café. After our race back to her house (she went by bike, I went by foot), which I won, we (along with Rachel, and their friend Annie) decided to go up Mount Wellington.
Mount Wellington is the biggest mountain in Tasmania, and looks down on Hobart and the surrounding towns from miles above. While in some places the mountains are obvious and always in view, I only saw Mount Wellington for the first time about 5 days into my stay in Hobart, as it often becomes obscured by clouds. While this sometimes gives it the impression of not being there, it also makes it far more impressive when it does appear across the skyline. It’s 1400 metres about sea level at the top, and takes 20-odd km to walk up. Luckily enough, we had a car, so we simply drove up. It only takes about 20/25 minutes from bottom to top up a trail, so that was all easy.
When we reached the top, we found we were literally amongst the clouds. And by literally amongst the clouds, I mean that we were actually standing in a cloud. While this was annoying because we couldn’t get the picture postcard view from the top of the mountain, I just found it pretty cool to be standing in the middle of a cloud.
We had planned to go out for a pizza after going up the mountain, but Rachel realised that MONA was opening that night. MONA (Museum Of New Art) is a multi-million dollar new museum set up by a billionaire art collector. Built into the side of a river, it’s a stunning place, and has become world renowned as the hottest new centre for modern art. While it actually opened on Friday (for the VIPs), Saturday was its first night open to us plebs, and it was felt that it was something I just shouldn’t miss out on going to see. So instead of stopping for a pizza, we got a takeaway, and headed just out of Hobart to MONA. There were live musicians, acts, and all sorts of great stuff going on, which was to finish at around 10ish. We had decided to go at around 8, but due to the takeaway forgetting Rachel’s order, we only got there at about 9.10. Sadly, the actual museum with all of the art in had closed at 9. Annoying. Luckily, on my side, I had Colette, who spoke nicely to a number of members of staff, trying to blag our way in. And eventually, amazingly, we got in, as the only public inside the museum!
It was great to be in there so exclusively; I definitely felt like some sort of art celebrity who had special privileges. And it was great. It was all about pushing the boundaries of what people consider art, or what people consider acceptable. As we were told to be quick, we rushed through the first room, where we were met by a security guard who didn’t believe that we were allowed in after hours, and told us to leave. From what I saw, it was an amazing place, and I know Colette and Rachel were coming back the next night to see it, so I hope the rest was just as good (I’m sure it was). Back outside, we then saw a couple of the acts performing – a French group who make fire go off in time to music (it was really spectacular and had to be seen to be believed), as well as another band who’s name I forgot, and DJ Kentaro. For those of you who are DJ enthusiasts, DJ Kentaro may mean something to you, as he’s the youngest winner of the World DJ Championships, and has won it an unprecedented 3 times. (I know this because the programme said so). After he mixed up some tunes, we got the shuttle bus back, and I did my packing at around 11.30 (knowing I’d need to be up at 4. There’s nothing like organisation!) before going to bed, ready to wave Hobart goodbye!
So that was my last day in Hobart, stick around for my first full day in Adelaide!
Until then, WIll
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