The Inner Zsa Zsa

For those of you who are old enough to remember the TV show "Green Acres", I'm a little more Zsa Zsa than Eddie Albert (I acknowledge that this isn't the most masculine of self-assessments...). I get allergic smelling hay, I just adore a penthouse view, etc. Give me Park Avenue anytime. Though I love nature, I'm probably more of a city guy when push comes to shove.

This trip was very heavy on the great outdoors, so I made sure to plan a couple of nights at the halfway point in Hobart, the capital and largest city in Tasmania. That's all relative; there are only about 200,000 people in the city, making it smaller than Reno or Des Moines. But it has to be one of the most enjoyable and sophisticated small cities in the world. Hobart has a beautiful natural harbor with water seemingly everywhere and is framed by mountains. The physical setting is stunning. It also has an amazing selection of great restaurants, galleries, parks and gardens. History is everywhere, too, with many buildings restored and dating from Australia's convict/colonial past. Mostly, Hobart is Tassie, with tremendously warm people and a laid back feel. It's a great place to spend some time.

Saturday is outdoor market day at Salamanca Place, an area of restored warehouses in the center of the city, dating from when Hobart was a major shipping port. There are hundreds of stalls with locals selling crafts, food, produce, and "stuff". The market buzzes with people, and it's a blast. We definitely did some shopping damage, and became the poster children for the variety of purchases the typical visitor can make - a wallet and belt, two ceramic pet food bowls, a flower pot, and most of the souvenirs we'll be bringing home.

We're leaving the urban landscape behind today, traveling west and then north to Cradle Mountain. Along the way, there's a notorious narrow switchback mountain road that is daunting. Even the guy selling the ceramic pet food bowls at the market - a big guy, local, and not outwardly wimpy - said he avoids it whenever he can. Unfortunately, it's the only way to get where we're going today. There's a fine line between adventure and idiocy, and hopefully we're not about to cross it...