I heart Hobart

All the factors were in play to make my trip to Hobart, Tasmania, pretty undesirable. But despite the ever-present drizzle and my lack of left-hand driving skills, I found Tassie to be a wonderful place.

Jenny and I spent the first day wandering around Hobart's city centre. We discovered some really great shops, notably Holy Sheet! (a really cool home store) and Funky Homes (yet another cool home store). There were also plenty of antique shops and used bookstores, places that keep both Jenny and I pretty content for the better part of an afternoon.

We spent the following morning at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, which was expansive and impressive considering it's free. We also walked through Hobart's Battery Point district, which is the oldest part of the city. Hobart is actually Australia's second-oldest city, with Sydney being the oldest.

While Hobart spills with beauty (the European seaside architecture, beautiful Mt. Wellington constantly looming in the distance), it was the food that made me fall in love with it.

We went to a place called Jam Packed one day for lunch. The restaurant is built in an old jam factory along a really cool stretch on the harbour. I splurged and ordered the Moroccan Burger with honey-stuffed mushrooms. It was overcooked but somehow still tasted like Gordon Ramsay whipped it up.

Later that afternoon we stopped for coffee at Retro Cafe in Salamanca Place. Here I tried my first Afghan biscuit. It's basically a small chocolate cookie with corn flakes mixed it, then topped with chocolate icing and walnuts. Doesn't sound too special, but it suddenly found itself on my "foods-to-never-eat-if-you-ever-want-a-husband" list. I'm not really sure why they're called Afghans, and I don't think many Aussies do either. Their answer is just to shut up about the stupid name and eat the bloody thing.

That evening we ate dinner at Fish Frenzy, which claims it serves the best fish and chips in Australia. Considering fish and chips are Australia's equivalent to the American burger and fries, I thought this was a pretty huge claim. But as far as I know, it wasn't unfounded. Fish Frenzy's fish and chips taste amazing, and I think it's because they're not very greasy like most places. What I think I liked best, though, was that they were served in a rolled up piece of brown paper. I thought this was very British, and still somehow very cool.

But the gold star goes to the smoked salmon sandwiches on rye at Drifter's Cafe in Salamanca Place. We stopped in Drifter's initially because it offered cheap internet. Once we realized they served food, we decided to order something sheerly because it was convenient. I adored the smoked salmon so much I dragged Jenny back for a second go. I usually hate eating at a place twice while traveling, but this place had me.

I swear I did other things but eat in Tassie, it's just that the food in the other parts of mainland Oz have oftentimes been a bit sketchy. However, I do wish food was the only thing I indulged in while I was there, but I was no match for the Salamanca Markets.

Photos:
Top: A stretch of Battery Point, the oldest part of Hobart. I've never been to England or Ireland, but I imagine the houses looking much like the ones here. Mt. Wellington is also in the background.

Centre: A Tasmanian Devil-themed cafe--one of the few places I did not eat.

Bottom: Boats docked on the harbour, with the jam-packing district in the background.