Hobart and Environs

We’re back Behind the Green Door, a studio apt. owned by friends of Keila and Henri from Kuranda, the Heilmans. We stayed here in 2010 and loved it so we’re back before exploring Tasmania further. We’re also returning to Bruny Island staying two nights at Bruny Island Beach House, a self-catering cottage at Dennes Point. Behind the Green Door is a snug self-catering studio rental that reminds us of a ship’s cabin. Nothing is superfluous and everything is in its proper place. I believe Bill built it, and Martine furnished it adding her own special personal touches: artwork, homemade butter cookies, fresh fruit and flowers from their flourishing abundant garden. This little paradise is  how I imagine the Garden of Eden would be with huge blowsy roses, drooping fuschias, fragrant rhododendrons and  charming miniature gems that are unfamiliar to me called Baby in the Cradle. There is also a lemon tree that is absolutely groaning with fruit. We wrote in March to get a four day reservation, and they were already booked for the weekend we wanted so we had to settle for two nights. But returning to stay on  Bruny Island for the weekend  is no hardship as we spent  little more than a half day on our previous trip.

Our plan for Hobart was to walk to the Battery Park neighbourhood of town to a French bakery with an English name, Jackman and McRoss. This plan was immediately waylaid when we spied The Pigeon Hole Cafe right across the street from our lodging. I seem to remember that this cafe was closed on our last visit; I remember peering longingly in through the window. Martine, whom we met at the corner on her way home from a tennis match, informed us that though they had never eaten there because it was too close to home, the place was always crowded, especially on weekends. So we took the path of least resistance and hiked right over. Well... the food was incredible in this appropriately named pigeon hole. There were loaves of crusty bread above the espresso machine, delectable pastries and cakes in a small display case, and the intoxicating smell of espresso permeating the air. We chose salt-cod soup because the weather was nippy.  Substantial bowls came garnished with miniature pansies, fresh herbs and lashings of (undoubtedly) gourmet olive oil. On the side was fresh sourdough bread with sweet Tasmanian butter. We also shared a panini of melted fontina cheese, sage and ground walnuts and, of course, we sampled their espresso in the form of two flat whites. I must ask a barista how to make these flat whites.

We sat there about two minutes when a young couple arrived with their baby and joined us at the communal table in the front window. The wife heard us talking about the weather and commented that we were properly dressed for the day. I had on a turtle neck, sweater, down vest and anorak, Duncan’s attire followed a similar theme. She commented that in Hobart one can experience three to four seasons in one day , and we assented, having read the same thing  in one of our travel books. We shared some of our experiences and asked about the North Hobart movie theatre, the State Cinema, that we had remembered so clearly from our last visit with it’s cafe, comfortable seating and eclectic selection of foreign films. In 2010 we went there three nights out of the four. After ten minutes this friendly enthusiastic couple helped us map out our day, sending us to the Huon Valley to the Tahune Airwalk so that we could compare it to our recent Tingle Tree walk in Walpole. If we left immediately, we could make it there and back and still catch a film at the State before bedtime.

We made it there and back and were so tired after our vigorous sky walk in the wind and rain and views of the two rivers from the suspension bridges that we didn’t make it to the movie until the following night when we saw Anonymous, a film that was at the Toronto Film Festival in September. The film wasn’t as good as we had hoped but we loved going back to this venue. Enjoying a flat white (in a real cup) or a glass of wine or bottle of beer at the cinema is my idea of good fun even if the movie disappoints a bit.
Click below to view map:
http://maps.google.ca/maps?q=Hobart,+Tasmania,+Australia&hl=en&ll=-42.811522,147.65625&spn=26.601851,56.513672&sll=49.891235,-97.15369&sspn=23.430526,56.513672&vpsrc=6&hnear=Hobart+Tasmania,+Australia&t=m&z=4