Markets and wine.

Sunday 17th September. With the sun shining brightly, we make our way to the Sorell markets in the morning, having the sights we saw on the way into Hobart explained such as Midway Point and the man-made causeways for the Tasman Hwy to travel over. Their building cut the travel time to the Tasman Peninsula dramatically when the original Sorell Causeway was built by convicts in 1872. As hoped, there was cutlery a-plenty at the markets and I picked up several bundles, some jam spoons and a couple more serving spoons. Then it’s off to Richmond.

Hobart is very close to the Coal Valley wine region, you pretty much have to drive through it to get anywhere!! Lol. Frogmore Creek Winery is a fine example. Puddle Duck Winery is another winery in the valley, we drive past Frogmore Creek to get to it and I’m sure I felt the car pulling to the right as we drove past the driveway! At Puddleduck, they don’t have a café or restaurant, instead you are encouraged to BYO food and purchase your drinks, alcoholic or not, from them. Seems like a fair deal. We did a wine tasting but weren’t that keen on any of the wines we had, but surprisingly, verjuice was part of the tasting. Who drinks verjuice??  It wasn’t your typical verjuice, it was very drinkable and in summer the employees like it in a tumbler with ice, soda and fresh mint. I have to try that, so I buy a bottle. So does Cindy. I’m not a big chardonnay fan, but the one here isn’t too bad.  

When we arrive in Richmond, we park near the famous Richmond Bridge, the oldest bridge in Australia, on the main road to Sorell and the Tasman Peninsula before the Sorell Causeway was built. Cars can still cross the bridge but I don’t think heavy vehicles are allowed. It’s a lovely subject for photos and there are families enjoying picnics on the riverbanks. We could be lazy and drive up into town, but it’s not far and we’re all happy to take advantage of the sunshine and walk. We wander around town, checking out the old buildings and imagining life back in colonial times. There’s even a studio where you can dress up in colonial style clothes and have your photo taken. We have lunch at the Richmond Arms, more Tassie scallops of course, because it’s only scallop season once a year!  

Cindy told me not to buy any woodcrafts at the Salamanca Markets, she was certain that I’d find cheaper and better here in Richmond. There’s one particular woodcraft shop so we all head in and take a look. There’s some cheese knives with decent length handles, so I pick through them and choose one, giving it to the shop keeper to hold for me while I look around some more.  Bought a timber cheese/cutting board and cheese knife. Valhalla ice cream after.