A Quiet Day in Tasmania

Today has been about recovery so it was a quiet one. I woke up after a lovely night's sleep and puttered around here. I actually logged on to work and took care of a few things (amazing that I can do that from the other side of the world) and then took a drive with my uncle.

This morning there was a family of lizards out on the back porch.

My uncle lives in Beaconsfield which is the home of a gold mine. A few years ago there was an accident here that was international news. One of the days I am here we will visit the museum there so I expect a more comprehensive essay but here is a shot of the exterior to act as a bit of a preview.

My uncle has been filling me in on the history of the area, and since he is on Gather I hope he'll drop in and correct any mistakes. Beaconsfield used to be a much larger town but at one point the mine was closed down and much of it was abandoned. There are some wonderful old buildings around, many of them still in use in the center of town (I hope to take a walking tour so that's another photo essay to come). This one is no longer in use but is quite photogenic.

It has a corrugated tin roof which is very common throughout Australia.

This is a hotel from the old days that is in wonderful shape.

We then took a drive down to Beauty Point which is along the Tamar River.

It is a popular fishing spot as well as home to some interesting businesses. We took a stroll along a dock where this boat was moored

This is the only successful seahorse breeding facility in the world. They offer tours, which I wasn't quite up for today so I just shot the sign on the outside. And learned that there are seahorses in the Tamar River as well Sydney Harbor.

There was also a soap store with a rather amusing name.

Across the way was another tourist attraction - they provide tours where you can watch these marsupials feed and play and do whatever it is that they do.

We soon were back in the car and heading off to see a bit of the scenery.

I delighted in the gum trees all around (eucalyptus) as they are so beloved from my childhood. I have fond memories of making whistles out of the leaves and turning all the bits and pieces they shed into magical worlds.

The day ended delightfully with a barbeque dinner where I got to meet my cousin's wife and two sons. I realized it had been 16 years since I last saw him so it was a real pleasure to catch up on the events of our lives.

Tasmania has become known for the wine they are producing in this region and we enjoyed a nice local blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot along with the best steak I've had in ages. The two boys are full of energy and life so they provided the evening's entertainment. And now I am quite tired as my body thinks I've just stayed up all night. I suppose that by the time I've gotten adjusted to the time difference here, I'll be heading home to Arkansas and have to do it all over again.

So, it's goodnight from Down Under.