Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Hobart Town

Day 138 and 139
Hobart
Location: 42˚ 52’ 50” S, 147˚ 19’ 30” E

Day 2 in Hobart. So far we’ve done laundry and gone shopping. Not very productive for the Kehmeiers, but we’re resting. Tomorrow we may actually go sightseeing depending on the weather.
Since there is not much to report, we can share a bit of information regarding the city of Hobart and the state of Tasmania.
Separated by Bass Straight, Tasmania is the island state of Australia. Tassie, as it’s affectionately known, is recognized for natural beauty. In fact, over 20% of the 68,000 sq kilometers it covers is protected as World Heritage Area. In addition to magnificent scenery, Tasmania also boasts a range of good food and drink. We’ve sampled everything including mouth-watering dairy products from King Island and enjoyable wines from the Tamar Valley. After seeing just a glimpse of Tasmania, Chris and I both know that this area of the world deserves a return visit.
Lying on the shores of the Derwent River, Hobart was founded in 1803. Originally a penal colony, the city is now the administrative and financial heart of Tasmania. It is the eleventh most populous city in Australia with just about 200,000 people. Hobart is an important sea port and is the base of operations for the Antarctic operations of Australia and France. The city has a beautiful backdrop of green hills and historic buildings. We look forward to exploring all the nooks and crannies in the coming days.
Here’s to today’s geography lesson,
LK

No comments: