Highlight of the day was definitely visiting the Apple heads Model Village (in Glen Huon) – in pouring rain. Owners Frank and Betty, who were originally from Canada, have built two model villages in their backyard. One village was imaginary and the other is made up of famous buildings from all over the world (including a pretty cool Cascade Brewery building).
Frank also built the ‘shoe-house’ from ‘The Lady who lived in a shoe’, which you can actually go into. But wait! There’s more! Not only you can go into the shoe house, but also you can go UPSTAIRS and peek out from the little window from the penthouse-of-a-shoe-house. I was a bit reluctant to squeeze in, with it raining and all that but as soon as I put my head into the shoe-house my inner-child was realeased. This Frank – really has a good attention to details. There is wallpaper inside, little plates hanging on the walls, mini flowerpots and dolls – it is every 5 year old girl’s dream!
There was also a back section where you follow a footpath, go over a small creek, to find the ‘Crooked man in his crooked house’ and various other cool creatures hiding in the bushes. I almost had a heart attack when I went into the crooked house – you see, I grew up in Taiwan, where there was no nursery rhymes stuff like ‘This little pig’ or ‘Hickery-Dickery-Dock’. And I definitely have never heard about the Crooked house (And I am still wondering if I even got that name right).
As a result, I didn’t expect to see ‘A Crooked Man’ (who actually looks like a rabbi – it’s probably his beard) when I put my head into the Crooked House. I have wax-figure-phobia if there is such a thing and Crooked Man really gave me a big fright – that was not pretty.
Frank and Betty have been doing this for 22 years and they did a wonderful job. I am really jealous of their grand children (imagine if you were a kid and when you went back to school after summer holidays your friends were bragging about going to the beach and stuff and you could tell them ‘I was opening Nana and Pop’s Shoe House’ – that would shut those kids up, it really would. Ha!). It was truly inspiring to see them loving what they do, and you could really feel the passion when you are walking in the village.
That’s another thing about Tasmania, a lot of the people we met there, really work to live, unlike us pathetic ones, who instead, live to work and whinge about it everyday (well, me anyway). Seeing Frank and Betty also made me wonder what Yuting and I would be like when we are in our 70s? Yuting is in IT and I am in Analytics. Good thing about it is that we can both easily find a job and all that. Bad thing is that we wouldn’t be able to survive if we had to use just our hands (imagine the horror when we received our FLAT furniture from IKEA). I am especially horrible – cant make ANYTHING with my hands. So, seriously, what are we gonna do when we retire?! Maybe I should consider taking up Mah Jong.
The rain got heavier when we left the model village, so instead of doing the Tahune Forest Airwalk we decided to go visit the Hastings Caves. I have always been fascinated by any limestone caves. Blackwater rafting in Waitomo was one of best travel experiences and I could never get sick of the world of the glow worms. The thing about these caves though, is that I can never remember what it looked like when I came out. Every single time I oohed and aahed in the caves, and when I came out I cant remember a thing. Guess that’s why I have to keep going back?
There is a very high-tech lighting system in the Hastings Cave which makes the formation look more crisp and 3D if you know what I mean. The guide, Dave, was very professional and he really brought a very different view, as in what people have done to make the caves more enjoyable (like the lighting system) and how sometimes, un-intentionally, people destroyed what would take thousands of years to achieve (like the concrete paving in the caves). This is new to me, as my past show cave experiences mostly had a big focus on the similarity between the formation and some famous people/animal. I cant say which one is better cos they are both good but Dave’s tour definitely opened my eyes.
After a long drive back to Hobart in the rain, we checked into the fancy Henry Jones Arts Hotel, which sits right in front of the wharf. I was really impressed by the super-chic bathtub. It is one of those bathtubs that looks like it is not going to be comfortable sitting in there but it actually is. We all decided to have a bath and freshen up before dinner hunting.
Eric was having a dilemma, being a bit of a casino snob, it is essential to visit THE casino, if there is one (especially after I told him that according to Lonely Planet, this is the first Casino in Australia). But he was also really hungry. And he didn’t want to us all to go to the casino and watch him gamble. But then there IS a restaurant at the casino. Decision! Decision!
Eric decided that we would all go to Fish Frenzy to have dinner first, and then we will go to the casino for a game or two. Fish Frenzy was great, although a family stole our table un-intentionally. Great value for money and because it was a pretty chilled night Jeicy and I also ordered the seafood chowder. Can I just say – best chowder I have had in a very long time. It was creamy, smooth, full of flavour, and big enough for a family of 4. If you want to visit only one restaurant in Hobart, Fish Frenzy is definitely the go.
However, the Wrest Point Casino turned out to be a bit of disappointment. Well I guess I shouldn’t be too harsh as it is sure an old casino also there is FREE parking. And what better excuse to go back to our lovely hotel and make the most out of it in a cold summer night…
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