At the market

If you ever visit Hobart, you need to be here on a Saturday. Then you too can take this shot, after all, every tourist does. :D But it's also the best place to take a photo of the market, although today the weather has taken a turn for the cloudier, so it doesn't really capture the sparklyness of the place.

Had brunch with a friend who's heading off to Sydney soon, and then took a wander around this market. Every Saturday, come rain or shine, the vendors emerge from their vending caves and set up the stalls at some crazy early time in the morning. And every Saturday, come rain or shine, the place is packed. I've been to quite a few markets around the place, and in my honest and biased opinion, I've never seen one quite like Salamanca.

As you wander along the two paths (aisles?), you'll see an array of tents, from professional and enclosed, to homemade tarpaulin roofs. There are stalls which are not enclosed at all, and there are often plastic sheets lurking ready for any rain. You might stop at a stall of Tasmanian made beauty products, and notice that beside it is a stall of semi-precious rocks and other collectables. As you walk past one stall, breathe deep and you'll smell the beautiful huon pine used to make so many wonderful golden objects. Then you'll smell the donuts, making your mouth water, because there's some smells that just belong to the market. As you mosey through, stopping to look at fresh fruit, a kid busking with his guitar, and some peculiar babies' clothing, don't forget to look at the people around you. You'll see families, teenagers, grannies, tourists with cameras sticking a mile in front of them and other with just a phone camera. On your right you'll come to an area of fresh fruit and veg, with lots of yummy baby carrots picked that morning. Like the Pied Piper's rats, you'll be drawn on through the stands, following strains of guitars, laughter, and sausages sizzling.

I only make it to the market a few times a year, usually to buy wedding presents or woollen socks, but it's always the same. As a fast walker, I struggle to amble through, but it's totally worth the effort. There's very few trashy fakes stands, instead it's full of handmade things, bookstalls, photos, and just occasional touristy kitsch. If you're a local, you'll always see people you know (usually people you haven't seen for a long time), if you're a visitor, there's a good chance you'll get stuck talking to a vendor about something that never previously interested you, but suddenly seems fascinating.

The water used to come right up to those buildings on the left, they were all storehouses, a few still have the winches in place. Now the water has been replaced with grass and trees, where people practise circus skills and play music. During the week this is a wide street, lined with cars and cafes, on Saturdays, it's transformed into a wonderful playground full of music, food and all sorts of fun.