Hobart and environs

The next day, we rented a car, just for the day and decided to check out some of the area around Hobart. We didn't have a particular destination in mind, really--we'd heard of a lot of cool areas within an hour or so, and didn't want to go too too far, considering we were leaving for Maria Island the next day.

We left around lunchtime,. I wanted oysters. So we went to Barilla Bay Oyster Farm, which is about a 20-minute drive from Hobart's CBD (central business district: a term that's used throughout Australia). Thankfully, it was quite quiet. There's a restaurant upstairs, and a more informal grab-and-go type place on the first floor. We grabbed and got some oysters (for me) and some cheese and crackers (for Justin).

I LOVE TASMANIAN OYSTERS. THEY ARE SO GOOD.

Sorry. I miss them. A lot.

I like my oysters pretty much unadorned. These didn't even require lemon. Sorry to sound like Katie Holmes, but they were amazing.

Yep, they came in a box with plastic between the first and second six. Could not have been more casual--or more delicious.  I could have eaten many, many more. I probably should have.

What the oyster farm looks like.

Random chickens!

We went to some of the Huon Valley wineries, including Panorama and Home Hill. Home Hill was especially gorgeous. Oh, yeah, and the location was beautiful, too.

Winery kitties!

On the drive back, we stopped in Richmond, which is a 19th century village--people live there, but it's kinda twee.

More Richmond:

And then it was time to rest up, because we were going to Maria Island the next day!