Parlez Vous Tasmanian?

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June 11th 2006

Published: June 12th 2006

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Rob_n_Lorenza

Our hosts plus us

L to R - Ben, Mandy, Matt, Lorenza, Enid, Steve and moi

Thirteen years ago, Lorenza and I booked a trip to Tasmania, a few weeks later we put a deposit on a block of land in the mountains northwest of Sydney. We toured Tasmania on our motorcycles and spent some time visiting our long time friend Mandy. At that time (1993), Mandy and Steve had just started going out together. Soon after our return from that trip we built our house.

So, thirteen years later, Lorenza and I decided we had better get and see these people again. It had been too long and we had promised so many times to come and visit again.

So, in thirteen years what’s changed? More wrinkles? Yes! Some grey hair? Yes! Were the four of us able to make each other laugh? Yes! Had we changed much? Not really! Well, Mandy and Steve are been married for almost ten years and have two gorgeous sons, aside from that we are the same but also different (if you know what I mean).

Lorenza and I packed plenty of winter woolies expecting it to be cold a way down south in Tassie. We were not disappointed, it was about 4 or 5 degrees cooler

View from Chez Mandy & Steve

The farm and Bicheno in the distance

there than at home. The weather gods were very good to us during our week long stay and the days were beautiful and sunny, the nights cold and the early mornings frosty and crisp.

Steve and Mandy collected us from Hobart airport and the first blast of air after leaving the plane certainly reminded us it was forecast to be 8 degrees in Hobart that day. It was lovely to get a warm hug when we walked off the tarmac and into the arrivals area.

The drive to Bicheno reminded Lorenza and I why we love Tasmania so much, the coast and the mountains so close to each other and without the mainland’s over-development are a joy to see.

At Chez Mandy and Steve, we were greeted by their pooches Shanty and Meg, who were both just pups when we saw them last. They are just as gorgeous but getting older just like us all. We were soon introduced to Mandy and Steve’s two handsome young boys, Ben and Matt. We have only seen them in a few photos so it was great to meet them and they are both very bright, happy young men, and it

Wine Glass Bay

Cape Freycinet National Park

was a pleasure to spend some time getting to know them.

Our week flew by talking, laughing, joking and playing with the boys, plus polishing off a fair number of bottles of wine together, while sharing some great meals and conversation. Plus, Mandy and Steve took us for some touring of the local area around Bicheno, Coles Bay, Freycinet and Lake Leake.

Mandy and Steve also lent us their car so we could take a tour northward along the coast to Scottsdale and the wine district around Pipers River. We had a look at one of Tasmania’s oldest wineries - “Pipers Brook”, plus the “Jansz” winery as well. The guy that established the “Pipers Brook” winery did some of his winemaking training in Alsace and this showed in the varieties on offer, such as Riesling, Pinot Gris and Gewürztraminer. Being a cool climate region these varieties are very well suited to this area of Tasmania.

The “Jansz” winery specialise in sparkling wines and have two great advertising slogans “Parlez vous Tasmanian” and “Methode Tasmanoise”, Jansz was the middle name of the Dutchman, Abel Tasman who first discovered the island of Tasmania.

After Abel, the French came

Mandy & Lorenza at Freycinet

along and explored a fair bit of the Tasmanian coast and then the British followed along and made it a penal colony. Interestingly the British retained most of the Dutch and French place names that already existed. This was unusual as they normally liked to put their stamp on everything they claimed to have discovered.

Anyway, from Pipers River we spent a night in Launceston (Tasmania’s second city). We took an evening walk around the foreshore of the Tamar River; it was very refreshing as it was about 2 degrees by 6pm and this helped build up a good appetite for a wonderful meal at the “Stillwater Restaurant”. We dined on some great Tasmanian produce, such as duck and rabbit, prepared in very contemporary styles, accompanied by some fine examples of Tasmanian wine.

The following morning we took a walk along the Cataract Gorge, which is located near the heart of Launceston. It was bloody cold, but worth braving the chill because it is a must see in Launceston.

We drove back to Bicheno, (or Baycino, or Bickeno or Bi-cino depending on how you wish to pronounce it), via the midlands and Elephant Pass. The weather was

Friendly Beach

Lorenza, Ben & Matt on the beach, no swimming - brrrr!

glorious the whole time just for us!

Our last night with Mandy and Steve we dined at Bicheno’s incredible French restaurant, run by the very French and very talkative Christianne. The food was fantastic and so was the long and varied after dinner conversation that we shared between us and the chef. A very memorable night!

On Saturday, Mandy and Steve got us back to Hobart safely and we took a look at the famous Salamanca Markets, on the harbor front. Lots of items on sale made form Tasmanian timber, plus a lot of other interesting stuff to look at as well.

That night in Hobart we dined at the Harbor Lights Café, our hosts Maria and Robbie were down to earth and friendly people. Also, the service from their lovely young waitress made for an informal and fun evening to end our vacation. After dinner our walk back to our motel was refreshing, with a very chill breeze coming off the harbor which felt like it was coming directly from Antarctica. There was snow falling on Mount Wellington, just above Hobart, so it felt good to get back to our snug motel room for a good

A Bennetts Wallaby

A friendly guy at Friendly Beach

nights sleep before the flight home.

Thanks so much to Mandy, Steve, Ben and Matt for making our stay so special. Plus, thanks to Enid and Jack as well for adding to an enjoyable visit. We will not leave it another 13 years to see each other again!!!

Parlez vous Tasmanian? Oui, je parle très bon Tasmanian, especially after a few glasses of wine!!!

(PS: RIP .... Mandy 11 September 1960 to 15 July 2011 ... we will miss you!)

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