Clear skies resulted in a cold night. I was warm in my coffin like tent but I took a while to get going this morning. A quick sharp climb out of Kempton over Constitution Hill (350 meters) had my heart pumping. On the roadside a couple of pademelons watched my progress. A flat run through the little town of Bagdad saw me closing in on Hobart. The weather, while overcast, warmed up and the cycling was easy. A few rolling hills kept me focused and pretty soon farmland gave way to industrial activity as I passed through that buffer zone between the city and the country.

I crossed the broad dark Derwent River. I saw a sign that said Bicycle Route however it didn’t say to where. I followed the direction for a while then thought better of it making my way back to the highway to Glennorchy then Claremont and finally Berridale where booked in at the Treasure Island Caravan Park on the banks of the Derwent River and just a short walk to MONA, the Museum of Old & New Art.

I had visited MONA on a previous occasion and was impressed. Think Aldi: Lettuces alongside golf clubs. MONA has modern multi-media instillation pieces alongside ancient Egyptian jewellery and who could ever forget the walls lined with plaster cast Vagina’s.

I’m conflicted, while I enjoyed the experience, in particular like the giant crumbling Buddha made from the ash of incense burnt in temples signifying impermanence, other exhibits left me cold and wondering if the artist was taking us for a ride. I guess that’s what art should do; entertain, challenge, and provoke.

The crowd seemed mostly well healed and white, gosh even the food at the cafe was middle class! Put it this way, nothing I saw today challenged the status quo. In the museum gift shop I asked the shop assistant what the big sellers were: Sex & Death key chains and the assorted vagina soaps.

After my fill of art it was off to do some shopping. I need to feed the body not just the mind. I am looking forward to visiting Salamanca Market in Hobart tomorrow.