Jul 24, 2024 • 9 min read
25.07.2024 - 19:58 / nytimes.com
Before Australia’s East Coast burnished its reputation as a haven of sun, sand and sea, it was the temperate climate of Tasmania, the country’s largest island, that lured visitors from across the British Empire. Sometimes called the “sanitarium of the south,” it was noted for its salubrious climes, which were considered an antidote to havoc wrought on delicate constitutions by tours in the equatorial colonies. Some two centuries later, the heart-shaped landmass 150 miles off the mainland’s southeast coast is still seen as a place of invigorating isolation.
Roughly the same size as West Virginia, with a population of just over half a million, Tasmania is a patchwork of pastures and wilderness surrounded by rugged coastlines and windswept bays. About 50 percent of the island is protected from development; nearly a quarter is World Heritage listed.
The island’s antipodean charms and violent history have long captured the imagination of artists. William Charles Piguenit, born a convict’s son in Hobart, the Tasmanian capital, in 1836, saw his depictions of the island’s landscape shown in Paris and London around the turn of the 20th century and is widely regarded as one of Australia’s first artists of note. Throughout the 20th century, fine art continued to flourish in Tasmania. The Polish sculptor Ewa Pachucka and the Czech painter Tom Samek were among a slew of international and interstate artists who took up residence there.
In recent decades, a new wave of creative professionals have descended on the remote island. In its West Coast region, Queenstown, a former mining town of fewer than 2,000 residents, has become an unlikely hub for artists and home to the Unconformity, a biennial contemporary arts festival. But it was the improbable addition of MONA (the Museum of Old and New Art), which opened in Hobart in 2011, that cemented the island’s credibility as an international art destination. The brainchild of David Walsh, a prodigious professional gambler and irreverent art collector who grew up in the nearby suburb of Glenorchy, this concrete and steel bastion on the banks of the Derwent River currently contains more than 450 antiquities and avant-garde artworks.
Here we ask four locals for their tips on how to make the most of a sojourn to the real deep south.
Jul 24, 2024 • 9 min read
Low-cost Icelandic airline Play is helping travelers plan a European shoulder season vacation by offering 25 percent off fall and early winter flights.
A major outage on IT systems worldwide has led to widespread problems for travellers during the busy summer season.
Friday's IT outage caused widespread disruptions after Microsoft reported problems with its online services, linked to an issue at cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike.
American Airlines will launch a new flight to Turks and Caicos next year, marking the first-ever direct flight from the United States to the island of South Caicos.
Staff at several airports had to handwrite flight information on whiteboards due to a worldwide IT outage.
For many, Pan American World Airways represents our collective nostalgia for the golden age of air travel, when jet-setters were transported around the world in sleek, spacious planes with stylish flight attendants and glamorous meal service.
Uber users in France and the Netherlands can now earn points for flights with Air France-KLM.
Elfly Group partners with Gotland government to launch zero-emission electric seaplane flights by 2027, enhancing eco travel and regional connectivity.
LOT Polish Airlines reintroduces the Warsaw-Lyon route starting September 30, operating six days a week, and becoming the sole provider of direct flights from Warsaw Chopin Airport to Lyon, a key economic and cultural hub in France.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is aiming to increase tourism revenue in the country by 7.5% next year.
Going into the Euro 2024 semi-final on Wednesday, some oft-burned England fans were convinced their team wouldn’t take the win - but they did, beating the Netherlands 2-1.