³ÉÈË´óƬ

Port Adelaide is one of those places that you have to visit as an international student or tourist.

It’s an iconic spot and so are the Fishermen's Wharf Markets which were going to be demolished for redevelopment. I’ve been meaning to explore Port Adelaide since I got here but it only took me 3 years and this devastating news for me to finally get on the 150 bus to that riverside town. The Sunday I went was the last trading day for the market before it closed it's doors forever, so I needed to say goodbye. It seemed like a lot of South Australians had the same idea in mind. When I got there, the market was bustling with music and people of all ages rummaging through the stalls and bins filled with vintage books and items. It was in a huge warehouse and the stallholders primarily sold vintage, used and handmade goods. 

I was overwhelmed to say the least. When I walked through the door, I didn’t know where to start. Eventually I turned right and began exploring the stalls. They had a lot of homeware stuff which I would’ve loved to get my hands on, but I live in a small apartment so unless I wanted my space to also look like a warehouse, I had to restrain myself from making any unnecessary purchases. And so no purchases were made that day, but it was equally satisfying and depressing to be able to visit the market on its final day. I wish nothing but the best to its vendors. 

Since the sun was out and the warmth was just right, I decided to prolong my visit and continue exploring the area. I walked along the waterfront and admired the water. Gosh, I love the water – maybe that’s just the Pisces in me. I went down a metal dock to catch a closer look at the boats. The Maritime Museum had some of their historical ships and boats docked there so you can stop and read about them as they bobbed on the water. At one point, I decided to stand over the edge of the dock and look over the river. I was spooked over the fact that I couldn’t see the bottom of the river, so I powerwalked as quick as I could back up to the waterfront. That was not very Pisces of me. It really made my stomach churn.

To shake off the sick feeling in my belly, I decided to head west towards a café called Folklore – yes, I wanted to go simply because it was named after my favourite Taylor Swift album but also, I needed something to drink. On my way there, walking along the river and feeling the cool breeze brush against my cheeks every few moments was the calmest I’ve felt in a while. It made the solitude feel romantic. I walked past the Maritime and Fisheries Academy and even sat down to watch a group of men drifting their remote-controlled sailing boats across the river. I’m yearning for the water as I’m writing this so I might go back one day, especially as the days get warmer.