We took the road from Opotiki to Gisborne Through the Waioeka Gorge. This was interesting as it is difficultto envisage NZ bfroe it was cleared for Sheep and Cattle and forested with introduced Pines from California. The gorge road is through native forest largely tree ferns but other trees and shrubs I couldn't recognise. It seemed wholey unaffected by the drought which has burnt off all the grassland.
We went on to Napier. It is in the middle of the winegrowing district and fruit orchards and as it was harvest all the cheap accomodation was full. We managed to get the last room in a motel on the sea front. We said "No" at first and walked out because it was so expenxsive - double the night before but changed our mind when we reached the car and said we'd take it, which was just as well as it put us about 2 minutes ahead of someone else who would have taken it.
It was right on the front with views of the sea but as well as the bathroom it had the most enormous jacuzzi in the room next to the bed giving the whole thing a feeling of a Maison Particulaire.
Napier is famous for its Art Deco buildings; there was a major earthquake in 1931 and it had to be rebuilt. The best building is the National Tobacco Company Building which has a doorway almost harking back to seccessionism There is a Marine Parade reminiscent of Southport in my childhood with an open air concert venue, but although it compares iself to it Miami Beach it is not.
No comments:
Post a Comment