2 - 12 Napier New Zealand, Art Deco

 Napier New Zealand is on the North Island and is known for 70 vineyards and  its art deco architecture.  An earthquake damaged the city in 1930, the current architecture seems to be frozen in time from the rebuild of the city just after the eqrthquake. The city holds the claim as the largest wool center in the Southern Hemisphere.  Today's tour guide used to be a sheep farmer.  He said that NZ used to have  60 million sheep, now there are 25 million sheep.  He sold his farm about 18 years ago.  He kids weren't interested in taking over - and there wasn't much money in it.

There was some kind of schedule mess today.  It started yesterday - We left Picton 3 hours later than planned yesterday because one of the two pilot captains had covid so the other must have had a double load. TMI?  Yesterday's delay caused a 2 hour delay in getting into Napier today.  Excursions started 2 hrs later, and some had to be shortened.  It all seemed to go ok,  our tour was only one hour anyway.

The city (pop = 60,000) really has fun with the 1930's theme.  These cars were on display as we left the ship to go on tours.

General Manager Chris was helping as passengers left the ship.  I asked to take his picture, he insisted I be in the shot too.  Please take note, its not raining.  Today's forecast was rain all day long!

                                                    
 Norfolk pines lined the water's edge.  They aren't native but were used extensively in the lovely landscaping.

                                                    

Millenial Arch, created in 2000, portrays ecliptic, the annual path of the sun.  You are to line up the rock (below) the metal disc and the sun.  The sun wan't out today. Two of the three doesn't work...you really need the sun too.

Building artwork.

Six sisters buildings.  There are six buildings built exactly alike. The story has it that a father built them for his daughters (who didn't get along in one house).

                  Art deco houses from 1930's: small flat roofed houses, inexpensive to build with flat roofs.

After the tour, we walked downtown.

                                                

                                        Postal delivery in town.  It looked like Grub Hub at first.

It's Saturday today, so the Farmer's Market was open.  It wasn't very big, about a block long.  One vendor was selling pies.  As we missed the savory pies yesterday we talked to the vendor.  Sadly...the pies are full sized and frozen.  No deal for us today. The owner proudly said his daughter was turning three today.  He was growing his business, he sells 60 - 500 pies a week and  will soon try  selling in the entire country. Go for it Mr. Henry!  Not bad for a 30 year old father.

Viking didn't want us to miss the bus back to the ship. All on board was 2:30 today, 10am - 2:30pm is a very short time on shore and some PAX might lose track of time. They set up this tent marking the place to return to the ship - with samples of lemonade.  Nice touch.

There was a 2nd cruise ship in port today.  It looks like they docked in the logs!  Napier also exports logs.  Pine is big business for NZ.  Much of it goes to China for concrete framing.

                                                        

Back at Viking Mars, the selection of antique autos changed.  And a fun band played in a stage made from an old container.  They played until we sailed away.  We kept our cabin door open to the outside and listened.  So nice.

We changed excursions for tomorrow; from kayaking in a cave of glow worms to seeing the geothermal features in Rotorua.  We kayaked last October while in Florida,  and amazingly  saw glow worms on Florida beaches -thanks to Ashley's very observant eye. Looking forward to the hot springs, mudpools and geysers at Te Pula Thermal Reserve.