Sun! Sun! Sun!

Another slow news day, so I will talk about that old standby - the weather.

The 10 day weather forecast for Nelson is for sun, sun and more sun, with temperatures up to 26 degrees.



26 degrees may not seem overly hot, but the sun is more intense in New Zealand than in Canada, with higher UV indexes, meaning that you burn much faster.  I have to re-apply sunscreen every hour or I burn badly, and leaving my head with its thinning hair exposed, results in my scalp getting burned really quickly.

Supposedly there are three reasons why you burn faster in New Zealand -

• The ozone is thinner.
• The earth's orbit takes the southern hemisphere closer to the sun in summer than the northern hemisphere.
• Less pollution means more UV gets through.

It is therefore no surprise that New Zealand has the highest incidence of melanoma skin cancer in the world.

Despite the heat I still managed over 24,000 steps yesterday, so I am not getting much of a reprieve. We walked up the valley to check for more mushrooms, but only found 4 which garnished our dinner tonight. 

We finished the day with a Penang curry at a local Thai restaurant, Chokdee, which was very enjoyable.

Today we had a quieter day, with coffee at the Suter Art Gallery, where we sat on the patio overlooking a park and pond.  Then Marlene headed off to get her hair cut and I spent some time at the local library.

But hey, it can't be exciting every day.

 

Asteroids, Vegetables and Opera

Saturday began with us wondering whether asteroid 2012 DA14 would actually miss our little blue planet, or if perhaps the scientists could be wrong.  Thankfully, the scientists were right and the asteroid passed exactly as predicted, just after 8:30 AM local time.

Having survived a potential armageddon, we decided that we needed vegetables if we were to survive another week, and so we set off for the farmers' market.  We visited all of our usual (it is our third week) organic vendors and picked up at least a week's worth of fruit and vegetables.  The farmers' market operates year-round, with whatever is in season available in any given week.  Thankfully we are here for apples, plums, nashi and summer veges and not silver beet and cabbage.  We always hear a variety of foreign languages being spoken at the market, among both the vendors and the buyers, so it all seems quite international.

In need of fortification for the trek home we stopped at the Red Gallery Cafe for a drink and date scone (the best scones that we have found in Nelson).  Marlene tells me that she likes the organic coffee and organic milk that is used in their lattes, but I think the real reason that she likes it is that they use double shots of espresso.  For me, it is definitely the date scones - I love this cafe culture!

Then Saturday night was Opera In The Park, presented by the Nelson City Council in Trafalgar Park, which is the local rugby venue.  This is the 14th year that the event has been held, and we were not disappointed.  The music and singing were great, but we were also impressed with the organization and the behaviour of the crowd. 

The gates opened at 5 PM for a 7:30 PM show, so lots of time to stake out a spot and have a picnic, while listening to the pre-show programme.  The park was divided into sections for picnic blankets and legless chairs near the front, a special section for the elderly and disabled (this would not work in Parksville....everybody would be sitting in the elderly section), with standard height chairs behind.  Walkways were well marked with white lines on the grass and the ushers were helpful at finding you a place to sit.  You could bring your own picnic, including beer and wine, or you could buy food and drinks from several vendors around the venue.  There were people there of all ages, and everyone was well-behaved, despite the availability of alcohol, and lack of visible security personnel. 

Despite it being an open-air event, smoking was not allowed in the park, and the target was zero waste.  There were no rubbish bins (that is New Zealand speak for garbage cans) and the expectation was that you took everything with you that you brought in.  They did provide food composting bins, and my chick pea curry and rice was served on a paper plate with a wooden spoon.

We sat in the front section on a blanket borrowed from our apartment owners, even though it was almost 7 o'clock when we arrived.  The ushers would ask people politely if they could squeeze up a little and make room for the extra people, and people complied.

If I was ever to be evacuated to a park because of a disaster, I think that Nelson would be a good place for it to happen, as everybody seemed to get along.






What about the show you ask?  The show was a mixture of opera (Verdi, Bellini, Puccini, and others) performed by two sopranos and a tenor, accompanied by Orchestra Wellington, plus some more contemporary music performed by local New Zealand artists, also accompanied by Orchestra Wellington.  A total of 23 pieces were performed, with a twenty minute interval in the middle of the programme, over 2 and a half hours, and all for $15 per person.

We thoroughly enjoyed the show and the whole experience and we will be looking for similar events in the coming weeks.

 

The pictures below are a little blurry (night time photos on an iPhone held above one's head are not great) but they will give some idea of the stage area with the big screen so we could actually see the performers up close.

The final piece of music was "Montagues and Capulets" from Romeo and Juliet, which played during the fireworks display.

After the fireworks, everybody left the park in an orderly manner and we headed up the coastal pathway towards home.  We passed a skateboard park, and despite it being 10:30 PM, the lights were on and there were two boys doing stunts on scooters - not something that would be tolerated in Parksville. 

As it was a clear night, we then sat outside our apartment for a while checking out the stars using the Starmap app that I had downloaded on my iPhone.

Altogether a busy day that mixed asteroids, vegetables and opera, but we enjoyed it all.

 

Happy Valentine's Day

Today was a relatively quiet work day, so by 10:30 AM we were on the trail of those elusive mushrooms.  It was a cooler day today, low 20s, with quite strong southwesterly gusts, so very pleasant for hiking.

It took about an hour and a half to get back to where we had seen the mushrooms on Sunday, and although they were not overly abundant, we did find enough to eat for dinner tonight.  What we need is some rain to go along with this warm weather, to generate a better crop, but unfortunately there is none in the ten day forecast.

After harvesting the day's mushroom crop, we sat on a log beside the trail and ate a picnic lunch, before heading back down the trail into town.

In town we bought tickets for Opera in the Park on Saturday night, checked out the cafe at the Suter Art Gallery (great lunch items, but more on that another day), and grabbed a few groceries before heading back to our apartment.

So, another 20,000+ step day, and a successful day's foraging....not bad.

Happy Valentine's Day to all!!

 

Gong Hey Fat Choy

Happy Lunar / Chinese New Year!!

Today being Sunday in New Zealand, there was no real work pressure so we decided to do a longer walk (hike).  We set off up the hill towards the Centre of New Zealand, and from the top of the ridge we had some great views up the Maitai Valley, which was where we were going.

From the top we headed down  into Branford Park and then walked up the Maitai River.  Water levels are low at the moment so there are signs warning against swimming due to bacteria in the water, but some of these pools certainly looked inviting.

We walked upstream, past the golf course, and when we thought we were at the end, we found that we were at the Maitai Valley Campground and the parking lot for the Dun Mountain Trail and a series of other trails for hiking and mountain biking.  The prospect of a coffee at the golf course was enough of a lure to prevent Marlene from suggesting that we hike a little further, but when we got to the club house we found that they only offered bar service and that did not include coffee. 

So we rejoined the trail and found a shady clearing to eat our snacks.  While munching away we saw two couples come out of a side valley carrying plastic bags full of field mushrooms, so of course after eating we had to investigate.  We found a few mushrooms big enough to eat and quite a few more that still had some growing to do, so we might have to revisit this spot after Tuesday's rain, in hopes of a more bountiful crop.

Since we had missed the mother lode of mushrooms, all that remained was to head for home.  Along the way we passed this trap, which was likely for rats or stoats.  New Zealand has a huge problem with imported pests including opossums, rats, stoats and weasels which eat the eggs of the native birds, significantly reducing their quantities.  It is therefore not unusual to see traps and poisoned bait in the woods to catch those pesky varmits. 

Tonight we tried a somewhat unique dining experience.  We ordered fish and chips at the Milton Street Fish Shop and had it delivered to a table on the deck at the Sprig and Fern pub next door.  Quite a civilized idea really, letting both operations do what they do best, while attracting more customers to both of them.  The Sprig and Fern has no TVs, no pool tables and no slot machines (pokies in New Zealand parlance), preferring to encourage conversation.

We sat with a retired couple from Glasgow, a young man from Stoufville, Ontario, and a young woman from Minneapolis.  Not exactly hanging out with the locals, but good food, a half pint and some adult conversation made the experience worthwhile.

All in all a busy day with 24,000 steps, making it a record day for 2013, and I doubt that we will be staying up too late tonight.

 

All In A Day's Walk

Today I finished work before lunch and so we decided to take a walk into town and along the waterfront, hoping to find a good place for a date scone (for me) and coffee (for Marlene).

Off we went, down the hill, through the Japanese Gardens, along a pathway beside the highway, across the Maitai river, and eventually on to Wakefield Quay.  We found a few places that were more restaurants than cafes (certainly their prices and selections suggested so), but nowhere that served the elusive date scone and coffee.

So....we kept walking, all the way to Tahunanui Beach!  Still no sign of a date scone, but Marlene did get her coffee fix and we snacked on the cheese, cashews, banana and apples that she miraculously pulled from her backpack.

We were going to take the bus back to Nelson, but we would have to wait for an hour, so we decided that we could walk back.  But this time, Jim suggested going over the hill rather than around the waterfront.  I am still not sure if that was smart (a shorter walk) or stupid (quite a climb), but we did it.

This first photo is Tahunanui Beach from Bisley Avenue.  As you can see, we had climbed quite a way from sea level.






We continued walking uphill and took this second photo from a lookout on Princes Drive, which was almost at the highest point on our walk, and had some spectacular views down into Nelson Harbour..

Parking is at a premium in several New Zealand cities, especially those built on hills, but I certainly don't envy this guy's parking space - down hill from the road, up the ramp onto the platform, and not a railing or barrier in sight.  If you don't stop quick enough, you drive right into your house below.

We found several hidden walkways along the route, linking one street to another below or above it, and so we weren't on the road all of the time.  Thankfully our gamble paid off and we arrived back in Nelson at Yello Cafe, still hoping for that date scone.  It was late in the afternoon, and so they were sold out, but we did enjoy a delicious cheese scone before buying a few groceries and heading home.

Do you remember a week ago I was moaning about the walk up the hill laden with groceries and having to have 3 or 4 stops on the way up?  Well we have come a long way in a week, and can now walk up the hill, laden with groceries, without stopping.  Yeah!!

So I feel like I have walked 500 miles, I couldn't walk 500 more, and I darn near fell down at the door, but I did it.

Tomorrow is the Farmer's Market, so it will be another adventurous day in Nelson.

 

Historic Nelson Walk

Today was a busy, but productive, work day which didn't end until about 3 PM, after which we decided to do a historic walk around central Nelson.

The walk took in the Anglican cathedral and other historic sites, including South Street, which as shown in the photo below, is a short street of houses from the 1860s.  They have all been lovingly restored and several are available as "Executive" (read "expensive") rental units, for about 4 times what we are paying for our cozy apartment on the hill.

Being a slow day for photographs, I have added a few more gastronomic delights from the past week.  First off, a baguette that Marlene had for lunch at the Yello Cafe (fast becoming one of our favourites).  The sandwich contained roasted pumpkin, onions, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, pesto and feta cheese.  I can attest that it was good, as I had to finish it for her.

And secondly, I managed to snap a photo of a Cadbury marshmellow easter egg, before Marlene devoured it.  Note that it comes complete with yolk.  We also saw a dark chocolate peppermint marshmellow egg in a store, which sounds great, but we haven't tried one yet....there is always tomorrow.

Happy Waitangi Day

February 6th is Waitangi Day in New Zealand, a public holiday to celebrate the signing of a treaty in 1840 between the British government and New Zealand Maoris, effectively making New Zealand a British colony (and totally coincidentally the anniversary of my Mom's birth).

Yes, this is our second public holiday this week, but don't go thinking that New Zealanders are always on holiday.  They only get 11 statutory holidays, so no more than in Canada.  But they are smart enough to take 8 of them between Christmas and Easter, during the best weather.

We walked down the hill to Founder's Park to attend the International Kai (that is Maori for food) Festival.  It was a good deal as normally entry to the park is $7 for visitors, and today we got in for a few dollars - note the "Gold Coin Koha" wording on the sign (basically make a donation of a $1 or $2 coin).  We have seen a few "gold coin" donation events in our travels.

We sampled a variety of foods, with Marlene particularly enjoying the coconut buns being sold by a Samoan church group.  I went for the full meal deal and had the hangi prepared by the local Maoris.  A hangi is similar to a Hawaiian luau, where the food is slow cooked in flax baskets over hot stones (or in this case pieces of railway track) in a covered pit.

When it was ready there was a mad rush to get served, and I had about a 15 minute wait in line to get my food, but it was the best $5 that I have spent in a while, with pork, lamb, chicken, cabbage, potato, pumpkin and kumera (New Zealand yam), all served "by hand" by the locals.

Another treat that was very popular was a small watermelon cut in half, with some of the melon removed and replaced with ice cream, all served with a little drink umbrella.  Unfortunately I didn't save room for this delicacy.

There was quite a crowd present but we saw no issues while we were there, just people of all ages, shapes and sizes out to have a fun day in the sun.

Notice the sign in the photo below advertising the Maori Roll or General Roll.  In New Zealand, Maoris can choose to vote in one of the 4 electorates reserved for Maoris, or they can vote in their home electorate.

All in all it was a great day out.

 

A Rainy Holiday Monday in Nelson

Today started with rain, which is forecast to continue until early tomorrow morning, heavy at times.  But then we are supposed to get at least a week without rain and temperatures in the mid-20s (I don't know if that is good or bad).

You might think that this means a day indoors, but not if you are travelling with Marlene.  The plan is to walk into town and go to the movies.

Yesterday we ventured out early, before the heat of the day, going up the hill, past the Centre of New Zealand marker, and down the other side into Branford Park.  There are many trails in the area, but the destinations are well signposted, so not much chance of getting lost.  From Branford Park we crossed the Maitai river and walked back down the trail on the other side, into the centre of town.  We saw cormorants and trout as we walked, and even a few humans.   The picture below is a deep swimming hole (Black Hole Park) that we passed along the way.

No walk would be complete without a stop at a local cafe.  New Zealand has a very strong cafe culture, and so there are lots to choose from.  We chose an outdoor cafe on Hardy Street and enjoyed a drink and a date scone after our morning hike.

New Zealand's Maori people do not sit on the same surface that they eat off (quite healthy really), so when you visit New Zealand avoid sitting on the top of the picnic tables or any other tables, as you will offend the locals.

This seagull seems to have missed the memo.

We then wandered around town, and did a little shopping, including buying us each a chocolate marshmellow easter egg (sorry there are no photos....we ate them, but trust me they are good).  Then we trudged back up the hill around 2 PM (in the heat of the day) and relaxed for the rest of the afternoon.

Once the heat was out of the sun, Marlene had me out walking again.  This time to a Japanese Garden that is just below where we are staying.  It was a very peaceful place.

Our First Full Day In Nelson

Yesterday afternoon we said goodbye to Margaret and Tricia and flew to Nelson, our home for the next 6 weeks.

We took a taxi from the airport to our accommodation, which we had booked several months ago over the internet.  We have a one bedroom self-contained suite, which is located under a fairly new house on Walter's Bluff, about a 30 minute walk from downtown, 70 metres above sea level, overlooking Nelson Harbour.  There are no houses over the road from us, so we get great views of the largest fishing port in Australasia (that's collectively Australia and New Zealand).




In an attempt to lower our carbon footprint and get me in better shape we will only rent a car when we need to travel outside of town, so the first order of business was a walk into town to stock up on groceries.

The trip to town was easy (downhill and an empty backpack), and we stopped at the Maitai river to watch the ducks.




The trip home however was not so easy (uphill with twenty pounds of groceries in our backpacks). The walk is quite similar to the walk from downtown Petone to Margaret's house - an easy twenty minute walk on the flat and then 10 minutes zigzagging through the bush on a series of switchbacks, in this case a small forest of gum trees (no, there are no koala bears in New Zealand).




Today was our first full day in Nelson, and Marlene was not letting me waste any of it.  After 2 1/2 hours of work, we headed into town to go to the farmer's market which is held in a parking lot every Saturday in the summer months.  We stocked up on fruits and vegetables and had a coffee and date scone at the cafe in a local art gallery (recommended by a local store worker and one that we would not have otherwise found) before trudging home with our backpacks only slightly lighter than yesterday.




Another 2 1/2 hours of work, barbequed the sausages, onions and corn for dinner, and then we went for a short (in Marlene's mind) 6,000 step walk further up the hill to the Centre of New Zealand marker - it marks the geographical centre of New Zealand and it just happens to be on the top of a hill close to where we are staying.

I'm looking forward to Monday, so I can use work as an excuse for staying home!!

 

 

New Zealand Quirks

Several quirky things about New Zealand have caught my attention in the past week or so, and being a slow news day it is time to share them.

1. New Zealand abolished their provincial governments in 1876, but each province still takes a provincial "anniversary day" holiday.  Wellington's holiday was two Mondays ago, Auckland was last Monday, and Nelson is this coming Monday.  If Canada replaced our provincial governments with a holiday, imagine the tax dollars we would save.

2. Stores don't advertise that they accept debit cards, but they do advertise that they do EFTPOS, which is actually the same thing - Electronic Funds Transfer at Point Of Sale. So bring those debit cards and spend, spend, spend.

3. No airport security when flying on most routes within the country.  Flying to Nelson was just like the old days in Canada - check in, and show up at the gate for boarding, and your loved ones can walk right to the gate to see you off or to meet you.  At Nelson airport the checked luggage arrives on a cart outside the front door of the airport, and you just help yourself.  Remember the days when people could be trusted?

4. Pennies are long gone and so are the two cent coin and the 5 cent coin.  Total bills are rounded to the nearest 10 cents and nobody cares.  I guess that Kiwis understand the math better than Canadians....or maybe having gone through the process 3 times now it doesn't bother them.

5. New Zealanders like to dress up in their fancy duds and also in whacky costumes.  Last week was Wellington Cup day (horse racing) and everybody going to the races was dressed to the nines (we saw a few while having a quiet coffee in a cafe near the race track, dressed in our shorts and t-shirts).  Apparently the crowds are all trying to win prizes for the best dressed men and women, including cruises.  This weekend it is "the sevens" (rugby seven a side tournament) in Wellington and everybody is dressed in whacky costumes...it seems that a high proportion of Wellington men like to dress up in women's clothes.  Hmmmmm.