We ran away last week, booked an Air BnB in Napier (population 64,ooo)- which is 476k (295miles) from our home, and 320k N/E of the capital, Wellington. (Not so much a small town - but oh well).
Primarily we went for a Toto concert at one of the wineries, but for 4 nights so that we could have a look around as I hadn't been there since the 60's (I was very young haha).
Napier is known for it's Art Deco architecture - owing to the 1931 Hawkes Bay earthquake that meant a lot of the city had to be rebuilt. They make a feature of it with an Art Deco festival every year. (That's the Mr)
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| Vintage shopping at Charleston Chic |
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| She also sang through the megaphone, which made it sound like an old record |
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| Napier lights up at night with many beautiful light-changing fountains |
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| Controversial zigzag track up Te Mata Peak - local Maori were not consulted when a permit was given to Craggy Range Winery to make the track. Locals want it removed. |
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| We bypassed the big wineries for this one - Akarangi - in an old church. The wine tasting session was an entertainment in itself. |
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| The carved gateway to the Star Compass at Waitangi Regional Park,Hawkes Bay. |
 The Star Compass, Waitangi Regional Park, Hawkes Bay |
Wineries, vintage shopping, stunning scenery and a great concert - what's not to love? |
Did Toto sing ‘Africa’? I love that song! I had to read more about the star compass, which was fascinating. Drooling over the vintage shops and hope you found some treasures. Sounds like a perfect get-away for you!
ReplyDeleteYes they sang Africa - I love it too. I know sorry, I've skimmed over things to get as much of a glimpse of the place as possible in one post - glad you found the star compass interesting enough to look up - it's quite impressive. We did buy something in a little church op shop with stained glass windows, but not in the vintage shops shown.
DeleteLovely photos, and I'm sure you would have had a great break in Napier. We are going on a cruise to NZ in March & looking forward to our visit to Napier. Thanks for the information as it will be helpful.
ReplyDeleteRosie, there was so much I had to leave out - you'll still have plenty to discover. Have a great time!
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