The Beacons

 

 The Beacons are a prominent landmark near the foreshore between Napier and Bay View. They were erected in what was then part of the Inner Harbour in 1907 by the then Napier Harbour Board, to serve as leading lights guiding shipping into the Port of Napier through the channel at the south end of the Pania Reef. 

Apparently, they were built on swamp land until an earthquake drained the land.

final part of Napier trip

Our little trip had an interesting last night. We had been out wandering around all day and it was getting dark when we started back to our room. We decided to have a leisurely fish and chips dinner from the park's restaurant, which was across the road from our room, adjacent to the conference room. That way, we could settle in early for our drive home the following day.

Since Kennedy Park is on a quiet side street, we were surprised to see a police car backed into one of the visitor's spaces just outside the gate. Hmmm. We turned into the entrance and it got spookier. There was a BIG guy with a bullet-proof vest standing at the automatic gate, looking inside each car that entered. We decided that somebody had to have been attacked by a gang or something!

As we crept along, we saw an ambulance backed into a parking space and lots of people walking around in uniforms. What was going on???

We looked down the street where we should turn to get to our room and it was filled with vested police wandering about talking to each other and, apparently, people who worked there. So we drove down to the next street and saw that the conference room entrance was also covered by official-looking people. Weird.

Since the restaurant was connected to the conference room, we concluded that fish and chips from there was probably not an option, so we went into the room to get a cup of coffee and make other plans, all the while very curious about the hub-bub outside.

Hubby decided that we were out of milk for our coffee so he could go to the office and ask what was happening. He got the milk but the receptionist wouldn't tell him anything. So he decided to see what the internet had to say (he's clever like that!) and paid $1 for 7 minutes of internet. Yes, you read that right, a dollar for seven minutes on the internet! [Note to self: buy laptop for next trip!]

He found out that the Israeli ambassador was making a speech there. Of course, since the city owned the recreational park, it made perfect sense that it was the venue for a visiting dignitary, but it certainly interrupted our dinner plans!

We went back to town and got fish and chips from a take-away place and headed back to the room. Apparently, the police and the ambulance were not necessary for the night and we headed out the next morning from the quiet of an off-season holiday park.

part 2 of our road trip to Napier

When we travel, we consider accommodations just a place to rest. We don't have to have anything fancy, but then, we don't camp, either, so something in the middle suits us quite well. In Napier, we stayed at Kennedy Park. It's a huge place that has all sorts of accommodations. They have camping spaces, spaces for campers, motel rooms, self-contained units--anything you could want--with swimming pools and play spaces for the kids, a restaurant and a conference room and other stuff and still a nicely-kept and quiet spot to stay. It is owned by the district council and does quite a business all year round.

The first night, we were both asleep early and up early the next morning. After a stroll on the beach, we went to the Napier Aquarium. We watched the little blue penguins being fed then wandered around the exhibits of koi, seahorses, some reptiles and turtles, alligators, eels, and other things. They have a glass tunnel where you can see sharks and eels and other fish swim overhead. Then we watched a diver feed the fish in the big tank. The diver played to the kids at the front but kept the adults' attention, too.

Even on 'aquarium'  setting, my photos didn't come out too well, but here are a few I took.

After the aquarium, we found this wonderful bakery to have some breakfast. I had never heard of this chain of bakeries--but then, I live in Taranaki where there isn't much of anything except cow paddocks, but I digress. They had so many choices from sandwiches to cakes to custard squares. If you get a chance to visit Heaven's Bakery, by all means, do!

Napier weekend

We made a weekend visit to Napier this weekend. The city is located on the Hawkes Bay and is a great tourist place. The area has some terrific autumn color (which are missing in the Taranaki area) and the weather is much milder on the east coast of the country.

This is the most famous backpackers in NZ. It used to be a prison in Napier.

The city itself was virtually destroyed by an earthquake in 1931. It was immediately rebuilt in the then-popular art deco style and that is now one of the biggest tourist attractions today. The small details of the building are the parts that fascinated me, although there are some amazing facades, too.

There is also a great aquarium there with a walk-through section where sharks and rays and lots of cool fish swim over your head. The diver who feeds the fish puts on a great show for the kids of all ages!

We visited Norsewood and Dannevirke along the way.  The Norse history is New Zealand began in September of 1872.  You can find more information by clicking here.

It's quite interesting to discover the history of this tiny, wee island country. I guess moving to a new place gets the curiosity flowing.

There were some great puns and strange things along the side of the road that I have posted over at my other blog.