Wellington, The Dowse and Home....

 Ah G’day,

Yup the final lap.

After a quick stop in Manakau, just north of Otaki to have a chat with my Brother

Geez mate..that’s a long way from the 175cc CZ/Jawa bike of your university days....not to mention the stripped down bodyless Puch we used to hoon around the farm with! 

Next stop was Paremata at Ngatitoa Park

Which is a regular stopping place for us.

But this was the first time I spotted the ruins

 of the Paremata Barracks.

They were built to house the British Army and prevent Ngati Toa and other iwi

From attacking Wellington

first manned in 1847

damaged by an earthquake in 1848

And another in 1855 which demolished the top storey.

One of the Norfolk pine trees is sprouting shoots

Here we are at the Dowse Art Gallery

Finding parking for a 7m Bus in Lower Hutt was a challenge

I only had to walk 1.3k including dragging my busking kit.

Still it was well worth it! 

A more traditional exhibit in the gallery

I’ve noticed, rightly or wrongly many artists early work I like, 

there later works I don’t understand! 

which probably says a lot about me

Rita ...this is fantastic

As are your breed of cows.

Terminus

This was a modern contemporary art by two Kiwi Artists 

who received an Australian Arts Council grant to produce this work.

This  exhibition is drawings which are transformed and animated into 3D with Augmented reality..

You put the earphones and goggles on and are transported into a different world.

Not usually some thing I would be interested in, but it was quite an experience.

If your passing through Lower Hutt it’s on till March 2021

And certainly worth spending some time viewing.

Back at Evans Bay, there is plenty of space available 

And quite a bit of action going on overhead as well

After all that...its better to duck your head...

Just in case!

Bloody Murals

Again!

The next morning we were booked to leave at 8am

But the ferry was late in docking

So I had some time to fill in on the wharf

with juggling practise...

and taking photos

That’s us below, with the two solar panel's on the top deck.

Below showing the zoom capacity of my new little compact camera

On the shore is the Pencarrow Lower Lighthouse.

It’s a nice bike ride...in good Wellington weather!

And zoomed in.

I asked the Captain, if he could go closer...

But .....no way, was his answer!

Lovely day for a cruise

And not a Covid 19 mask in sight!

Yes we are so luckily to have reacted well to this Pandemic in New Zealand

And long may it continue.

But we the team of 5 Million

Are crucial in keeping NZ healthy and free 

of the major effects of Covid 19

Stay safe and free

Kia ora

Kia kaha

Jimu & Christine 

New Plymouth and its Gardens.

 I picked up Christine at New Plymouth airport having checked out the Gardens before on a previous trip but hadn’t visited Tupare, which is very close to the town itself.

We did check with the authority’s and yes, you are able to park up with self contained vehicles at all the Taranaki Gardens sites.

Sir Russell Matthews first started developing this property which was bare land in 1932.

Much of his influences for this property came from his honeymoon visit to the Cotswalds area of the UK

He was a well known and established roading contractor in the Taranaki area.

Today it is run by the Taranaki Regional Council

And very well it is too!

It’s open every day and has tours through the Chapman-Taylor designed Arts and Crafts style house

It takes years to train the moss to grow on brick walls like this!

One of the Sheds

 

This was in another shed down by the River.

The hand adzing is easily seen in this photo!

The Gargoyle is a bit tired from it all!

Peter the tour guide/volunteer, knew a lot about the property

Even to the material on the curtains, which he also had in his own house

And not showing any wear after 20 years! 

He was though!

All of the timbers were reclaimed bridge timbers, mostly Jarrah and was all hand adzed in the tradition of that period, with a very dark stain

He also used railway sleepers and the iron railway tracks as his foundations

 to pour a concrete floor and build up from there.

Which is maybe why they have no issues 

with the recent earthquake building bylaws

The linen fold panel carvings were imported from England

Sir Russell had local craftsmen working for years

while he and his family lived in the house

 till it was completed room by room

I thought the carving on these drawer fronts was outstanding

Could be totally contemporary even today!

Back outside with the green stuff!

Now we have driven around the mountain towards the south

 but still on the north side of Egmont National Park

 and have come to Pukeiti Gardens.

Very much out in the Country

And quite a bit higher too 

Yes they have Old Mans Beard

The weather was cracking up so we headed towards the coast and Opunaki

I seem to find murals where ever I go

That’s all for this blog folks

Next we head for Wellington

And homeward across the Cook Straight

Which is not too straight at all!

Keep cool

Till after school

Jimu & Christine

Ps...Be creative...right!