Posted in Travel in Australasia, tagged arts, Dunedin, mural on 22 February 2017| Leave a Comment »
Dunedin has artworks covering many city walls. The first I saw was a tuatara nibbling at its tail, which reminded me of an ouroboros.
I enjoyed all of them, and am sorry not to be able to acknowledge the artists.
“The city walls festooned with art
bring joy to any walker’s heart.”
Posted in Travel in Australasia, tagged Dunedin, Otago Peninsula, Portobello on 22 February 2017| Leave a Comment »
On a sunny Friday we drove around the Otago Peninsula. Fletcher House had been recommended for a visit, but we discovered it’s available only on weekends. However the Happy Hens shop was open.
We lunched at Portobello, a delightful harbourside village. I had fond memories of the aquarium there, and seahorses, but sadly that is now closed to the public. The woman in the café told me it’s been closed since the Canterbury earthquakes, but didn’t know what the connection was. I wonder if there’s anywhere left in the South Island where I can get a seahorse fix. Maybe Nelson has an aquarium?
I did get to see my first Lilliput Library in Portobello. These are a mini version of our local book fridge, If that ever disappears I would love to host a Lilliput Library.
Lilliput Library
Driving back the footpath along the harbour looked inviting so I got Stephen to drop me off by the Edgar Centre. I walked along enjoying the harbour view and the sight of windsurfers scudding along, while holding tightly to my sunhat.
I was pleased to take a grassy path, past the Harbour Mouth Molars, and into an industrial wharf area.
Harbour Mouth Molars by Regan Gentry
No sign of anywhere to cross the busy road, and I carried on beside railway lines and signs saying ‘Look for trains’ until I came to the vehicle overbridge at Jetty Street, thankfully accompanied by a pedestrian overbridge.
Pedestrian Overbridge
“I did enjoy the harbour view
around the edge there’s lots to do.”
Posted in Travel in Australasia, tagged Dunedin on 21 February 2017| 1 Comment »
Walking around Dunedin I was continually struck by the solid old buildings, many with attractive adornments. Sad to see the old Penrose’s Department Store has closed. It’s good to know the building’s been preserved, but being a Starbucks has robbed it of some dignity.
Once was Penrose’s
I was continually reminded of how much heritage is lost to Christchurch now that 70% of our CBD buildings have gone. Near the Octagon you hear the Town Hall clock chime every quarter hour – I loved that! Walking up and down hills and stairs must surely have improved my fitness levels.
“To see old buildings made me sad
remembering all those we had.”
Posted in Travel in Australasia, tagged Dunedin, Port Chalmers on 21 February 2017| Leave a Comment »
Port Chalmers Maritime Museum was fascinating. Its collection includes all kinds of shipping and pioneer memorabilia, including what is purported to be Shackleton’s typewriter. In the 19th century deck cabin I saw a Moses basket identical to one we were given by an elderly neighbour when our first daughter was born. The museum is in a former Post Office building, now registered as Historic Category 1, and surrounded on three sides by a working container port. You can sit in an upstairs gallery and watch giant gantry cranes moving cargo.
Later we sat outside the Union Co. café. Great logging trucks passed frequently and the ground shook as each one went by.
We saw the Hotere Sculpture Garden
Iona Church Tower has a clock – useful!
View from Port Chalmers
The port has interesting shops, some of which were closed on Wednesday morning. The only people around seemed to be coming from a yoga class in the old Town Hall building.
“Around this Port there’s lots to see
above the hill and on the quay.”
Posted in Travel in Australasia, tagged Dunedin on 20 February 2017| Leave a Comment »
We drove south across bridges that spanned dry rivers and/or trickling creeks amid braided riverbeds. It wasn’t until we reached Otago that we saw ‘proper’ rivers. At a comfort stop in Palmerston we admired Sir John McKenzie’s cairn, set on top of a hill, and reminiscent of Glastonbury Tor.
Our room at the Leviathan Hotel was central and reasonably priced, across the road from Toitu, the Otago Settlers Museum (which lacks an apostrophe) and the railway yards. There are few trains these days and none were audible at night.
In Oamaru we’d heard thunder and there were intermittent heavy showers after that, so we decided dinner inhouse might be the best option. The small dining room by the bar was a time warp, resembling dozens of others in provincial hotels, with a typical menu. I had fish and chips and Stephen had a steak. Several solitary diners were happy to watch the television, which I could have done without.
Breakfast was in the larger dining room. This was much more opulent with fascinating memorabilia around the walls, e.g. the specifications for the Hotel’s wartime air rad shelter and a photo of the Royal Family in 1880 (looking very Alf-like). Candles on all the tables were battery-operated. There was an adequate buffet breakfast for $20 per head, and we decided to seek something more adventurous the next day.
We saw lots of sights and enjoyed our trip. It’s also good to be home, with our dear Ziggy now released from the Cattery.
Ziggy’s holiday home
“Our darling Ziggy seemed to say
He’d rather we not go away.”
Posted in Cafes & Restaurants, Travel in Australasia, tagged Biggies, Cafes on 19 February 2017| 2 Comments »
I kept an eye on Dunedin ‘Grab one’ while we were planning a trip, and I grabbed an offer of a 20″ pizza for $25, reduced from $45. It was at Biggies, just a couple of blocks from our hotel, and Stephen loves pizza. We went in to book, and found we couldn’t. During the day this same establishment becomes The Eatery Café. A sophisticated till system means they can share the same bar stock and know exactly who’s sold what and when, so they remain two completely separate businesses. It makes sense to ensure the premises are used day and night.
The Eatery doesn’t take Biggies’ bookings, but we booked by phone and duly arrived at 7pm. It was a pleasant evening and we hoped to sit outside at a pavement table but the waitress explained that those tables aren’t stable enough to hold the stand for the giant pizza. We therefore chose an inside table.
Our choice from an extensive pizza range was Pavarotti, with mushroom, capsicum, and pepperoni. This duly arrived and looked huge.
Freshly cooked on a thin base it was delicious but daunting, and we managed to eat only three-quarters. I rejected most of the pepperoni, relishing the capsicum and mushrooms. The waitress offered to put the remainder in a box for us which we declined as we had nowhere to store it. I hope it went to some deserving animals.
Biggies was buzzing and popular. I think the 20″ pizzas might be more suitable for a group of hungry students.
“To serve such pizza on a table
this needs to be extremely stable.”
Posted in Travel in Australasia, tagged Dunedin, Press on 16 February 2017| Leave a Comment »
The Christchurch “Press” is an indispensable part of my daily routine. I love to catch up on local news (usually over breakfast), check the death notices and do the puzzles (usually over lunch). The Cryptic Crossword, Code-Cracker, Wordfit, and Number Cruncher are mine. Stephen does the other word puzzles. The Sudoku are left to languish – neither of us has yet been tempted to these.
When away from home we still seek a “Press”. In Wellington that’s no problem. In Auckland Whitcoulls stocks it, and we assumed the same would apply in Dunedin. Sadly, no! Whitcoulls in George Street was closed at 9.15am because they were mopping up from the previous day’s downpour. We went back after 10am, confidently seeking our “Press”, only to be told they don’t carry it and neither does any other shop in Dunedin. The Whitcoulls woman told me the “Press” has not been sent to Dunedin for the past three years. I wondered whether this was because of rivalry between Fairfax and the independent “Otago Daily Times”, but she didn’t think so. The Dunedin Public Library doesn’t have a hard copy of the “Press” either, although they have a dedicated terminal where you can read it online. That doesn’t give me access to the puzzles!
“I may endure puzzle withdrawal
if I can’t get a “Press” at all.”
