For all of you that know us...this is the time when I am pinned to the TV and Graham is generally out of the house!!! The equivalent of Strictly Come Dancing starts tonight on NZ TV...yippee!!!! I was on the way to work this morning and just caught the end of a radio advert mentioning it...so at 7.30am when you are all getting up I will be perched at the TV watching my fix of dancing!!!!
Graham will most likely be fishing!!!!
It won't be quite the same as when I am at home as firstly, I won't know anyone who is on it!!! and secondly, I can't ring my mum and Kate afterwards to comment on all the dances!!!!!
J x
Tuesday, 26 February 2008
Monday, 25 February 2008
Sunday, 17 February 2008
Live Music, Bathing Belles and Dressing Up Competition....
Bathing Belles Competition...all the crowd in dress up
Childrens Dress Up
The Streets of Napier....
Whilst walking back to the Sound Shell for some live music we soaked up the atmosphere along the marine parade....
Lunch at the Sunken Gardens, Napier
After Car Parade we went to the Sunken Gardens for lunch. We sat down and ate lunch surrounded by people having picnics all dressed up. There was also a wedding party in the gardens and lots of children playing, it was a lovely atmosphere.
Vintage Car Parade through Napier
We popped to Napier where over 100 cars paraded the street. There we're crowds and crowds of people all dressed up, it was a great atmosphere.
Visit to The National Tobacco Building
Ceiling
On Saturday the National Tobacco Company Building was open to the public, since we have been here we pass this all the time. There is always people outside the doors having their pictures taken, but it is never open, so we thought we would go and have a look around. See the following extract which describes the building:
'By 1932 the National Tobacco Company was one of the wealthiest industries in Napier and certainly the largest employer of local labour. In that year Husheer commissioned Louis Hay to design a main frontage for his factory to replace the structure that had collapsed in the earthquake. Hay's initial sketches were rejected by Husheer for not being extravagant enough. Hay's second plan, which was eventually built, was for a deceptively simple building based on the idea of an 'arch within a square', decorated with detailed representations of plants such as roses, raupo, and vine leaves. The motif of roses also featured on the lamps on the side of the entrance and lead-light windows. Leading up to the doors were steps decorated with tiles, and brass handrails. Entering through an elaborately carved set of doors, the foyer featured a marble dado, and oak panelling, combined with a domed lead-light skylight to create an overall feeling of elegance and luxury. The entire design, particularly the use of simple geometric forms decorated with applied decoration, reflected Hay's interest in the Art Nouveau or Secession style developed in Europe at the turn of the twentieth century. Hay was to use similar ideas in the design of Napier's AMP Building (1933/34) and the Hawke's Bay Art Gallery and Museum (1935). Tenders for the construction of the National Tobacco Company Building were called for in October 1932, and the work was nearly finished by the end of December 1932. ' Taken from: http://www.historic.org.nz/Register/ListingDetail.asp?RID=1170&rm=
Saturday the 16th Feb 08-Queen Victoria
The Queen Victoria Cruise Ship visited Napier for the Art deco Weekend, and living over the road from the beach we had front seat tickets!!!! The ship is very large and holds upto 2000 passengers and cost over $754 million to build. The ship has 1000 bedrooms, weighs 90,000 tonnes and is the second largest cunard ships ever built, after the Queen Mary. The ship is only two months old and is the newest ship to ever visit New Zealand and the largest ship to visit Napier.
We stood at the end of the drive and could see it come into Napier Port. We thought it would be a fair distance out, but I was surprised how close she actually looked. Everyone was on their balconies outside their houses and lots of people and cars descended on the road where we live!
As the boat got closer the planes did a display over the ship to welcome them.
Later in the day we actually went to see the ship up close, having walked around Napier and done some other bits...see posts, we decided to pay a gold coin donation ( about 40p) each to go into the port and see the ship....it was magnificant...I don't know how it floats! 2000 passengers got off to visit Napier and approximately 1700 crew, needless to say Saturday was the first day we saw a bad trafic jam in Napier!!!!
Art Deco Weekend-Friday Night-15th Feb 08
Live group sang old war tunes...
In the bar
Reg says it all!
On the way back to the car ( after some beers) Gray hopped in a car for photo!
In the Bar......
Sound shell on the Marine parade near the beach, live band played.
People on parade watching the band...the beach is behind them!
People all dressed up watching the air display
Air Display...Fantastic!
In the early 1930's, Napier suffered a gigantic earthquake which measured 7.8. The earthquake itself and then subsequent fires resulted in the majority of Napier's buildings being destroyed. Within a decade Napier was rebuilt in Art Deco style and the Art Deco Weekend celebrates this. There have been lots of events planned over the weekend. On Friday night, Helen and Jon came to stay for the weekend and we headed to Napier about 7.30pm. We parked up near the port and walked down to the beach...the atmosphere was electric....we had heard that a lot of holiday makers vsit specifically for Art Deco weekend and that a lot of people dressed up....it was unbelievable...we we're in the minority as we we're in 2008 clothes!!!!It was literally like we had stepped back in time, all of the men,women and children we're dressed up.
At about 7.40pm 'Those Magnificant Men' flew over the parade and did a fantastic flying display, this was made up of the RNZAF Red Checkers and the Warbirds Display Team.
After this we headed to the Sound Shell where a band where playing live 1920-1940's music...we walked around looking at all of the cars on display and generally soaking up the atmosphere. We popped to the bar for a drink about 10.00...and it was so strange being surrounded by eveyone dressed up.
We then had a walk around Napier as it was just alive with people, we stumled accross a group of guys who we're singing live on the street, a small crowd gathered and it was just fantastic...a good night had by all!!
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