Another day at Akaroa

As my daughter and her friend had the plan to swim with the dolphins we offered to bring them to Akaroa.
Akaroa is 75km from Christchurch and is a historic French and British settlement nestled in the heart of an ancient volcano.
Friends heard about our plan to go to Akaroa and joined in. Next their daughter and friend joined in. It was hot all week but the weather forecast was rain. We went anyway. I have shown Akaroa already a few times in the sun. Here it is on a rainy/cloudy day.

It poured down when we arrived so we went for a warm coffee first. When we came outside again the rain had stopped and we had a wonderful day.
 

The girls.  This will be one of the last days we will be out together before my daughter (white jacket) moves out. It will be quiet without her. Three of the girls are from Dutch parents.

The bungee jump 

A house in my favourite colour

Usually these chairs are packed with people. Because of the earthquakes the cruise ships arrive in Akaroa instead of Lyttelton, so it can be pretty busy.

From here the dolphin cruises leave. Swimming with the dolphins was cancelled however as the sea was too wild.

The Akaroa Lighthouse. We had a little tour inside and went up the balcony. The lighthouse, build in 1878 has been moved one inch by the earthquake and during the next one it moved back one inch

Part of the bunch on top of the light house

Love al the different colours everywhere

and of course the cottages with a porch. I would love a house with a porch and sit outside with a book and a glass of wine

 

In Akaroa you see many beautiful cottages

quote of the week

Wow the world of wearable art

My parents had a fashion shop so I have been to Amsterdam many times with them, where they bought their new collections. At the beginning of every season there was a fashion show. I have seen many, but nothing was even remotely like WOW, the world of wearable Art show. It is held in September every year in Wellington and started in 1987 in Nelson.
It is a magnificent 2 hour show, where designers and artists from all over the world show the most magnificent designs. It is unique in the world. A show were art, fashion, theater, dance, lighting melt into  a spectacular rainbow of magic, fantasy and extravagance.
The garments below are shown at the moment at an exhibition in Canterbury museum. One thing on my bucket list is to see this show. My daughter is moving to Wellington for study and she would like to see the show as well so maybe.................

From havelock to Christchurch

Driving through the South Island of New Zealand as we did on our last trip for 4 1/2 hours is very relaxing. Not a lot of traffic, no traffic lights, you don't need a map as there are not many roads and the scenery is beautiful. here a few impressions along the way

Who need shops The shoes grow here on the fence

A walk along the way to get some fresh air. We had a great view of the magnificent coastline you drive along and there is also some free camping as you can see

Just in time to spot the train who passes once a day.

Ther is a huge seal colony along this stretch of road and I never get board of them. We often stop as I am good at saying please.

The latest gossip is about me

 He is close but in a safe distance and very busy scratching.

A modern West Side story

If you are my age or older you probably know about West Side story. A musical where Tony and maria fall in love which is problematic because they belong to different gangs. The musical has fantastic dans scenes and beautiful music.
Most young people of today unfortunately don't know about West Side Story. Relax and don't worry. There is now a modern version on the internet which ties in with the culture of young people today. They will love it. They can relate to it. A contemporary Maria and Tony. You have to see it. It is called Website story

Havelock

The second day of our trip in the holidays we stayed in Havelock. Havelock is a little town situated in the Marlborough sounds and is the gateway to the  Pelorus Sound and the Kenepuru Sound. Havelock is the place in the world to eat mussels as there are hundreds of mussel farms in the Marlborough Sounds where they cultivate the  Greenshell mussels.

A mussel restaurant in Havelock where you can eat them from the roof

Colourful building with a Tuatara painted on it

A view from a locomotive parked in the street

A little local church

A walking track passes through the cemetery

The boats are all in the harbour Too wet to go out

 I am Dutch so I know that you don't melt from water so up the hill for a walk to look at more water along the way and to reach a waterfall.

Yep we are close

and there it is Worth it yep but because of the ongoing rain the path was very slippery and when we were nearly downhill again I slipped and kept sliding down. I was one big mud pie but I don't show you a photo of that lol

Quote of the week

Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark, in the hopeless swamps of the approximate, the not-quite, the not-yet, the not-at-all. Do not let the hero in your soul perish, in lonely frustration for the life you deserved, but have never been able to reach. Check your road and the nature of your battle.

The world you desired can be won. It exists, it is real, it is possible, it is yours.  
Ayn Rand

2012 a year of power

Major Bob Parker of Christchurch had a briefing with seismologists as quakes keep rolling through Christchurch since the 6 magnitude aftershock before Christmas. For example yesterday we had a 5.1 and a 5.2 in the afternoon and last night we woke up from a 5.2 magnitude along with heaps of smaller ones .
The outcome from the briefing was that the earthquakes won't decline in a year or more but it will take decades. So basically we will have to live with it for the rest of our lives. Yes we have considered moving but we have ties to Christchurch.
We've got jobs, houses are not easy to sell, we have friends here and the children do too. Although my daughter is moving up to Wellington for study. But we always loved Christchurch and we are not ready to give up.
The chance on a damaging 7 is very small the seismologist said so that helps.
This is going to be an interesting year but we will make the best of it and their is a good vibe hanging in the air as well.
With 2012 a year of power I don't refer to the earthquakes but it is the title of the video underneath which has beautiful pictures and a soothing voice bringing out a positive message. It felt like a sort of meditation. It helped me to regain my strength.
Monday I am going back to work so I will post less frequently again.