Napier City. New Zealand.

I am back. I stayed for a few days with my friend, she is like a sister, who cares for Mum. She had a few days break and we cared for Mum. But my friends computer is rather old and slow, did not have Word, and it was difficult to get to my blog from there. So I will fill you in.

Napier city.

Napier sits on the East coast, as part of Hawke's Bay. The land is fertile, and huge sections of the land are used for all sorts of fruit and vegetable growing. There are long established orchards and at this time of the year it is all go, as the harvest season is in full swing. Golden queen peaches are at their peak just now.

 Napier city was razed to the ground in 1932 when a huge earthquake struck, killing over 250 people.  What didn’t fall down in the earthquake was burnt to the ground in fires, often started from leaking gas pipes. The city centre was ruined, and tent cities sprung up in the parks. The movement of the ground was substantial, lifting huge areas up from the seabed. Originally Napier was an island called Scinde Island. After the earthquake, once everything settled down, it was surrounded by an expanse of flat ground right up to the foothills. In the intervening years that has become suburban Napier. This area is still prone to many earthquakes, the buildings are designed and built to withstand them now, with stringent building codes right throughout New Zealand.

Looking south from Westshore beach to Napier City.
 The raised land is called 'the hill'.
It used to be an island before the 1932 earthquake, called Scinde Island.

Looking north from the lookout on the hill overlooking the port.
 To the north is Wairoa, about 80 kms north.

It is the beginning of autumn and some of the trees are just starting to
 change colour.
 Because the ground is so fertile the whole area is very beautiful.

Along the foreshore. This is called Marine Parade. The beach is just to the left.

Part of the foreshore at the southern end.

 Napier enjoys good weather, warm summers and the winters are cold but it doesn’t snow. It is ideal grape growing weather and many famous vineyards are established here too.

Along Ahuriri foreshore. Many of the homes here are new and large.

Some of the old homes still sit there. When I was a teenager
 my friend lived in this little cottage with the gray roof.
 It was surrounded by other little cottages, but flash homes take up
 most of the street now. I was pleased to see it still there.
 It looks like it has been re-roofed and painted, but still standing.

 

Napier Port and breakwater. When the southerly storms hit, the waves break over
 the breakwater (hence the name) and wash into the port itself.
Although today is very calm, the waters here can be very rough.
 To the right you can see logs piled up ready to be loaded onto the ship
. New Zealand has extensive pine forests and huge amounts of wood
 are shipped to China each year.

There was a cruise ship in today. You can also see more logs on the wharf.

The sound shell, right on Marine Parade. Concerts are held here
 but it is small now compared to the larger places used for public concerts.

On top of the hill, in a prime location, with the most amazing views is the Napier
 Hospital. About 20 years ago the Napier hospital was amalgamated
 with the Hastings hospital.  It has been empty and derelict since then
. No one uses it, there seems to be bickering over what to do with it
and who owns the land. In my view, it is a disgrace that
such a building should be left empty to rot away.

 In rebuilding Napier after the earthquake, the city fathers had the foresight to build everything along the same theme, and today the rebuilt city centre is all art deco buildings. It has become one of the most famous art deco cities in the world and Napier runs an ‘art deco’ festival each year, drawing people from all over the world.

The Daily Telegraph building, belonging to the local newspaper.

I can't remember the name of this building.
 It is right on the beach front at the top of the main street
 Emerson Street which is now a walking mall.

One of the main corners of town.
 This building has the date 1933 on it, the year after the earthquake.

The roads on the hill are steep, but houses are built in every nook and cranny.

Napier’s beaches aren’t all that wonderful, being stoney rather than sandy and the main beach is quite deep so not very good for swimming. Westshore beach is much shallower and used constantly by families.  However, it has become a beautiful city, and tourists come to visit the twin cities of Napier and Hastings.