One for the ladies

Had a real treat on the way to Napier as you pass through the Hawkes Bay wine region. We stopped off at a winery called 'The Mission' for a spot of very civilized wine tasting - well, it would have been if I had accidentally squirted wine out of my mouth on the first tasting! The lady was very kind and merely pointed out that she didn't want to wear it. Thanks for noting it. The building and grounds were fantastic. It really reminded me of home on a good summer's day or something from a film set in Colonial India (minus the Indians of course). People were enjoying Sunday lunch in the gardens and there was the sound of glasses chinking and a waterfall. Definitely an Oxford moment.

Napier itself is renowned for its Art Deco buildings having been virtually rebuilt in the 1930s following a severe earthquake. It celebrates an 'Art Deco' weekend every year. I arrived at the tail-end of the weekend so got greeted by vintage cars and lots and lots of people dressed in vintage clothing. It was great and made me think how much the LCA would have liked it (hello ladies!).

I took a stroll into town and had the unexpected surprise of seeing a spit-fire fly past, two men on Penny Farthing type bicycles and some truly beautiful cars. Napier itself seemed nice enough, but I think coming from England, and especially Oxford, I'm a bit of an architecture snob. Yes, yes, art deco's great, but nothing is really that old or that beautiful. NZ's natural attractions are a sight to behold, but buildings it just hasn't got. That was it for Napier, having never really wanted to visit it in the first place (unavoidable due to bus ticket restrictions). I ate. I watched a bit of TV and I went to bed to listen to a lovely NZ cellist snore.