Along with the unique architectural experience, there is also an awesome beach and an incredible set of public buildings, gardens and sculptures to make a visitor's trip a memorable one. So here goes;
Our trip today, began on Bluff Hill, a significant rise overlooking the harbour and commanding the whole horizon seaward from Napier, covering all of Hawkes Bay. During the Second World War, two big guns were mounted on this hill to protect the port and ward off Japanese war ships.
Napier Harbour, Napier, NZ
As you can see below, the views from this hill, just north of the town centre, are quite extensive.
Looking North from Bluff Hill
Napier, NZ
This view from the hill shows the beach in front of the town itself.
Looking North from Bluff Hill, overlooking Napier and Hawkes Bay
Napier, NZ
This Oleander Bush was in full bloom while we were there.
Two of my Roses and their escort among the oleanders.
Bluff Hill, Napier, NZ
Oleanders up close (Thanks, Susan!)
Bluff Hill, Napier, NZ
Colleen liked this Yucca flower below, as well. Thanks to Susan, we now have a name for it.
Yucca Flower, Top of Bluff Hill
Napier, NZ
On the steep shoulders of Bluff Hill, are many houses packed closely together with not much real estate. The residence below has a rather novel way of providing a place to park their cars.
Suspended Driveway
Napier, NZ
Another house precariously perched on the side of the bluff. You can just barely make out Cape Kidnappers in the distance, where there's a huge gannet colony, a large black and white seabird with a yellow head.
House overlooking Hawkes Bay from Bluff Hill
Napier, NZ
Down below, in town central, this clock tower dominates the focal point of all the shoreline activities in Napier.
Downtown Napier, as seen from the beach
Napier, NZ
Another shot of the downtown meeting point, this time looking through the bandshell portal.
Napier, NZ
Looking seaward from the exact same vantage point, a visitor is confronted with this stunning geometric display, reminiscent of the ancient Greece architecture.
One of Dr. Seuss's trees escaped from the pages of his book.
Shore-front, Napier, NZ
Just some of the beautiful and extensive gardens that dot the Napier shoreline can be seen below.
Another photo of the far end of the same garden, reveals a covered pathway with a greco-roman style fountain at the end that seems to beckon the traveller nearer.
Napier, NZ
Whilst making a run for the Silky Oak Chocolate Factory (which was not offering tours this day), we saw some of the scenes below.
Napier, NZ
Napier, NZ
Itinerant workers below, picking tobacco in the heat of the day
Napier NZ
Meeanee Rd, Napier, NZ
Done with our Meeanee Road side trip, we proceeded to follow the Art Deco tour, in a town called, Taradale, barely two km distant from Napier. Below you can see a restaurant interior done up in the Art Deco style. This was actually a period piece, restored fully by its new owners. Can you guess who they were?
How about now? Can you tell what it is?
Did you guess correctly? I doubt it!
Taradale, NZ
As we continue our Art Deco tour, our next stop in Taradale, was unremarkable, but what was remarkable was this idyllic scene below. What you see is a hillside vineyard sporting protective netting, in order to keep the birds at bay.
Taradale, NZ
Still in the town of Taradale, we went to this garden/cafe, where most, if not all the plants on display were also for sale.
Taradale, NZ
I know Valentine's Day was already past, but the below picture was definitely in season, being February. Note the clever touch of adding the diaphanous veil.
We saw this cute little guy below and had to include him.
His big brother was busy elsewhere keeping the garden below.
One last look in the garden, and on we travelled.
Finished in our garden oasis, we continued on the Art Deco tour to the town of Napier, itself. The building below belonged to various tobacco companies, until it was donated to the town as a museum piece. There was a lady who was just closing up for the day, who was kind enough to give us a short tour. In the brochure guide, it sai that this particular piece of Art Deco architecture pays homage to the style employed at the time in Chicago.
Tobacco Company Front Entrance, Napier, NZ
A closer view of the entry way reveals some nice detail work in the handcrafted wooden door frames. Check out the fancy kick plates at the bottom of the inner doors, along with some nice touches, like lead crystal one-piece glass panels on each interior door. The white, three-dimensional floral work around the door is a nice, light touch as well. Notice the richness of the intricate brass door handles, and how they sweep down to finish in a silver alloy of beaten leaves to the right, while overhead the lintel is also swooped and curved to add interesting sight-lines to the eye. Regarded closely, one can see how the architects and artisans beautifully blended the rectangular door frames with the various curves to create a nicely balanced work of art that is immediately pleasing to the eye. Finishing things off below, we see hexagonal and square tile work of various colours and sizes in an interesting mosaic.
Below we see some of the details of the interior of the tobacco company building. It may not be immediately apparent, but the bottom of the windows are above eye level, and so act solely as a means of lighting the office, rather than allowing one to see the goings-on outside. Although lacking in ornateness, the ceiling lights continue on the theme of angular shapes begun in the entryway tile outside, while a nice coffered ceiling, and rectangular brass ventilation cover continue the stark rectangular motif of this erstwhile Tobacco Company president's office. Softening things just a little--this is a work environment, after all--we see the delicate floral work in the stain glass, along with the drapes that carry the same floral theme and colour, breaking up the austere mood of the room's design. That door on the right leads to his own private en-suite bathroom, with a separate hand-cranked water closet.
The detailed brass work continues inside the office below. Notice the mixing of wood types, and that the light switch is in the up position, meaning the lights are off.
Beyond the door is the en-suite bathroom, with the same tile treatments seen in the portico outside. The lights in here are much softer in shape, and are suspended from a very high twelve foot ceiling, with a skylight to brighten the room during the day. The manual hand-crank toilet is just beyond the door opening on the left.
Tobacco Company, Napier, NZ
Below we see the hand crank mechanism. Awesome!
Napier, NZ
Heading back outside, you can see through the lead crystal doors, the company's strangely shaped tobacco storage sheds, where the product was kept until it was loaded onto ships. Sheep skins were also stored here before export, because while the vertical skylights let in ambient sunlight, they did not dry out the two different products and ruin them via direct sunlight while they awaited export.
Napier, NZ
On a softer note, a Macro Subject
Below is a really neat idea for those who are constantly moving heavy picnic tables.
Bidding farewell to Napier, I snapped this shot of one of last year's lemons still hanging on the lemon tree outside the reception office. They also had a grapefruit tree there, but the fruit was still small and a very dark green--ready for harvest in September only. Drat!!
I'll try to get in two more entries tonight. Stay tuned!
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