Napier - an Art Deco town

There is even an Art Deco McDonalds! Napier, originally uploaded by Frickley.

Today we spent the morning exploring the pretty town of Napier, based along Hawke Bay on the South-East coast of the North Island. A massive earthquake and subsequent fire in 1931 resulted in the destruction of most of Napier's buildings. Two years of reconstruction from 1931-33 meant that the majority of the town's buildings date from the peak years of the Art Deco period. We took a scenic tour to see the highlights - the Marine Parade, the National Tobacco Company (home to the most ornate and photographed Art Deco building in the town) and two wineries. We also saw an unusual sculpture known as the 'Millenium Sculpture' marking the fact that Napier was the first city in the world to welcome in the dawn of the new millenium.

This afternoon, I had booked another dolphin swimming activity, following the disappointment in the Bay of Islands. I was to swim with them at the local MarineLand attraction - being in a swimming pool, surely I was going to get a good experience? We arrived only to find they had booked me in for tomorrow (what is it with these Kiwi's getting their dates wrong?!?). Unfortunately we will be heading off early tomorrow to do the long drive to Wellington. It looks like the dolphin swimming experience has evaded me once again! :(