Very cool. Well, actually, kinda warm, which was nice.
Very old, but with enough of a youth population to keep in this century.
Good quality museums and art gallery. Though you'd be forgiven for thinking that local Maori didn't exist, most of their Tangata Whenua collection coming from the North Island.
Fantastic and bizzarre architecture, including a prison, barracks and courthouse, two of which are still in use. Properly Victorian driveways. A smattering of odd modernist buildings.
In its own way, as strongly impacted by the gold rush as Napier and Hastings have been by the earthquake.
I also discovered that my great, great grandmother was a "good conversationalist" and her two eldest sons had a lot of pictures taken of them.
And one of the most beautiful pieces of sculpture I've ever seen. Rangi and Papa (before Tane got in the way). Utterly peaceful, utterly absorbed in each other, almost eternal. Perfectly balanced. Lively, warm and human. It stikes me how seldom I've seen art about happiness in relationships that doesn't depict dramatic passion or mother/fatherhood.
Posted by carla at December 2, 2003 08:36 PM