Sunday, 2 September 2012

Weekend wanderings - New Plymouth


In the 8 weeks Michael is absent I allow myself 2 Sundays off.  We decide that our first weekend away (back in July) is to be in New Plymouth: it’s on the west coast, about 2/3 down north island – the left fin of the 'flounder', if you look at the map.  The small circle shown below is Mount Taranaki. 


Roy has been invited to attend the opening of an exhibition at the Govett-Brewster art gallery in the centre of town.  As ever we can mix business with pleasure.

It’s a long drive to New Plymouth – 4.5 hours or so – through beautiful scenic and occasionally rugged countryside reminiscent of both Scotland and the Lake District, once we get past Otorohanga that is, (about half way). The road weaves through gorges and mountains, cows clinging precariously to steep pastures.  Eventually we are in sight of the Tasman Sea, dark grey volcanic sand a noticeable feature along the beaches.

It’s windy, grey, and threatening rain when we arrive. This is a real pity, for New Plymouth nestles at the foot of the spectacular Mount Taranaki, which remains shrouded in heavy rain clouds throughout our stay. Nothing daunted we park and explore the town: it doesn’t take long.  But there is a good museum to be investigated - Puke Ariki (literally, ‘the chief’s/king’s hill’, though here it means ‘the place of leaders’), opened in 2003 - as well as a garrison church to wander around, and a piece of modern art to gaze at, curiously…..

[The new Puke Ariki building cleverly incorporates museum, library and visitor information centre]

[The original St Mary's church was opened in 1846; it became associated with 
British troops during the Land Wars of 1860-1880; 
for this reason many Maori refuse to enter even now.
You can just make out regimental flags and emblems on the walls.
It was consecrated as Taranaki Cathedral Church of St Mary in 2010]

[This is Len Lye's Wind Wand, a 'tangible motion structure' standing 45m high;
the red glass fibre tube is 200mm in diameter, and the head can bend up to 20m. 
It weighs a staggering 900kg, and has a red light at the top, 
that dances in the breeze....]

[Thought you might enjoy the colour of the sky.  This is where we parked our car.  
The sea is behind us and Puke Ariki to the left.]

That’s enough to keep us going for our first day, and we repair to our self-catered suite on a nearby hillside just on the edge of town, next to a field of cows.  It’s cold so we’re delighted to have a woodburner in our sitting room that even faces into our bedroom!  And a bath.  Joy of joys.

We awake to heavy rain.  Time for a leisurely cooked breakfast before our drive up the mountainside.  Mt Taranaki, or Egmont as it was originally named by the English, is big – 2518m big, to be precise.  It’s a volcano that has erupted and collapsed no fewer than 3 times; the last major eruption was around 350 years ago.  It remains very much active, though quietly so during our stay, thankfully.  [It is also the backdrop to the first Witi Ihimaera novel I read in January, The Parihaka Woman, the moving story of a gross injustice (one of many) suffered by Maori at the hands of British troops.  I have since read another 4 of Ihimaera’s books, and last Tuesday had the great fortune to sit next to him at a literary dinner :) ]

There are only 3 roads up the mountain, all on the east side.  We take the lowest one, Manaia Road, and wind our way up through native forest eventually emerging at the visitor centre, about 10 mins walk from Dawson Falls.  The rain cascades down the path and we are soon soaked but determined to see the Falls.  They are not particularly impressive, but nonetheless we feel pleased to have bothered.  And decide to buy waterproof trousers before our next weekend foray….

[Dawson Falls, named after Thomas Dawson, 
the first European to stumble across them.]

[Had to include this - if you look very carefully you can just make out the mountain
 in the rainy misty background....]

A quick visit to the new Rewa Rewa bridge to the north of New Plymouth, part of the extension to the coastal walkway that has transformed the pedestrian experience along the foreshore; then to view the Paritutu rock to the south (very sadly the scene of 3 lives lost a few weeks later), before heading home to wash and brush up before our evening at the art gallery.  

[The Rewa Rewa bridge the day we saw it]

[Not my photo! Taken by Ewen Cameron, botany curator at the Auckland War Memorial Museum.
The bridge, only the week before we arrive, Mount Taranaki clearly visible.]

The highlight of the new exhibition at the Govett Brewster is a large room full of old Singer sewing machines (all loaned by local NZ families) draped in national flags: it's called Nations, work of the artist N S Harsha.  This particular work was last seen by Roy in the Iniva gallery in London: he says it works better here.

[Nations, countries united by threads (not clearly visible), but striking to see.
We are all inextricably linked by our humanity.]

The following morning it continues to rain, copiously.  We pack up and leave, and then make the long journey back to Auckland, through the driving rain. 

Mount Taranaki will have to wait to have a proper introduction. So Haare Williams tells us; he is our kaumatua (wise and holy man) at the museum.  We have had a great break from the weekly rhythm of our lives, but it is time to return...

Next time - Northland :)

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