Side Trips, part 1

Weekends give us a chance to take side trips                          

around New Zealand.  On Labour Day Weekend
 in mid-October, which kicks off their summer here,
we headed to Napier and Hawke's Bay on the east    

Vineyard in Hawke's Bay

 coast of the North Island.
 For you wine enthusiasts,
you know that many New Zealand
wines we have in the States come
 from this area.

Hawke's Bay and the city of Napier were also struck by a  devastating earthquake in 1931, killing hundreds.   The city decided to rebuild itself in the Art Deco style which was so popular at the time.

To this day, downtown Napier has a 1930s-40s art deco feel about it, stores are crammed with vintage clothing, and the city celebrates every February with a huge Art Deco Festival, attended by thousands from around the world.

Art deco buildings in Napier today

30's fashions for the ladies . . .

 . . . and for the men!

Shaking Things Up a Bit:

61 Molesworth St.

The Nov. 14 New Zealand earthquakes

Everyone knows now about the big earthquakes here 1 1/2 weeks ago (there were actually 2), and we have been in contact with many.  Thanks for your concern and prayers.  We are fine and so is the home we live in.  It was a roller coaster ride, for sure!  We still feel aftershocks. And the epicenters were in the South Island, where the quakes were much more severe.

So, a few lessons learned about the New Zealand version of rock n' roll . . .

1)  know what to do.  We Midwesterners are well-trained for tornadoes but not earthquakes.  We know now! (get in doorways and if really bad and no buildings are around, run outside)

2)  damage isn't always obvious.  To the naked eye, buildings may look fine but structural damage and interior destruction can be there and therefore unsafe to occupy.

3)  change of topography.  We're used to seeing fissures, landslides, collapsed buildings and crushed cars.  But seabeds lift, lakes form, terraces form, bays dry up, waterfalls are cut off - immediately!

           . . . after the earthquake, there was a call for volunteers to help return thousands of endangered abolone (shellfish) to the sea that had been left high and dry by lifting seabeds.  Concerns for seals as well.

As for Wellington

- it took 3 to 4 days for the city to be back to "normal."  Marlene had an "earthquake day" and didn't work on the 14th.

- 15 buildings or so are still cordoned off, some completely and others partially.  The ferries still aren't sailing.

- 61 Molesworth St., near Parliament (above) must be razed.  Others in that block near the harbor may be razed as well.

Organ pipes toppled at the Wellington Cathedral

Interior of the NZ Statistics Building collapsed

Quite the experience, to be sure!  Even the Kiwis are alarmed.  This was NOT a normal tremor or quaking that they're used to around here.

But on a lighter note . . .

***  Did you guess the extra point bonus question, translating NZ English to American English?  The sentence was "After tramping, I'll get a thin flat white."  In American English, it means "After hiking, I'll get a cup of coffee with low-fat foam on top."  My sister Emily came pretty close to guessing it completely!  She gets 5 extra points and can stay at our NZ home FOR FREE!!  :-)

Happy Thanksgiving!

But it does not exist here.  It's a true American holiday that we'll miss dearly.  Kiwis know we have it, but that's it.  They don't understand the turkey & stuffing tradition, football, family and Black Friday.

Just as well.  I priced a 15 lb. turkey here at about $65 US!  No canned pumpkin either, but Marlene found one online for about $5 US.  Ouch!!

 Kiwis Reaction to the U.S. Presidential Election

Pictures are from the headlines and the World section of the Nov. 10, 2016 edition of the Dominion Post, New Zealand's leading national newspaper.

Fascinating to talk with the Kiwis about our recent presidential election.  The reaction I've observed from them so far includes 1)  a more than passing interest and surprise at Trump's win, 2)  a concern how this will affect them in New Zealand and 3)  actual sympathy for Clinton supporters.  There were a few that liked Trump's nomination, simply because it breaks up the norm.

An overall sentiment I'm seeing is that this will be a real test of the U.S. democracy, but the expectation is that the U.S. will eventually be OK.

Below are reactions in today's newspaper from various New Zealand officials. (there are 2 major political parties here, the Labour and National.  Others include the Green, Maori and ACT parties)

"The American people have spoken and I congratulate Mr. Trump on his victory after a long campaign."  NZ Prime Minister John Key

"The relationship with USA goes beyond any individual in the office. . . It's too early to tell what impact this will mean for NZ. . . it's important we understand what it means in terms of the sense of disenfranchisement and dissatisfaction there is in the American electorate."  Labour Party leader Andrew Little 

"I couldn't think of a worse president.  Trump has demonstrated he's a pathological liar so regardless of what he said during the election campaign we don't know what he'll do."  Green Party co-leader James Shaw

"Kiwis would have to expect a different world economy under a Trump presidency.  New Zealand is so dependent on international trade that anything a Trump presidency did to slow world trade would have an impact on New Zealand."  Former Prime Minister and former NZ ambassador to the US Jim Bolger

"It's very worrying when we're a small, open trading nation and the American people have effectively voted against free trade - that's hugely concerning."  ACT Party leader David Seymour

"The lack of policy discussion probably was a little disappointing."  US Ambassador to NZ Mark Gilbert

"I don't think it will have much bearing on the situation in New Zealand because we're a very small democracy where there's still a high degree of participation."  Green Party official Julie Anne Genter

"We have in New Zealand pockets of society that do not see Maori (the largest minority in NZ) as deserving of equal rights, who have certain views that are akin to those of the Trump supporters, and this will embolden them and embolden politicians who want to tap into that sentiment.  We don't need that here."  Former US intelligence adviser Paul Buchanan

"We may not approve of it, but it may actually restore a bit of faith in America that things aren't all predetermined."  National Party pollster David Farrar