A little Sunday jaunt

On a cool, overcast and blustery day a drive down country seemed like a good idea. First stop Ophir - well the bridge.
Of course someone had to take a few shots at the sign


My colonial forebears introduced a lot of animals and plants - hollyhocks were probably one of their better choices

but the rabbits were definitely not.
I'm guessing but this is probably an old miner's cottage. In the late 1800's gold mining was the main activity in this area.


The railway line in now defunct and has been ripped up - and in its place is the Rail Trail - where cyclists can ride for a few days without the hassle of cars
We drove down the Ida Valley to Oturehua for lunch - this was our hot chocolate and coffee.
Great lunch too. 'Ida Valley Kitchen' if you're in the area. Highly recommended.
After Korea the skies seem so big
There are a few decorated fences in rural areas - some with shoes. But this was bicycles!
The Rapid Numbers are a rural address system - especially for emergency services so the place can be found easily.

And on the way back a quick stop in Clyde - another relic from mining days

And more recently they built the Clyde Dam - the lake (Dunstan Lake)extends miles/kilometres back up the valley to where I am. The wind was particularly blustery and really whipping up the water over the spillway

Central Otago bliss

I am now in Central Otago staying with my sister for a few weeks until my house becomes free.

It's good timing because summer in Central is a lot warmer and sunnier than Dunedin.

And there is the added bonus of Jethro and Abby - Jethro is pictured below

Every morning my sister goes for a brisk walk up a nearby hill, through a vineyard.

I pretended to stop to take these pictures but really it was because I couldn't keep up with her.

Still it is a lovely early morning vista.

And this is looking back to where I am staying on the shores of Lake Dunstan - a lake formed by the huge Clyde Dam down the valley.

Back in Godzone (New Zealand) I spent the first few days in Christchurch with my cousin.

The big earthquake last September was followed by many, many aftershocks that are still occurring. There was a particularly nasty one on Dec 26 that caused fresh damage.

The building below once had a turret....

.....now it's on the footpath waiting patiently.

My cousin had got married in this church a few years back.

This damage is probably from the December 26 aftershock.

Other...

Here is the night view from The Peak

and a shot I took at the Post Office today

Lamma Island

Lamma Island is the third largest island - another 30-40 minute ferry trip and a pleasant day of walking from one end to the other.

These pots are funerary/burial but don't ask me what goes where.
It wasn't as sunny as my last island trip but still very pleasant. It's off season so most places were shut up for winter.

Hong Kong's coal-fired power station - might explain some of the 'haze'

Some garden aids -

shrimp shells
scary doll
and even just the drawing being used to scare birds.

At the ferry terminal - obviously a lot of the locals commute. We saw a lot of children coming back from school on the ferry also.

Happy New Year

My friend Erin arrived from Sydney on New Years Eve - so we celebrated with s bottle of bubbles. And then next day we visited Stanley Market...

and next day another one in town that went from antiques to Chinese memorabilia

Some local scenes

our lunch

and another derelict building