Day 3 - Rain!

Friday – Auckland

Its misty rain and cold and they are expecting it to last all week…. poo…

So we spent today in galleries and museums.

 

Below is an exert from Colin McCahon’s ‘Northland Panels” (1958)

Beautiful Building – lovely timber (kauri pine?) and the floor was full of shell fossils.

The children above are busy with white Lego.

World Building of the Year 2013–2014

Auckland Art Gallery was awarded World Building of the Year at the recent World Architecture Festival (WAF) in Singapore. The accolade follows respective category wins in 'Completed Buildings - Culture' at WAF and 'Culture' category win for interior design at the INSIDE Festival - a partner event to the WAF. Congratulations to architects FJMT + Archimedia!

 

I played a game of spot the dog. (pointing out all the dogs in different art works)! lots of ‘Ruby’ dogs ( border Collie cross very popular in rural England and Scotland in the 1800’s), but I did spot Maya with the lady below….

 

NEXT – off to the Auckland Museum after negotiating the public bus system.

This is also their War memorial.

Some Maori stuff and a huge war canoe. 

 

Above: this fellow is  laid back and relaxed on the bow of the war canoe.

This museum has been renovated and very modern in some parts

On the top floor is the War Memorial,

and, a plane, a Spitfire, (also a Zero) they had to insert into the building and then build the building around it!

Tonight's dinner, pizza in the bar at the Pullman.

Day 2 - Kia ora

Thursday - Auckland

 

Our first full day in Auckland, and as they are predicting rain for the rest of the week, we thought we would take the opportunity for a ferry ride to Devonport while the weather held.

Devonport is a 12 minute ferry ride from the city. Very beautiful, but very expensive houses. Mostly timber ,, kauri pine with beautiful fretwork.

We took a little bus tour around the island, that dropped us off for short stop at North Head. This was a military base, starting from when they were trying to stop the Russians invading.

 

While we were there the Para gliders arrived trying to shoot the thermals.

Here I am below enjoying the sun and the view. (I forgot my sunnies and had to buy these groovy cheap ones at the chemist)

 

 

And,,, Grahams found a gun…

 

 

These hills are all extinct volcanos.

Devonport used to be an island, but they demolished one of the volcanos to use to reclaim the sea to make a link to the mainland.

The best views are from flagstaff signal station at Mount Victoria.

The signal station use to fly flags to show when the Clippers had arrived. That's why so many houses in Devonport and Auckland have observation towers, so the locals knew when it was time to go and meet the ship at the docks.

 

 

Oh and most excitedly I stumbled upon the “Best patchwork shop in NZ”,

Cushla’s Village fabrics,, I’ve even read about them!

I had to go in and I DID spend some money.

 

 

And guess what … the Pullman Hotel is also on top of an old volcano, which explains its steepness!!!

We got a taxi the kilometre up the hill tonight!(only cost $5)

 

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AND… poo poo poo – I can’t access my blog account on this laptop!!!!

I’m not sure why, I should have checked it was all okay before we left… sigh…

Anyway, I’ll continue to write drafts and have one big upload when I get home…

Day 1 - Across the Ditch

Wednesday – Armidale to Auckland

We off on holiday, after a stressful few months.

Spending a couple of weeks away, mostly in New Zealand.

A 6.30am flight from Armidale, then transfer in Sydney after clearing security.

Graham got to have a full body scan, but I got bomb tested… again.

And had to take off jacket, boots and jewellery to get through the metal detector.

 

Its always a good feeling to actually see your suitcases go onto the plane.

Mines the fat red & black one on the top!

 

We arrived in Auckland this afternoon and are staying at the Pullman Hotel.

Lovely place but we didn’t realise that it is on the top of a hill.

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We walked into downtown tonight to find dinner.

We ended up at a restaurant near the Maritime Museum called the Foodstore,

celebrating the uniqueness of New Zealand's food and wine.

 

 

Based at Auckland's Viaduct Harbour, is New Zealand's first unique live food entertainment experience. With the country's only true "open" and "interactive" kitchen you will get up close and personal with NZ's best chefs as they create their culinary magic.

At THE FOODSTORE you will experience creative menus using fresh,natural and organic New Zealand produce from local farmers with a focus on sustainability and the humane treatment of animals, genuine hospitality and whether you just pop in for a drink, a casual bite or a leisurely dinner the experience will always be memorable and more than anything, entertaining!

 

The walk back was very steep.

Review note:- This luxury hotel looks close to town on a map, but unless your young and fit, don’t expect you can walk to town and back.

We can just see the harbour between buildings from our room.

Cot Quilt– I spy in Orange

 

Here is my latest finished quilt.

A very bright orange quilt for a new baby girl called Violet.

Using lots of fabrics from my stash – with a bright orange hand dye fabric.

A free digital slideshow by Smilebox

lightning ridge - part 2

Day four- lightning ridge – Grawin & glengarry  opal fields

Here we are again for the second part of out Lightening Ridge trip with the car club.

 

Day four we are all off in the bus for a tour of the black opal fields, Glengarry & Grawin.

We stopped for morning tea at the war memorial and museum.

This is truly a community in the middle of nowhere. And the locals  must be very special people to live in such isolation. OR, in my opinion, more often they have a very special reason for wanting to isolate THEMSELVES from the rest of society.

Anyway the memorial is on Anzac parade. They also have Parramatta rd.

 

 

Then we made an attempt at a bit of fossicking. Without any success.

 

Lunch was at the Club in the Scrub. (the opal miners club). Where I could have easily picked up a new bloke if I had the inclination!!

 

Many of the cars aren't registered, they only drive them around the opal fields and not into town. Although it seems to be the final resting place of lots of all bangers, old double decker buses and trams

Below, is the club entry.

On our way back to the Ridge we stopped to admire Stanley. He is a relatively new piece of artwork on the highway. Made out of lots of old bits. You can work out his size if you can spot the VW car making up his body.

Made by local artist John Murray.

 

That evening we went to a show called the Black Queen.

 

I was expecting a bit of bush poetry or something. But this was wonderful and I would recommended it to anyone visiting the Ridge.

 

Legacy & Light… It all took place in the artists house, Gale Collins. The house was mostly made of bottles.

Gale acted her way through the story of the lady called Joan, who built the house  it. The hardships of living in such isolation and although it sounds strange it was very well done,  spellbinding, and really moving.

From the website:-

“Joan hand-built the Black Queen within 9 years (1979-1988), crafting 34 feature walls out of 14,000 colourful glass bottles. She decided to share her art with the world and was still conducting tours of the building at the ripe old age of 84.

Roger and Gale were visiting Lightning Ridge in 2004 when they fell passionately in love with the Black Queen and made Joan an offer she couldn’t refuse. Since then, the Black Queen has become a ‘theatre of light’ offering daily performances of a mesmerising 3–act play to spellbound audiences”.

Act 3 was all about Light. The artists have a museum of the most wonderful oil lamps, they even let you hold lamps that are 1000 years old.

(Some of below photos I borrowed… Mine are the ones with the watermark).

For more Information on The Black Queen click below  link.

Link to the Black Queen Website

 

 

 

It was absolutely beautiful, the glow from the lamps and this was my favourite thing we did at Lightening Ridge. Graham even bought me a little lamp in the gift shop!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

day  five – lightning ridge to Narrabri

 

 

On our way towards home today.

Before leaving the ridge we stopped at the John Murray Art Gallery where I bought some prints.

Above: This  is one of the prints I bought. If you are interested in John Murrays work (which includes a very disturbing picture of Tony Abbott featuring budgies – I didn’t buy that one) CLICK HERE for his website.

 

Morning tea was at Walgett. Here we are being dwarfed by a cotton truck.

 

We stopped for lunch in Barwon Junction. Where we gave the poor proprietor of this shop more customers than he had had in a week. 

Overnight was in Narrabri.

last day – Day 6 – Narrabri to home

Morning tea was in Gunnedah where we said our goodbyes and all went our own way home.

Great trip – Thanks to Gary and Robyn for all the organising.

I’ll put a smile box on the blog with all the photos so others can pinch them.