Sky Scrapers in Nelson?

A shout-out to Karen and Hubbie in England. Hello!!!

We were heading for breakfast at the Saltwater with the van Gessels, and we saw these... things ahead of us. We hadn't heard of a sky scraper in Nelson, and the port would be the last place we'd expect it, and we didn't know of any bumgy or circus gigs, either.

Young Joe van Gessel told us it's an "oil rig", of the prospecting-in-the-deep-sea kind. Dad Herman said the West Coast of the middle part of New Zealand (roughly from Taranaki to around here??) has prospects.

So, no high rise yet. Good. Because we are on a fault line.

Fun to be engaged in a drive-by-shooting once again, though.

New Sculpture...

It was taken in same time as previous shot. I haven't got any detail/information about this, well just yet.

Practice at Night

Well, it just about 6pm.

Peeling Away

Beginning of the winter season.

Naked Bus

A few years ago, there was a web design company in town named Naked-something, (we can't remember what it was called!!) And we found this out because they were immediately after Nakagawa in the Nelson phone book, and yeah, we got a few calls. I didn't like this because from the name of the company alone, you couldn't tell it was a ... legit business, and some of the calls were, shall we say, iffy. They've changed their name since.

So yesterday, walking though the Information Centre car park, guess what I saw? I don't know if these folks are based in Nelson, but it was icy cold yesterday and I couldn't help laughing.

There are a lot of privately-owned shuttle bus companies traveling to/from Picton (where the ferry from the North Island arrives), Blenheim, Christchurch on the East Coast, and some, I think, to Murchison and the possibly the West Coast. (It's been a while since I worked in the travel industry). The comfort level of the shuttles depend on the vehicle and the exact seat you sit upon, but the fares tend to be cheaper than the bigger bus, and are popular among young people and locals.

If you need to be dropped off, for example, at someone's farm gate on the main road, shuttle drivers can be very accommodating.

Autumn Leaves

Beautiful bright red ones.

Home Sweet Home

As He-Who-Cannot-Be-Rushed was taking loads of sunset shots last Sunday, I was longingly looking homeward, because we were only one-third of the way into the airport walk, and the sun was definitely setting, and the walkway isn't lit and sometimes not so smooth.

Lovey also said he'd like to go there on a freezing cold morning and shoot the snow-capped Takaka Hills this winter; you're on your own there, mate.

Freedom of Expression...

Well, this cute little car have an eye catching advert on. Not sure how big the RateEm community is but seems to be interesting to watch.

PS. Sorry but I couldn't pass without taking photo because of the little thing attached to the wiper blade... I didn't check it closer but I hope that is not the parking ticket.

Long Beautiful Autumn

It's been a long and beautiful autumn this year. Our liquid amber tree has from pale yellow and minty green to deep dark red leaves just now, but this year, not as many purple ones, my favorite. I know the colors differ from year to year, and I'd imagine it has to do with moisture and temperature and such, but the tree looks so "red" this year.

A year or so ago, I heard on a radio interview that a Canadian (?) scientist discovered leaves don't fall on their accord, that the tree let go of the leaves as it prepares for winter. Kind of like parents letting go of children, no?

More autumnal pics.

Bye Bye Zest

Nancy told me Zest was on the market. Baby Zest on Bridge Street, mentioned in my first ever Not a Woman post, had closed about a month ago.

I arranged to meet Kath at the Big Zest on Church Street on Monday so we can have one more coffee, (tea in Kath's case) there before they closed, and, darn, darn darn, we were too late.

So, thank you, Cherie, and all the staff, especially Miriam (sp?) who used to manage the Bridge Street cafe. I really enjoyed the peculiarly healthy lunches and mind-blowing cake selection, as well as the deli/shop section of Zest, as did many of my friends who assumed we would be meeting at Zest anyway. I never posted the cake selection, because I was always too busy deciding.

Come to think of it, both Nancy and Kath met me for the first time at Baby Zest. Good times.

Few Minutes Later, Few Steps Away...

You can see this in a B&W.

Sunset

A sunset, view from the walkway.

Operational Area

Large locked gate into the Airport field. "A trespassers are liable to removal and prosecution".

Recreational Walkway

This is a exciting part of the recreational walkway around our Nelson Airport. We do not have a jet, only turbo prop, but when the commercial airliner's turn, there will be little but more thrill. It's perfectly safe, by the way.