On the drive to Napier, there were thousands of small white butterflies around. We think it must have been hatching day for them as they certainly weren’t around yesterday. Loads got squashed on the windscreen, but, as they don’t live very long anyway, I doubt if the numbers would have made much difference
Also on the way in, we saw the best examples we’ve seen so far of the Maori description of NZ – Aotearoa, land of the long white cloud. They’re long horizontal flat bottomed clouds and stretch for miles. We certainly don’t get the same formation of clouds in UK – very pretty.
We’d found a good car park yesterday (free on Saturdays) within walking distance of the festivities, and although it had said that it was closed on Sundays, we thought it was worth a try and bingo! it was open (and free again) and we got one of the last few slots. The sky was clear blue and it was already hot, so we slapped on the high factor sun cream and hats and off we went. They were running soap box derbies down the main street (Emerson),
so we watched a few then we moved on to look at even more old cars – I would never have guessed that there were so many here. There were 324 in the parade yesterday (which we missed) and I think they were all there again today – we just kept seeing more and more, all along the Marine Parade, down on the edges of the beach and driving around too.
There was even one that had survived the earthquake They were all gleaming and looking showroom fresh. I don’t think we photographed them all (!!) but so many were attractive that we did quite a lot.
Some of their number plates were great too. Even more people seemed to be dressed up today too and there were some fantastic outfits.At 12.00, the Veronica Bell Parade began.
This is a ceremony to remember the earthquake of 1931, and to give thanks to the crew of the Veronica. She was a Royal NZ Navy ship berthed in Napier harbour at the time of the earthquake and was able to send news out via Morse code and requests for help. The crew supported the locals by ransacking the town to find usable stores and supplies, gave first aid where they could and helped them set up temporary accommodation. When she was decommissioned in 1937, the ship’s bell was gifted to the town and is rung every year to remember the tragedy but also to commemorate the rebuilding.
A recording of the Morse message was played, the band of the Royal NZ Navy played, and a squad of Sea Cadets fired a volley of shots. There was a flyover,
the Dean of the cathedral read prayers, a senior naval officer gave a short speech, the mayor rang the Veronica bell, the band played the Navy hymn, a bugler sounded the Last Post and we had a short silence. It was all very moving.At 2.00pm, there was a 15min flying display – we’re not sure who it was by, as the programme listed 3 different units and only one actually did the display!
While it was going on, there was the Great Gatsby picnic carrying on along the seafront. People had been erecting gazebos and picnic tables since 6.00am, and there were loads of them! The effort that many of them had made was amazing.
Their areas had been decorated with wind-up gramophones, art deco tea trolleys, even a Clarence Cliff full tea service on one, tiered cake stands and all the paraphernalia of the ‘30’s. Elegant ladies and gents were parading around being photographed by everyone (us included),
there were people on stilts, a penny-farthing bicycle, several old prams and all sorts of things too numerous to mention. A jazz band played on the main stage and a barbershop group were performing around the place. It was an exceptional day which we have both enjoyed immensely – a high spot of our tour.We left before watching the Veronica bell being marched to the cathedral as we were hot and tired and had to check into our next motel in Clive, 10km from Napier. It’s another very good motel, our unit is less than 2yr old with a king size bed and a spa bath – which Tom has already sampled! Having unpacked, we needed somewhere to have dinner. There is a restaurant which is part of the motel and hotel complex, but we had a quick look at the prices and the decision NOT to eat there was a very easy one! The fish and chip shop, which we’d been told was just around the corner, was closed, and there was nothing else in sight so we drove 8km into Hastings. We had a walk through the town, which was also damaged in the earthquake. It was rebuilt partly in Art Deco, but also in Spanish Mission style which is very hacienda-like. It hasn’t got the “oomph” or Wow factor of Napier, but is very tidy and clean, like all of the places we’ve visited. It was very quiet as it was Sunday evening but there was a choice of eating places and we had a satisfactory meal.
Tom is just sorting out today’s photos as I write this and I still have to unpack. We’re here for 2 nights so we hope the king size bed is as comfortable as it looks.
Night, night to you all.
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