NZ15 Nelson
The
Hotel we are staying in is very nice. There is plenty of parking and the
breakfast is very good. It’s an easy walk to the town center. It’s a good spot.
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| Entertainment While We're Shopping |
We
read that the market is the main attraction each Saturday, and yes, we are here
on a Saturday. Yahoo! Some folks went
riding on our day off; Carol and I took the day to just explore a bit of
Nelson. I am convinced there is some good stuff around I just have to find it.
Nelson
is a town for retirees, it has wonderful weather most of the year and NZlanders
take full advantage of the artists who live here, of the many
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| Beautiful Hand-Made Bows |
different foods
offered and a “joy de vivre” lifestyle.
Naturally we went to the craft market,
walked the more than 200 plus stalls, had a snack, ambled here, ambled there.
It was delightful. A protest march wound itself around the square, shouting out
their message: “stop the climate breakdown”. Hmmm!
Nobody said exactly how to do that, though!
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| Yes, We Got Some Cheese |
There were no cars allowed
on the market square, it was a walking-only area. The artists who performed or
the ones who were more hands on and created something, were indeed very good.
There were some good ideas and Carol even bought something. Some kind of food wrapping
paper that you can wash and use over and over again, she gave it as a gift for each
of her daughters-in-law. They loved it too; and I? Well I saw a wooden heart
that was carved with Maori symbols made out of rescued wood after the last
great Earthquake in Christchurch. We made and bought memories!
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| Highly Decorated Gourds |
We
walked through the streets and came upon the jewelry store of Jens Hansen. Many of you know about
this guy even though you might not realize it. Jens was the creator of “THE” Ring
used in the series ‘Lord of the Rings’. Ah, I see you know Jens now! You can buy a copy on line if you like. No, we did not buy a copy
at the store, it was tempting, but
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| The Ring - $1690 |
they had other, nice stuff, too, none of
which we could afford.
We
wandered around town, listened to street musicians, sat for a cup of coffee and
the world around was a fine world. Now, that is my kind of exploring, you ride
somewhere, then explore a city or the neighborhood, then… you ride on to the
next spot. I am no longer really pushing
myself to do the distance in a certain amount of time. I am slower now, so take
my riding criticism with that in view. I like to take my time when riding, like
to stop often, see different things and all kinds of life around me. It
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| "Climate Change = Mass Murder" |
does
not matter what it is that I visit or what I see, but I just don’t need to be
the first one there. I guess I show my age?
We
had lunch at the market, watching the protesters.
We
had dinner at a seafood restaurant at an outside café and a group of young
folks performed an impromptu performance in brightly colored outfits.
Delightful, quirky, funny!
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| Great Fish Dinner |
Nelson
is known for seafood and it shows in the way the restaurants prepare it, serve
it and how wonderful it tastes.
I
had a good time in Nelson.
