On To Napier

In view of our interest in Art Deco, the next stop was Napier, up on the east coast, which bills itself as the Art Deco capital of the world. In 1931, a 7.8 earthquake killed 200, leveled the town, and the ensuing fire finished off anything that was not already destroyed. In a matter of seconds, the wetlands below the town rose 2 meters, the harbor drained, and it was all a changed place. The people of Napier vowed to rebuild, and, with national assistance, there was a completely new Napier by 1933, very much of it built in the prevailing Art Deco style. Napier's fortunes waned over the next decades, and there was never enough money nor interest to tear down the old Depression-era structures. Lucky for us! But there was far more to like about Napier than just its well-preserved architecture.

On the way out of Welly, on the west coast, Kapiti Island

Along the way, in Woodville, more Art Deco, and more
interesting collectibles shops

In Napier, another place that adorns its
boulevards with Norfolk Island Pines

Napier has two big beaches, this one, beyond the port,
swimmable; the other, the long sweep of Hawkes Bay,
definitely not for swimming (later post)

Next morning, we're exploring Napier's downtown streets

The old buildings now are prized and very well cared-for

Central square; we visited the Saturday farmers' market
adjoining it

The whole place reminded us of old Miami, specifically
Miracle Mile in Coral Gables, before the high-rises...

Every now and then, you look up, and there is a memorable
quote on the wall of some building

The streets are named after authors

And Art Deco is everywhere

Thus