Winning Fish Shop

 I was over in Kaikohe yesterday for a look around, although we have driven through this town many times I've never actually stopped so while I took quite a few street photos this one stands out to me because the sign for the barber's shop was right next door to a sign that says "fresh smoked fish" - 2 very different things.

Linking up with Weekend Reflections and The Weekend Roundup.

Over the hills and far away...

On Tuesday B invited me to go with him to work as the jobs he had were about 90 minutes away. His job means that he fixes peoples phone lines and internet problems so we drove out through Kaikohe, Taheke, Opononi and Omapere to end up in Waimamaku. This is a lookout spot we stopped at in Pakanae that allowed us to see over some of the Hokianga coastline.

 Linking up with Skywatch Friday.

Moby Dick?

 This unusual sculpture of a Whale is something I saw down an alleyway in Paihia recently.  All I can think of is that it's something to do with the historical whaling history of this region, but on the wall behind it there are signs for a Swordfish Club so maybe that has something to do with it. 

Linking up with Our World Tuesday, Tuesday Treasures, Through my lens, My corner of the world, Wordless Wednesday.

An underwater world

 I spotted these murals behind a gated area in Kawakawa last year, all I could see was an underwater world full of sea creatures and oceans, I have tried to find out who the artist is or what it was about but sadly there is nothing.  The area looks like it was once used for a specific purpose but what that was I have no idea...

Linking up with Mural Monday.

Paihia Wharf - Pai here

Only a small portion of Paihia wharf but interestingly when I looked up the history here's what I found:

The origin of the name "Paihia" is unclear. A popular attribution, most likely apocryphal, is that when Reverend Henry Williams first arrived in the Bay of Islands searching for a location for his mission station, he told his Māori guide, "Pai here," meaning "Good here," as his Māori vocabulary was limited.

The town has evolved over the last nearly 200 years, from here to Russell it was known as the "hell hole of the Pacific" but now it is a popular tourist destination with many residents living here as well as restaurants, bars, shops, b & bs, hotels etc. 

This photo was taken last weekend but since then we have had 3 new positive cases of Covid turn up in Auckland which in turn lead to the city going into level 3 lockdown for 3 days with the rest of the country into level 2 (we are currently in level 1). Since then there have been no other cases and so everyone has now moved back to the levels they were previously on with the alert being taken off. 

It seems Summer is nearly at an end with cooler temperatures and nicer nights, I'm looking forward to Autumn.

Linking up with Skywatch Friday, The Weekend Roundup and Weekend Reflections.

Brunch at King Wah's

Last weekend in our quest to try new places to eat at we decided to give "King Wah's Buffet Restaurant" in Paihia a go. Nice outdoor courtyard area in the shade was a blessing from the Summer heat.
 

B ordered some battered oysters which to me is almost like sacrilege as I am a huge seafood fan and to me oysters are best raw with some lemon juice drizzled on them but each to their own I guess. I ordered a shrimp cocktail with pickled seaweed and coleslaw on the side - soooo good!

Linking up with Our World Tuesday, Tuesday Treasures, My Corner of the World and Wordless Wednesday.

Fishing for compliments

 Another mural from Paihia this week and one I spotted on a bench seat outside a shop. Not sure who painted it but I'd say it's probably part of the "Focus Paihia" campaign. Pretty and unusual isn't it?

Linking up with Mural Monday.

Postbox tunnel

This interested me, my daughter and I were walking back this alleyway in Paihia recently next to the post office and along the walls are hundreds of postboxes that people rent to receive their mail.

I had to snap quickly because there was a man coming through the door at the end but the eye view and concept got my attention.

Linking up with The Weekend Roundup and Weekend Reflections.

Moerewa Meanderings

The main street of Moerewa, a service town for the surrounding farming industry in between Kawakawa and Kerikeri. It's main industry though is the local freezing works AFFCO but during the economic slump of the 1980s many of the town's other industries were badly affected and unemployment soared leading to the town's population falling. In 2018 the last census recorded that there were 1632 people living there with 90% Maori, 22% Pakeha, 6% Pacifica, 1% Asian.

See that red car on the right? That is our road patrol section of national Police cars, they are the people who drive along the highways looking out for accidents and speeding vehicles.

Linking up with Skywatch Friday and Timeless Thursdays.

Waitangi Day 2021

February 6th was our national Waitangi Day. Now if you're not familiar with this day it basically commemorates the day that a treaty was signed between the British and Maori tribes of New Zealand. When I was growing up at school I remember being taught a very clean version of the events that happened, it wasn't  until we moved up to the far north region that we started to find out that there was alot more to learn that we didn't know.

Last time we were at Waitangi was with my parents just after Christmas Day and while we were waiting to enter the meeting house the performance crew was having photos taken with visitors/tourist/kiwis etc, I was able to get this shot. 

This is our prime minister Jacinda Arden speaking on the Waitangi morning where she and other ministers served breakfast to the people before attending a hui.

And if you want to know more about our Waitangi Day, the clip above is a good representation of the events that transpired on the 6th February 1840.

Linking up with Our World Tuesday, Through my lens, Tuesday Treasures, My Corner of the World, Wordless Wednesday.

Art on a Moerewa door

 My youngest son and I only usually drive our cars around our town so once in a while we take one of them for a blast out of town. Last week we drove to the town of Moerewa in his car, about 30 minutes away so I could take photos of the murals they have around town.

Without knowing who painted it, this mural sits on the outside of a garage door covering one of the local shops and symbolizes Cape Reinga, a mountain, kiwis, birds, waves and I think lizards. It's very reminiscent of Maori artwork.

Linking up with Mural Monday.

Just for the birds

 Another one of our beach treks revealed this very family friendly coastline up in Karikari. Tokerau Beach is within the peninsula and is home to 2 Maraes consisting of Ngati Kahu hapu and Ngati Tara Ki Werowero.

Recently in mid January there was a shark scare there where a Bronze Whaler came right up into the shallows. One the day we were there we saw mostly lots of seagulls, see that big gull on the bottom right? He is a Southern Black Backed Gull also named Karoro but he is an adolescent bird rather than an adult. 

Linking up with Skywatch Friday, Weekend Reflections and The Weekend Roundup.

Visiting Maitai Beach

 Yesterday B and I were out on a tiki tour up the Karikari Peninsula which is a good 90 minutes from home. Such a hot Summer's day, I should've taken some walking shoes to protect my feet from the heat of the golden sand but instead I had my jandals on and those really didn't do my feet any justice but they are comfortable. 

One of the places we stopped at was Maitai Beach - on one side of the entrance was a driveway leading to Iwi Maori land that was well sign posted and on the other side was another dirt road leading to 2nd beach. This one is managed by the Department of Conservation and is used as a campground, I was quite impressed at how tidy and clean it was. 

It's strange how travelling takes all the energy out of you, it's not just the heat. Once we got home in the afternoon I put an old film noir movie on (one of my interests is old movies) from 1936 while I edited my photos from the day, trailer below:

Linking up with Our World Tuesday, Through my lens, Tuesday Treasures, My Corner of the World and Wordless Wedneday.

Kaeo past, present and future

 Weird place to find a mural but I did, on the footpath in Kaeo last year. This one, although I can't find any information on it I think may be part of the promote Whangaroa/Kaeo scheme. It symbolizes Kaeo's past, present and future and features a Takahe along with Maori carvings and culture.

Linking up with Mural Monday.