Zaika

Photo taken on one of Greymouth's main streets in town. There are a few buildings here that are earthquake prone, sadly the one on the right is one of them. Once named "Zaika" on the front it was home at one point to a Moroccan restaurant which I googled for some information but unfortunately when it was open in 2018 it didn't seem to have very good reviews, shame because I love that type of food. It's now closed for safety reasons.

Linking up with Weekend reflections and the Weekend roundup.

In the last year...

So much has happened. We moved from the North Island where I'd spent all my life all the way down to the South Island. My goals were to find a new job, which I managed to get before we left Kerikeri and buy a house - both I've managed to do. Life is a journey right? So far I've lived in Auckland, Mangawhai, Maungaturoto, Mount Maunganui, Kerikeri and now Greymouth. I'm tired of moving, this is it, we are here to say and thankfully it seems to be working out pretty well. Now for 2023 - let's hope it's just as good.

Linking up with Skywatch Friday and Tom's signs. 

Symonds Street Toilets

 

These have been a feature of Auckland City for many years, ever since 1910 exactly. The public toilets are on the corner of Grafton Road and Symonds Street and for quite some time they looked run down and grubby.  Normally I wouldn't post about public loos but these are such an historic icon.

In August this year they were given a $910,000 upgrade thanks to the Waitemata Local Board. The toilets were originally built for tram passengers and co-incided with the opening of Grafton Bridge. Up until the mid 1800s people could only go to the toilet in a hotel, bush or side street and they could be charged for with indecency if in a public place. Auckland City opened it's first public toilets in 1863 on Queen Street Wharf but these were only for men and it wasn't until the Symonds Street ones opened in 1910 that women were able to use them. (Information from Our Auckland).

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

Bye bye Christmas

The lit up metal Christmas tree in Greymouth Square

Christmas Day has come and gone here. I worked the last 5 days from Tuesday through to Saturday, I usually only work 4 days a week as anything more wears me out mentally and physically these days.

Yesterday we had a very quiet day at home. Lunch was crispy pork belly with apple crumble pie and custard for desert. Dinner was scallops wrapped in bacon, all washed down with sparkling grape juice mixed with cranberry juice. Now I have the next 3 days off while the others go back to work today.

Tiger on one of the cat towers

And the 4 sloths slept the entire day away...

Christmas tree festival

Earlier this week I visited our local Regent Theatre to see Christmas trees from each business and organization in Greymouth who have decorated a tree their way. It was a gold coin entry, meaning a $1 or $2 coin. It opened at 10am each day and closed at 10pm so I walked in around 10.30am and was, apart from the attendant the only one walking around but I'm pleased it was just me as there was no one in my way. The tree with the doves on it belongs to Greymouth Hospice, a very worthy organization. Nice to see everyone getting into the Christmas spirit.

It will be Christmas day for us tomorrow so I wish you all a festive day. I will see you all next week.

Linking up with All Seasons.

Lake Brunner Hotel

Over Winter when we had just moved to Greymouth we drove out to local Moana where the Lake Brunner Hotel sits on the ede of the land overlooking the water.  This part of the West Coast is mostly full of holiday home owners and it wasn't very busy so we just had a brief look around.

A Guest leaving the hotel. January 1970, Lake Brunner- G. Hutchinson

Originally named the Mitchells Lake Hotel in 1868 and then rebuilt in the 1930s. It runs on hydro power from the nearby Carew Falls and is a popular eating place these days.

Linking up with Skywatch Friday

Hello Mr Petrel

 

 

Last week one night B and I arrived home from work when I noticed this guy sitting calmly on the road. At first glance we thought he was a duck but upon closer inspection we realized he was a very large bird. We had only just had a couple of days of rain so we googled what type of bird he was and it turns out he is a juvenile Westland Petrel who normally lives out at Punakaiki which is about maybe 30 minutes away. 

We phoned the DOC emergency helpline and they advised they would send someone out the next day to pick him up. In the meantime we wrapped him in a towel, put him in a box in a quiet spot in the garage so he could rest. When he was picked up the next day the DOC officer said he had probably gotten blown away from the coastline and had stopped to have a rest. 

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

Active explorers

In Greymouth one of the local daycare centres has this mural on the front and side of their building.

Pretty simple and effective by showing what it's used for painted by local artist RAJA aka Mark Haldane.

Linking up with Mural Monday.

BmX

I don't remember taking this photo during our holiday in Taupo 2 years ago but I guess like most of mine they all come from me taking snaps of just about anything when I'm out and about.

BMX bikes seem to be more popular now than they were when my oldest had one about 15 years ago, including mountain bikes.

Linking up with Weekend reflections and the Weekend roundup.

Greymouth Railway Station

 

So Greymouth has alot of heritage buildings, some in not so good condition and others still looking like the day they were built.

This baby is situated pretty much in amongst supermarkets and restaurants and was first opened in 1876 with the purpose of being used back and forth between town and the Brunner Mine.

Once the rail system on the West Coast grew, this station became the centre of the railway network and started being used for the goods network from the main port area.

As it became busier it was rebuilt in the 1890s and was re-opened in 1897 but what was done became in adequate and extra facilities were added several times in the 1900s. These days it's used for the TransAlpine train tours between Greymouth and Christchurch - it's sort of a feature and is a category 1 place by Heritage NZ.

Linking up with Skywatch Friday and Tom's signs. 

Christmas cats

We have 2 new additions to our household. Above, this is Tiger - he's a 7 year old tabby cat that we adopted from our local SPCA. He chose me as his human and although he's a bit timid he loves his cuddles and pats. 

And this is Floki - he's a 2 year old tabby with lots of energy. So far him and Bruno have become friends. They hold each other down and groom each other.

So of course at this time of year people get more frantic stocking up to buy their groceries for Christmas day. Work has been getting more and more busy, the roster has just come out and most people have been given an extra day or 2 just for the week. We've all been down with a nasty flu, weird as it's the beginning of Summer here, similar to Covid but it wasn't - it just knocked all of us down for a few days. Masks are no longer mandatory here but I've had enough of people coughing and sneezing on me so I've started wearing them again. Hopefully that will cut down the amount of time I'm home sick.

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

Monteiths Brewery Mural

 Another long mural again. - this one from local artist RAJA aka Mark Haldane. This one is painted on the side of the Monteiths Brewery building in Greymouth. It shows not just the history of the town but also the building and business itself. 

They aren't just a restaurant but also offer tastings and a shop where customers can buy their specialty brews.

Linking up with Mural Monday.

White lights

One night after work, in the middle of November I stopped on one of town's main streets to take this photo of the street lights that are up throughout the year. These aren't necessarily Christmas tree lights but they sure look like it. Since we are in the beginning of daylight savings the nights are gradually getting lighter and longer.

Linking up with Weekend reflections and the Weekend roundup.

It's the final Countdown

We have 2 supermarkets here in Greymouth - Countdown (which is Australian owned) and New World which is owned by Foodstuffs and each of the New World stores are individually owned by Kiwis.

This one is next to the railway tracks - it is cheaper but doesn't seem to have alot of variety, at least that's what we found the one time we shopped there.

Linking up with Skywatch Friday, All Seasons and Tom's signs. 

Mawhera Quay at night

A night shot of how quiet it is in Greymouth at night. This was taken along Mawhera Quay next to the Grey River. Just before we got a few days of rain on and off so the purple skies in the background look moody to me. The art gallery is on the left and the clock tower is on the right.

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

Westpower all the way

 

On the side of one of Greymouth's industrial buildings is this long landscape style mural which shows all of the mining, commercial, industrial, agricultural and domestic power over the decades since the city was first founded. Painted by local artist RAJA aka Mark Haldane.

Linking up with Mural Monday.

Vodafone

There are so many phone and internet companies here. There's Spark, Vodafone, Skinny, 2 degrees and many more. In most towns one of the providers might have a support store where people can go in to get help sorting out their plans, phones or internet etc. This one is on one of the main streets in Greymouth.

Linking up with Weekend reflections and the Weekend roundup.

Whitebait Fritters

 

When my parents were visiting recently we decided to try some Whitebait fritters in Hokitika. There is a takeaway shop there that sometimes sells them when the fish are in season. The lady on the left took our order and my father on the right enjoyed his even though they were expensive.

Mine was perfect and much appreciated especially with a little squeeze of lemon and a sprinkling of salt. These are a New Zealand delicacy and a true Kiwi tradition. B doesn't like these as he doesn't like looking at the little eyes but I just tell him not to look.

Linking up with Skywatch Friday and Tom's signs. 

Oh Christmas Tree

This larger than life Christmas tree was put up at my work last week. Although it doesn't look that big it ended up having to be separated in 3 stages to get it through the doors.  Only in retail....

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

Hokitika Glass Studio

On the wall outside the Hokitika Glass Studio is this mural, it was painted by local artist RAJA aka Mark Haldane and it shows a glass blowing instrument in the process of moulding a piece of glass into shape. If you check out their website link they really have some beautiful pieces. Recently I purchased some little yellow glass mushrooms which now sit in my garden.

Linking up with Mural Monday.

Unichem

This is the inside alleyway I walk through to get to my hairdresser's at the very end of the corridor. At the entry is the local Chemist/Pharmacy, I think they have 2 entrances, this is just one of them.

Linking up with Weekend reflections and the Weekend roundup.

Coverings

There seems to be a big misconception about living on the West Coast that there's rain, rain, rain here. Funny but since we've lived here we've had less rain that the rest of the country with more sunny days than anything else. I was on my way to a dentist appointment last week and saw that on one of the main streets in town that the coverings stretching from the buildings over the footpaths were out, they will be a good way to shade from the sun when Summer comes soon.

Linking up with Skywatch Friday and Tom's signs. 

More Christmas

More Christmas displays and products were seen by us in one of the local $2/gold coin shops. The weird thing about these is that they are decorated with fake snow symbolizing how Christmas is the northern hemisphere but here in the southern hemisphere it's completely the opposite - it's summer for us meaning days at the beach, time spend outside in the garden, barbeques and hot sunny days. 

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

Gallery

I've been wanting to get a photo of this mural for a while now. It's peeking out on the side of a building in one of the main street's of Greymouth next to the railway tracks. Painted by local artist Mark Haldane aja Raja it points the way with an arrow to one of the art galleries.

Linking up with Mural Monday.