RECIPES

Tuesday 3 November 2020

New Plymouth

 

New Plymouth is a coastal city of some 85,000 people and was named after Plymouth in Devon, England.

One of the well-known features of the city is the Wind Wand.  This kinetic sculpture by Len Lye was first erected in 1999, and is constructed out of red fibreglass and carbon fibre.  It is 48 metres high and bends in the wind.




The Gables was originally a colonial hospital, built in 1848 to the orders of Governor Sir George Grey.

During the Maori wars in the 1860s the building was used as a military outpost, before being turned into an Old Man’s Home. 

It was purchased privately in 1904 and gifted to the city in 1934.  Today it is cared for by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust.




I spent a happy hour wandering around the peaceful gardens while my travelling companions explored the nearby Brooklands Zoo.




Next door is the Kunming Garden, a gift from sister city Kunming in the Yunnan Province of south-west China. 

This beautiful pavilion was made by Chinese craftsmen without using power tools, nails or screws.  The intricate carvings were all made by hand.




The Taranaki Cathedral Church of St Mary has a history dating back to 1842 and is classified as New Zealand’s oldest stone church.

This Anglican church operated until 2010, when it was consecrated as a cathedral to reflect its importance to the church in the Taranaki region.




The churchyard is home to an old cemetery, closed for use in 1861.  Many of the graves lie beneath the dappled shade of mature trees and it was a pleasant place to wander through, although some of the headstones made for tragic reading.




There is much more to be seen in and around New Plymouth but time was against us visiting more places.  It is on my list as a future place to visit again!

Our weather here today is tumbling towards summer.  We have had sunshine, clouds, rain, and wind – typical spring weather, but the temperatures are most definitely warmer (23 degrees C yesterday).

Cheers,

Margaret 😊



18 comments:

  1. I think of New Plymouth as my second home as I used to visit my daughter there 4 times a year, not quite as often these days. Love the place, there are so many secrets spots yet to be discovered. Love your last photo from the graveyard.

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  2. I need to visit New Plymouth again, it's on my list of places to go. I've not been since the 1970s. Your road trip looks great.

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  3. What lovely spots you discovered Margaret - I did see the wind wand - that is quite impressive, and we visited the Art Gallery / Museum too. We only got to one garden, but found some craft shops to shelter from the weather in... all in all, a great weekend
    Stay safe
    Blessings
    Maxine

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  4. Now this really does look like a place to re-visit. Just with this brief glimpse I can see that there would be enough to interest me for a day or two.

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  5. I love to see and read about your trip! There is so much interesting to see.

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  6. The Wind Wand sure is impressive! As the thought of how the pavilion was built like that.

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  7. Hello,
    Pretty images from your visit to New Plymouth. I like the gardens, home and the church. Take care! Have a happy new week!

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  8. A temperature of 23 C sounds like perfect summer weather to me.

    New Plymouth has lots of interesting things to share with visitors. Thank you for sharing it too.

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  9. Despite travelling quite widely in NZ before leaving I never made it to New Plymouth - and clearly should have (and must intend to do so on returning). Thank you for the lovely word picture of the place, it is a bigger city than I imagined (population wise) but your photos suggest a comfortable provincial air about it. (F)

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    1. We never visited any shopping areas here, but overall I thought the feeling of the place was very relaxed and not hustle-bustle like some cities.

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  10. I've been to NP once as a child and then again in 1990, back then I don't think I paid much attention to the beautiful or historical aspects of the city, looks like another trip back there is due.

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  11. I really like The Gables. It looks like an illustration from a story book. I'm not sure about the Wind Wand moving about though. That sounds a bit alarming!

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  12. You crammed in a lot of sight-seeing into one day in New Plymouth. You were blessed with lovely blue sky.
    I enjoy walking in old cemeteries and absorbing the atmosphere. Reading the inscriptions can be sad though.

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  13. I love everything you shared...I don't know what I liked best. I bet I could spend a week just there alone. How far is it from where you live? I would definitely want to go back.

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    1. About three and a half hours of driving, so a visit is definitely doable some time again in the future.

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  14. Love your new cover photo. You always do great ones. I love Taranaki but it has been decades since I was last there.

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  15. Thank you for the lovely tour . . . my heart skipped a beat at the sight of The Gables, such a beautiful home.

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Thank-you for visiting my blog. I love it when you leave a comment so please feel free to have your say. Have a great day! Margaret xx