The Down Under Expedition # 2: A Day in Nelson NZ

The trip all went off much as planned, and I'm now settled in for a week in Nelson.  It's a nice-sized city of about 50,000 people at the northern end of New Zealand's South Island (in New Zealand, that population gets you into the national top ten).  Unlike North American cities of comparable size, Nelson's central area is very compact, and easily walkable.  The suburbs then spread out for quite a distance north and south along the east shore of Tasman Bay.

Nelson is said to be the sunniest city in New Zealand, and I believe that.  The surrounding hills are covered with a lot of dried grasses, a look reminiscent of cities like Kamloops in central British Columbia's dryland belt.

First, then, a few pictures of the landscape, and the inevitable mob of sheep:

Although the huge expanse of Tasman Bay looks very inviting, much of it goes dry twice every day at low tide!  On the shores of the bay by the entrance to the city stands this striking sculpture.

Now, into the city itself.  It's New Zealand's second-oldest city and the historic district on and around South Street certainly shows the mid-1800s heritage.

In the centre of the city, on Church Hill, stands the Anglican Cathedral.  Construction of this church along conventional Gothic lines began in 1925, but the building was finished in a more modern design of the upper portion, the bell tower and the chancel in 1965.  The banner on the tower is a promotion for the chamber music festival I'm attending.

Next to the church is one of the many splendid flower bed displays around the centre of the city.

Below Church Hill stretches Trafalgar Street.  The first tree-shaded blocks are lined with half a dozen different restaurants and pubs, all with outdoor patios.  Even though the summer weather hasn't been very hot here this year, the patios are still a wonderful laid-back way to enjoy the time.

One reason why Nelson is such a prime tourist destination is its proximity to the rugged mountain scenery of Abel Tasman National Park.  This park is famous for its backpacking trails and in particular for its coastline, accessible by ocean kayak, with beautiful pristine beaches, clear water, and colonies of seals.  My days for such activities are over now, but I'm going to head that way next and try to get a bit of the flavour of the Park anyway.