Beach bliss 2.....

Our second stop was Tahunanui Beach just next door to Natureland. I mean, you can't visit sunny Nelson and not go to the beach. Even if you're me, a person who was not designed for any kind of sun exposure. :) After liberal application of sunscreen we found a nice piece of sand and set up camp. Jenny and I spent some time soaking up the absolutely perfect combination of warm sun and cool wind while Sophie headed right into the water. After a bit we decided to take the plunge and walked down to the water. Crystal clear and warm. You'd never experience warm water in Wellington so this was a super treat. The water at Tahunanui Beach is very shallow so we had a wade out quite a ways before you could no longer touch the sand with your toes. For close to an hour we let the gentle waves carry back towards the beach before swimming back out to do it all over again. Simply paradise! I didn't really want to get out of the water but eventually we decided to go up to the cafe for snacks. Then we realized that the afternoon had slipped away but what a perfect way to spend a few hours. Even after living in Wellington for three years, right on the water, the ocean is still a novelty to me. :)

Natureland.....

The following day found me with little motivation to get up and go running. Instead Tim and I went to breakfast together and then he worked on his talk in our room while I read. In the afternoon I met up with my friend, Sophie, and her sister, Jenny. First stop was Natureland. We walked through their aviary, fed the goats and followed the peacock around trying to capture the light bouncing off of it's incredible feathers. They had birds of all kinds and tuatara, the amazing, reptile found only in NZ and kin to the dinosaurs! They are incredible creatures, masters of camouflage. Even looking closely it's easy to miss them as they look like rocks.

Small Matters....

As a fun aside, the conference, AMN-7 (Advanced Materials & Nanotechnology), hosted an art exhibition at Nelson's Provincial Museum. Small Matters, showcased the incredible world of nanotechnology that can only be captured with precision instruments like electron microscopes. I took in the exhibit with a friend who is from Nelson and was back to visit family. Simply incredible! If we could afford it I would gladly have this kind of artwork in my home. :) Fascinating, bizarre and seemingly unreal.

Paradise.....

Since Tim and I have signed on for some serious running this month I knew I'd have to run outside while we're here in Nelson. This had me a little bit nervous because I've never run outside. Never. Ever. And Tim told me to be prepared. It would be hard! So this morning when he left for the conference I donned my workout gear, tied my kicks, and strapped my phone to my arm. With sunscreen and a hat I was ready to go. I stepped out of door and started to run. Right away I noticed that my ankle wasn't too happy about running on uneven surfaces. But I kept on, running down a long straight stretch adjacent to the main streets of downtown Nelson. With a few stops and starts, waiting for lights to turn, I was gasping for breath at the halfway point. It was then I realized that I had tried to track my distance and pace but hadn't turned on GPS. Mental head slap! After consulting the map I decided to run back via a different route instead of retracing my steps. This was a good and bad idea. Good in the sense that it made for a more interesting run on the way back. But bad because the last portion of the run was up not one but two hills. Granted they weren't huge but remember this came at the end of the run and I'm not a great runner! I did have to walk a few minutes but somehow managed to make it back to the hotel. I wasn't sure about my pace but figured I had done alright because I was dripping sweat. I know, attractive. Somewhere along the way a brilliant idea struck and I think it helped me get through in the end. I remembered that we had a pool at the hotel and what would be better after a long, hard run than a cool swim? Yeah, this is the best idea I've had for some time. So after arriving at the hotel I quickly switched into my swimsuit and hurried over to the pool. It was still early morning and half of pool was in shade so I figured I had some time before things would get hazardous for my fair skin. I sat on the edge of the pool and stuck my feet in. I had to laugh because even that much contact with the water was enough to make me gasp. I said to myself, "Ok, this is going to be cold!". I don't think you can ease your way in so I jumped in and let myself sink to the bottom of the pool. Indeed, the temperature of the water, even though I was hot from the run, took my breath away. Emerging from the water I let out an involuntary yelp. And feeling silly I started to laugh. I had the place to myself and spent the next 20 min swimming around but mostly floating on my back looking at the brilliant turquoise of the sky, noting it matched the water I could see out of the corner of my eyes. :) Yes, so after the soul crushing run all was made right in the world with a plunge in the pool. Paradise, indeed. I think this is what vacation is supposed to feel like. :)

Christ Church and the Queens Gardens.....

After quickly unpacking I set off with Tim, his supervisor and two colleagues as they were walking into town to start their conference activities. I figured I would walk in and get a lay of the land. We quickly found the conference venue and they were off. From there I back tracked a little bit and had to smile, thinking to myself, "Yes! I'm in Sunny Nelson and can do whatever I strikes my fancy!". With that in mind I started walking farther into the center of town and there I saw a beacon of hope. Starbucks. A jolt of caffeine over ice propelled me around town for the rest of the afternoon. When Tim and I traveled to Europe in 2013 to attend multiple conferences I researched each locale we would visit and make a list of things I wanted to seek out if I had time. I did the same for Nelson and so I whipped out my phone to peruse the Google map I had marked up. I smiled when I saw three stars on the map within very easy walking distance.

The first was Christ Church Cathedral, not to be confused with Christchurch, the city, located farther down the South Island. Set at the end of the pedestrian mall, Trafalgar Square, I spied the stone steps leading up to the cathedral. I started climbing and marveled at the hordes of agapanthus that seem to grow on every surface in Nelson. This is another flower that, when I lived in the US, I only saw arranged in floral bouquets. Gorgeous!

Multiple paths at varying levels circled the Anglican church and after a few minutes of climbing the stairs I was staring up at the cathedral. Taking in the stone carving, piers, gargoyles and stained glass I made a circuit of the place. Surrounded on all sides were lushes trees, vines and flowers, sunlight streaming through the mass. It made for an idyllic locale.

After visiting Christ Church I reconsulted Google maps and found the second star to pursue: the Suter Art Gallery. I had read about this one and wanted to take a peak. Alas, I was thwarted to find the place torn to shreds! A little disappointed I moved on to the third star that was the Queens Gardens. Nelson's own botanical gardens were quaint but lovely. Complete with a duck pond, rose garden and plenty of lush green grass where lots of people were reading, sunning or playing with their kids.

I wandered around all the paths and then found myself staring at the Huangshi Chinese Gardens: a definite highlight!

Leaving the gardens I saw that the Suter Art Gallery I wanted to visit had moved to a different location. So with a bit of energy left I set out for the new address. Upon arrival I found the place "in progress" and obviously not ready for business. I'd say that's false advertising. With that in mind I decided to call it a day and headed to a nearby grocery store to grab a few things for breakfasts and snacks.