Nelson

July 18, 2009

I really, really love the South Island. I woke up this morning to a bright, beautiful day! Last time I was in NZ, I had beautiful weather every day when I was on the South Island. The rain came when I went back north. So far, this trip is panning out the same way. Raven and I got ready and she went out to pay for parking at 8 am because we parked in the lot where the farmers market would be taking place. We walked out together and went in search of a café that she’d seen. The market was still setting up so we both wouldn’t let ourselves be tempted by the stalls of lovely art and food. We found the café and each of us had a flat white, which is kiwi for a yummy coffee with milk. We then headed to an ATM so that I’d have cash to spend at the market.

We got back to the market, ready to explore each and every booth we might come across. We bought all kinds of yummy foods, such as Braeburn apples, gouda cheese, salami, smoked salmon, salmon pate and mustard. I also came across a coat rack wall hanging made of iron that had a fantail sitting on a branch. I fell in love with it when I saw it and Raven completely agreed that I needed to own it. So, even though it was a bit expensive, I now own it and I love it. I resisted buying a gorgeous merino wool sweater that I completely fell in love of. After all, I already bought a sweater a week or so ago. Basically, the market was fabulous. We spent 4 hours there and we had a blast.

After the market we decided to walk downtown to browse in the shops and get lunch. We stopped at a restaurant that Raven knows from Masterton where they have this cooking method called “stone grill” where you order meat raw and they bring the food on this incredibly hot stone where when you slice up the meat and place it on the stone, it cooks up. OMG, it was so yummy and gave me an excellent opportunity to play with my food. Raven ordered something called fish cakes, which unfortunately were disgusting. We then headed over to a store that sold shoes that Raven was looking for. They sold a merino wool fitted sweater that I soooo wanted to buy. I was sorely tempted but it was $299 NZ, which is $210 US and I have already spent too much… hello?! I bought a COAT RACK today. LOL.

Last time I was in Nelson I went to a rubber stamp store and bought a bunch of lovely stamps from a wonderful lady in a shop here. I asked around about the shop and was given differing stories, one that the shop was still here and one that it wasn’t. We decided to try to go off in search of it in the hopes that she would still be there. Alas, we couldn’t find it and I think she’s gone. We instead walked into a famous bead shop and the music was horrible. So horrible that it kind of made us both anxious and grumpy. Raven says it was giving off beta waves and it really was not a nice sound. We asked the women in there about the stamp shop and they were rude and nasty. One woman said, “I have no idea what you’re talking about. What’s a rubber stamp?” Raven explained and she scoffed and said she wouldn’t know about such things. Beeeyatch! We left and I started singing another song just to get that awful music out of my head. Raven was still grumbling so I started singing to her just to change the mood. Poor thing, having to hear me sing but it made her laugh and we felt better.

We then walked into a bookstore where I asked the owner about a book he had that I was thinking of buying. Somehow he started talking about Bush and one of his cronies. Why oh why does Bush still haunt all of us?! Leave me alone, Bush! Raven popped into the conversation, it turned to the free trade agreement with China and the two of them started arguing. Being an INFP, I stepped aside and went to browse some more. I eventually stepped in to buy a book and we left. It was kind of a weird conversation and I was certainly glad it ended.

We walked back to our room and talked to the receptionist about internet. It turns out that we can’t use our wireless laptops in the rooms and that’s why it wouldn’t work and is why I am typing right now. We had a dinner of produce that we got in the market and now we’re in the lounge on the computer trying to block out the kids who are running around unsupervised.