Akaroa... Walking Downtown

After the cold start to the day the sun decided to come out...
The snow on the hill tops melted and the day warmed up.
We decided to explore the cafes and shops downtown...

The street was full of tables and chairs and people eating and enjoying the sun.

There were all sorts of shops with wares to attract the many day trippers
 and tourists who swell Akaroa's population.

Akaroa is knows as the 'Artists Quarter' of Christchurch.
This is a statue of a sailor off one of the early ships that came up the harbour...
He was also an artist and painted this area.

Lots of the early cottages have been beautifully restored...

Have been painted all sorts of colours...


And house shops of every description...


Many beautiful gardens...


This one even has a little French Citroen parked outside to add to the French ambience.


This cafe was a delightful spot in the sun... The Lavender was divine.


The War Memorial was one of the things damaged in the earthquakes.
It is cordoned off awaiting repairs. There is a restoration fund  happening...

  
A very honourable thing to do...
So the people who sacrificed their lives for freedom are not forgotten.
I suppose these memorials are not covered by insurance...
So it's up to the community to repair them.

Akaroa is a very pretty place... Lovely to walk and sit in the sun...


And swim in the summer time...

 
The tide was out... The beach deserted at this far end...
The water too cold...


After lunch... A ploughman's platter and a cold beer...
I decided to walk home... The sun was so lovely...
Round the waterfront...

To the old historical lighthouse...
It was built and first exhibited light in 1880 at the  Akaroa Head...
It was 270 feet above sea level...28 feet high...
The light flashed every 10 seconds...
And could be seen for 23 miles on a clear night.
In 1980 it was moved from Akaroa Head to its present site by the
Akaroa Preservation Society





This is 'Pride of Madeira', read about it here...
A tough drought resistant plant that grows wild all over Banks Peninsula.



Wild plants and flowers rambling over the banks...

Past the next stony bay...

And up to the brown house on the hill.
The weekend was over too soon...
As the sun set it was time to return to Christchurch...