tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6254679.post114181306131332110..comments2023-09-03T00:36:01.266+12:00Comments on South America Bidsta: Kiwi townsSimon Bidwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08669045345877026955noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6254679.post-1142898752515859322006-03-21T11:52:00.000+12:002006-03-21T11:52:00.000+12:00I've always thought Geraldine was highly underrate...I've always thought Geraldine was highly underrated. It is in a beautiful area close to some of Sth Canterbury's last remaining original bush, good climate, pretty town. Not that big but surprisingly un-hick for it's size, although admittedly most of the people I know don't actually live right in town. Great place to play gigs as well and they have quite a few festival/events in the summer.<BR/>Jeremy I know really enjoyed living in Dunedin - great hills and beaches and a really interesting city community-wise, good music (not just alt-rock there seems to be plenty of everything going on down there) but the climate is a problem if you don't like the cold. Having said that Dunedin isn't particularly wet compared to some of the country.<BR/>I guess most places can be the best place/worst place in the country depending on what you need at the time.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6254679.post-1142816272962573312006-03-20T12:57:00.000+12:002006-03-20T12:57:00.000+12:00I'm just blinded by the puns.I'm just blinded by the puns.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6254679.post-1142812206969398902006-03-20T11:50:00.000+12:002006-03-20T11:50:00.000+12:00hmm, like "the only place you can get milk from bu...hmm, like "the only place you can get milk from bulls" ?<BR/><BR/>I actually think Bulls is quite an attractive town, in a gentrified, Martinborough-esque kind of way. As a junction point, it hasn't been left to decay like some others, and even has a few ethnic cafes, plus the previously mentioned lavender shop. <BR/><BR/>Should note that I personally have nothing major against Palmerston North. The town centre is actually quite attractive, there's a couple of pretty churches, and in term time it has almost a touch of Dunedin. <BR/><BR/>I think it suffers a bit from the general blandness of south Manawatu. if you're coming from the south, you wind along the spectacular Kapiti coast, then somewhere around Levin/Foxton it tirns to...blah. Likewise if you're coming from the north and the Desert Road/Taupo.Simon Bidwellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08669045345877026955noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6254679.post-1142535750383980632006-03-17T08:02:00.000+13:002006-03-17T08:02:00.000+13:00Thanks Emma - good to hear from someone who has ac...Thanks Emma - good to hear from someone who has actually lived there instead of just passing through. <BR/>Re Bulls: Yes agree about the silly puns - I guess if the only thing going for you is the rather ridiculous name of your town you have to do something about it - but in this case just make it more ridiculous. And even worse, they have all those "antique shops" - (do they have jokes about "bull in a china shop"?) The one star of Bulls is the Scullys Lavender shop - not that it would appeal to the male of the species. I always stop there and stock up on the great hand creams and lavender oil. But live there - I don't think so!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6254679.post-1142475787976600962006-03-16T15:23:00.000+13:002006-03-16T15:23:00.000+13:00The building in Cashel street was mostly empty and...The building in Cashel street was mostly empty and then burned out I believe. So it was demolished due to it being somewhat of a hazard.<BR/><BR/>If you want to talk about the abominations of Christchurch, how about we discuss the malls? <BR/><BR/>Now onto Palmerston North. I moved here on a whim for what was to be a quick stay and ended up living here for almost two years. It is unpleasant, but I'm not sure it deserves the derision it is receiving. For me the bright spots include the newly redone (and very controversial) square, and well maybe that's about it. There are a few cool little gems like Ihi on George Street. Mao Bar and Relax which are two bar/cafes that do good food and great drinks. The biggest issue for me is the dearth of vegetarian food, which is a problem outside the main centres.<BR/><BR/>By far its worst feature is ABOMINABLE roading. Whoever designed some of the intersections, or traffic flows was INSANE. A city this size should not have traffic issues, and yet it does.<BR/><BR/>The windmills are a lovely feature. <BR/><BR/>I agree with you about Cromwell. I have a soft spot for 90s Wanaka (gone downhill now as I understand it) I love Fox Glacier.<BR/><BR/>I would like to vote for Bulls. For worst town. I mean, does anyone really need that many bull puns? Or am I just being a meany pants?<BR/><BR/>This is an incoherent comment.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6254679.post-1142414952373986762006-03-15T22:29:00.000+13:002006-03-15T22:29:00.000+13:00yes, I almost mentioned Wanganui. I also like its...yes, I almost mentioned Wanganui. I also like its gardens and its river, while its town centre has been successfully prettified. On the other hand, we found it rather stuffy and unwelcoming when we played there, with a pretty dead nightlife. I acknowledge this was a fleeting impression, since we only played there once. <BR/><BR/>Queenstown: overall the town doesn't contribute much to its setting (and for natural beauty, I think Wanaka wins out). But, though expensive, it's definitely a party town, and I have always had a good time when I've been there. <BR/><BR/>Yes, agree about Lyttelton. I like the port, the sense of comings and goings, and the many historical elements which have been retained. There's a vibe of old saltiness, and people relax more than they do over the hill. <BR/><BR/>Which brings me on to Christchurch, which is where I agree most vehemently. Chch considers itself a conservative and tasteful place. But it’s conservative only in rejecting almost everything new and bold, while having allowed its history to be eroded, preserving only some bits of shrink-wrapped Anglican Gothic memorabilia. <BR/><BR/>If you look at photographs of central ChCh in the 1940s, it actually had many grand, attractive buildings. With a few exceptions, these have been replaced by boxes like the one you describe on Cashel St that are ugly, faceless, and above all, cheap (you can forgive lack of taste, but lack of money is worse). <BR/><BR/>The charming, olde English bits of ChCh are counterbalanced by the Olympian awfulness of some of the rest of the architecture – the central Post Office being the outstanding example. <BR/><BR/>The Catholic Basilica, perhaps the city's most impressive building, has never been viewed as a civic asset, and has been left to slowly decay.<BR/><BR/>Overall, the city has suffered from about 50 years of complete lack of vision. Things have picked up in the last ten under the Buck/ Moore regimes (some good new things like the Art Gallery + someone's finally discovered the potential of the brick areas from Bedford Row – High St), but they have still been a bit timid (like, how hard would it have been to fully close off Cathedral Sq? With good 1-way systems north and south, why do you need Colombo St to run though the Sq?)<BR/><BR/>[actually, I had deliberately left the cities (Ak,Wtn, ChCh, Dun & Hmtn) out, but had to have that rant...]<BR/><BR/>Hanmer is great, though I understand it is getting a bit overrun a la Arrowtown now. It has an almost European spa kind of feel, and though I don't really believe in the "plant fascists", I would defend those big old pine and fir trees to the death, should they become an issue. <BR/><BR/>You're right, the Hanmer-Waiau-Rotherham area is significantly warmer (in summer) than the rest of Canterbury, though I think that Waipara (next valley across; the main wine growing area) is a bit warmer still. In the winter they have snow.Simon Bidwellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08669045345877026955noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6254679.post-1142234845876747472006-03-13T20:27:00.000+13:002006-03-13T20:27:00.000+13:00I have to agree that Palmerston North is the most ...I have to agree that Palmerston North is the most dire of places. I spent a night there last year when I was teaching at the Open Polytechnic and have to say I have seldom encountered a more inhospitable bunch of people and a less enticing place. One of their problems seems to be that they have a captive market with the large university population and they really don't try to attract visitors from out of town. Indeed, they actively discourage them. The cafes I struck were grossly overpriced and the food very indifferent; the cafe that supposedly served breakfast didn't have much more on the menu than baked beans. I was offered weetbix out of a box, and when I asked for yoghurt was told that I would "have to pay more". It was like getting blood out of a stone even to get toast and marmelade. Dinner the night before appeared more elaborate but the food was very ho hum and not worth the money. No one from the Polytech offered me hospitality - told me they "weren't funded" to cover visitors meal costs (unusual in these situations) but left me to fend for myself, and to add insult to injury I had to PAY to leave the airport! It's the only place to my knowledge that has a departure tax for domestic flights. The blackboard menu at the airport cafe turned out to be just for show. The person in front of me was told in no uncertain terms - just what's in the cabinet now, we're not putting anything else out as it's already 12.30!! I'm with John Cleese on this one! <BR/><BR/>For the most under-rated town I would pick Wanganui. Everything is close to the main centre, nice parks, no traffic problems, great cafes on the main street, good shopping at leisure - obviously not like a huge metropolis but surprisingly wide range of good stuff. The walks that have been developed along both sides of the river are fantastic - you can walk for miles crossing the bridges when you want to. OK I wouldn't want to live there permanently but really it's a pleasant town to visit and way more interesting that most of the surrounding towns and seems to have a sense of civic pride in keeping the town looking attractive. <BR/><BR/>I agree about Nelson being over-rated. Have never liked the place for the reasons you describe. For different reasons Queenstown is heading the same way. Why would you want to go there these days? Over-priced and over hyped I say.<BR/><BR/>Let's have some more comments please!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com