Nelson

Here is one of the beautiful coves on the Abel Tasman Track.  The cave goes all the way through to the beach on the other side.  At high tide, one would have to swim through. 

This is the very old post box in Nelson.  It has been in service since 1864, and Kayla has already received her card which was mailed last Friday.  That's pretty good service for an antique.  Hope we all can do as well. 

Nelson is a small city surrounded by hills and has a large port for container ships.  It also has a wonderful historic district, a large botanical park, and the Queen's Gardens which is a one square block wonderland of fountains, roses, lily ponds, Chinese pogodas, and native shrubs, most of which were in bloom.  We walked to the top of the hill where a tower marks the "center of New Zealand." 

On the sports field in the botanical park, we found a class of four-year-olds beginning their first lesson in rugby.  In a nation as small as New Zealand, they start young to achieve a world champion team in their national sport.  (Notice the hats, which all schools require children to wear.)  Go All Blacks! 

Yesterday was the first anniversary of the terrible earthquake in Christchurch, February 22, 2011.  There was a huge memorial service that reminded everyone of the loss in that city, not just 185 lives, but 80 percent of the building in the central business district.  Seven thousand homes were "red-zoned" and demoliation has now been scheduled on the first 5000.  This alone will take five years.  It is very sad and still frightening for the citizens of the second largest city in New Zealand.  Imagine if 80% of the landmarks in your locale were gone.  It was announced that it will take 37 billion dollars to rebuild the city, which the Cantabrians (Canterbury citizens) are determined to do.  It is a story of great bravery and faith in the future.