One of the things I love about Nelson,
and about New Zealand as a whole, is how laid back the atmosphere is.
I just get the sense that a lot of times, in the States, you really
have to “get away” in order to find time and space to just relax
and meditate without the busyness and distractions, whether that be a
weekend retreat or a trip out in nature. But here, all that is so
easily accessible; just a hop, skip, and a jump away.
Which brings me to my 6thand final reason (for now) of why we love Nelson:
The parks/gardens!
Even though New Zealand is known for
its scenic beauty, this fact is not lost within its cities. Most of
the parks and gardens we have seen have been more than just grassy
areas with a few trees thrown in- they were works of art (which is
very fitting for Nelson). The ones we saw in this city had a way of
transporting you to a different time and place, and they often had a
story or a history behind them.
Take Queen's Gardens for example.
Located right next to the Suter Art
Gallery, Queen's Gardens was the first public garden in Nelson. It
was opened in the late 1800's to celebrate the 50th
Jubilee of Queen Victoria's coronation.
Since it was right in the city centre,
Andy and I initially drove by it multiple times without giving it
much thought, as the most we could see from the street was a wall of
trees behind a wooden gate. But the minute we stepped foot in
this peaceful garden, we were instantly transported to 19th century
England. Who knew? Once you are inside this intimate Victorian
style park, you forget that you are even in New Zealand.
| |
|
|
We had a similar experience when we visited the Miyazu Gardens. Surrounded by tall bushes and shrubbery, we couldn't see what was within until we got out and walked through the rocky pathway, and were met with this:
All of a sudden, we were transported to
Miyazu, Japan, Nelson's sister city.
The Nelson City Council website describes it this way: “As soon as you walk through the gate made from old timber recycled from the port, the street noise is screened out with an immediate feeling of enclosure. Still reflective ponds, trickling bamboo spouts and melodic cascades enhance the sense of serenity.” I couldn't have said it better myself.
The Nelson City Council website describes it this way: “As soon as you walk through the gate made from old timber recycled from the port, the street noise is screened out with an immediate feeling of enclosure. Still reflective ponds, trickling bamboo spouts and melodic cascades enhance the sense of serenity.” I couldn't have said it better myself.
Can you imagine a more tranquil setting
for peace and contemplation?
Though planning for this garden began
in 1900, it was not officially opened until 1995 in celebration of
the strong friendship between Nelson and Miyazu. These two cities
share many of the same characteristics such as their coastal
environment and their fishing, horticulture, and tourism industries.
Within the garden, plant species from both countries were included to
symbolize the harmony between the two cultures.
|
|
| |
Another park that we wanted to visit was Founders Heritage Park, which included historic buildings from the late 1800s and early 1900s that had been restored. Like the gardens mentioned above, it was meant to transport you to a different era, in this case, life in early Nelson. Unfortunately, though this one was fairly inexpensive, it was not free, so Andy and I decided to wait until we found jobs first.
Speaking of the job hunt, we are still spending much of our time in the library and working hard to secure employment. Though there was a lag in our efforts as we both (especially Andy) caught a bug last week, we hope to recover soon and hit the ground running. Please keep praying. :)
No comments:
Post a Comment