Look UP! Up, up, up…….at the fabulous Art Deco architecture in the Art Deco Capital of the World, Napier. A devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake lasting almost 3 minutes hit this east coast city on February 3, 1931, reducing it to rubble. As the city rebuilt, the most popular architectural style of the day was Art Deco, and so it was rebuilt in that gorgeous, detailed art style. We could barely walk a few steps before saying, “Oh, look at that one! Let’s take a photo!” It was hard not to publish every one we photographed. Take a minute to scroll through the photos and just look at the detail on these buildings…the circles, the lines, the scrolls, the blocks, the triangles, the outlines, the colors….both whole buildings and just top facades. It is glorious.
The people were also fabulous, outgoing and friendly. Maps were handed out, people with yellow vests were our go-to info centers, a 1930s band was playing to greet us disembarking and boarding the ship, classic cars and their owners dressed in period dress were downtown and at the port, offering information and even rides! This city has it all! Near the bottom of the photos, we thought the Donut Robot venue was adorable, as were the girls soliciting for their school band. In return for a photo, they received a hefty donation from us (since we had no small bills and they were cute beyond words). We end with a fun sign from one of the loveliest and most whimsical cities around. We would have loved to stay, as the people and the buildings just invite you in.
