Napier, the Art Deco City by the Sea

Okay, I wrote a weepingly beautiful opus to my days in Napier with Pulitzer potential all over it! Unfortunately, as I went to post it, the Internet went down! Aaaaah! So now you will all have to suffer through a not so eloquent version! Sorry, but that is life :(
I arrived in Napier ready for some culture and company after my seclusion on the farm. Napier is a quaint city, bustling with tourists and more cafes than you can shake a stick at (or at least more than you can sit and sip lattes at without having to go to the bathroom every 2 minutes). The Art Deco buildings give it a retro feel while the beach and sea make it seem very resorty. I pretended I was in England (like in Brighton or Bath) during the 20's and "taking the waters" for curative effects. Now I am sure I am way off on the real experience of Bath and Brighton but I am just going from what I see in BBC productions :)
My host in Napier was an incredible artist who so strongly reminded me of my mother that it was a little eery at times! She lived right on the beach and across from some really great New Zealand wineries! Everyday I took her dog Boo to the beach to walk, play and watch the surfers! Many afternoons I visited the wineries for free tastings and chilling out. Easter Sunday was spent at Kim Crawford sipping their viognier and listening to local dj's playing reggae. (Side note time! New Zealanders think they are Jamaician! They have dreds, listen to reggae, skateboard, have a real laid back approach to life and smoke LOTS of weed. Not kidding! They smoke more weed per capita than ANY other country in the WORLD!) It was a great "cruisey" afternoon (cruisey is a favorite New Zealand word that reflects their approach to everything. This can be so relaxing and nice until you need something done or just start reverting to your normal uptight, I-have-to get-this-done-pronto American self, then it is down right annoying!)
I had such a great relaxing and reflective time in Napier but had one AMAZING night! Get your mind out of the gutter! I am talking about a night filled with great wine, food and interesting people! My host is friends with an incredible, big hearted Italian chef trapped in the body of an Englishman! His parents were Italian immigrants and if you can get past his accent you see nothing but Italy in every aspect! We were greeted (on a Saturday night where he closed the restaurant except for us few) with glasses of Moet champagne that he had obtained in New York in the 80's and was paid for by a wasted Joan Collins! After nibbles we were treated to course after course of gorgeous and delicate Italian food with a really strongly made Sangria. Dinner ended with an oogle worthy chocolate dessert that I really wanted to make love to but there were just too many people about! During the whole dinner we had reggae music (this is New Zealand after all), great conversation, and interesting characters! A really wonderful night that left my belly very full, my heart incrediblely delighted and my head a little hung over!
After two relaxing and reflective weeks, I knew the South was beckoning to me and it was time to move on. I booked a long bus journey to Wellington (the nation's capitol) which is the Southern most city of the North Island and ferry terminal to take me South! My plan was to stay two weeks and then explore all the South Island before heading back to the US. Read the next several blogs to see how plans change and where I am now...........