Nelson to Mapua Jan 5

The Saturday Market in Nelson is an event for all locals and certainly visiting tourists. There are local crafts, fresh produce, breads, cheeses and food carts selling the most interesting local dishes.

This is the Dutch Doughnut, a muffin made of spices, currants, raisins and nuts and deep fried then dusted with lots of powered sugar. This and coffee is a great way to start the day.


























The two boys sharing our table were enjoying gooey chocolate crepes. The New Zealanders like their sweets!



























We purchased some delicious locally grown cherries, strawberries and apples then met Helen who had made little baby booties of lambskin.
Since there is a new arrival in the DeStefano family, we had to get little Leo some New Zealand booties.

























After a short walk through the charming streets of Nelson

























we stopped at the tourist office to get an update on the road closures. They said the bridge would be either repaired or a temporary bridge installed within 3 days and the roads should be opened.


















On our walk back to the hotel we passed the Nelson Cathedral.
In the late 1800s Nelson city fathers applied for city status but were turned down because they needed a population of 6000 or a cathedral. They chose to build a cathedral. The cathedral is located just at the top of the steps and near our hotel.























We checked out of the Rutherford Hotel and made our short drive to Mapua and the Bronte Estate Lodge.














The Bronte Country Estate has been in the Fraser family for five generations. The estate is primarily an apple orchard, growing eight to ten varieties of apples and shipping 15,000 bushels of apples internationally each year.


The estate lies on the headland of Nelson’s historic Bronte Peninsula, overlooking Waimea Estuary and cradled between ocean and mountains. Its coastal orchard and vineyard is typical of the abundant fruits of the Nelson region. Bronte is between Nelson city and the Abel Tasman National Park.

The lodge is comprised of a "great house" and four villas. They are all beautifully appointed. Ours was situated right on the banks of the Tasman Bay.









































After a glass of wine from one of our tasting selections we headed to the Mapua Wharf for dinner.



It was Saturday night at 8pm and the sunlit wharf was filled with vacationing New Zealander campers enjoying beer, bbq and dancing to a Dixieland band. NZers generally take the month of January off for their holidays. (International tourists don't show up until February.)





































We enjoyed a nice dinner at the Jellyfish Restaurant and called it a day.