Go East

Here's another of Prof Catton's coincidences*: the DomPost is running my East Cape story on the very day that I return to Gisborne. Because I can't keep away? No, pleasant place though it is, it's more about (shhh) earning airpoints to enable another upgrade on a proper trip sometime in the future.

The editor didn't choose my favourite picture, above, of ghostly winter-white um, poplars I think, in the low sun shafting across the hills as the snow-clouds swept up from the south. Nor did he choose the interior of the amazing St Mary's church at Tikitiki, where everything was carved inside. I mean, everything: pew ends, rafters, candlesticks, font, pulpit... if ever the vicar delivered a wooden sermon, that would end up carved too, I reckon. And the walls and ceilings were decorated too, with woven tukutuku, giving the place not only a very Maori feel, but making it cosier and more lived-in.

In the little wooden church at Te Aroroa, where the road forks off to the actual Cape, there were guitars lying about in front of the altar, gas heaters, even rugs - it was as though the congregation had just popped out for a moment. Untidy but well-used and clearly part of local life. Nice.

But I think I've done the Cape, for the moment: tomorrow I'll try heading south. There will be pie.

*And here's another: the post linked to there is about Seattle, which I was writing about just yesterday.