Saturday, January 21, 2012

A drive out to Piha

Piha is one of the most famous beach towns in New Zealand, and the site of a popular lifeguard reality show.  When we were out west anyway the other day, I decided to take a little side trip and check it out, even if the weather was looking a little threatening.  Here's what we saw.

First, I snapped a triptych showing the left-to-right panorama of the seashore.  Note the famous 'black-sand beach'... in reality it's a basin of talcum-fine gray powder that goes aerosolised with the slightest breeze and must make Piha housekeeping a nightmare.


Here's Amiri posing in front of iconic Lion Rock.  Arram was asleep in his car seat so we just hopped out for a second in the carpark.  Notice his, 'Mama, my eyes think the wind has rocks in it!' face.


Here's another view of Lion Rock, from inland at roughly the point where it bisects the north and south halves of the beach.  


Given Piha's notoriety in NZ, I would have expected it to be a Daytona-esque tourist destination full of flash and underwhelming substance.  But in reality, it's a quiet little town with surprisingly few opportunities for visitors to be separated from their money.  In fact, despite the obvious differences-- the hairpin turns through a mountain range, the jaw-dropping vistas, water that can be glassy one day and malicious the next-- Piha gave me a distinct rural-Wisconsin-in-the-1980's vibe. 

Piha is a town with its feet firmly on the ground.  It's as if it squints its eyes within a weatherbeaten face, gazes out to sea and says a shrug, Oh yes, we're well aware that we're inside one of the many small miraculous pockets nature has created; please do come and spend some time with us but just keep in mind that we have to get up early tomorrow morning. 
    

5 comments:

Auntie Dianne said...

Beautiful place Allie! I like how Lion Rock majestically guards his domain!

Dad said...

Jaw-dropping is a good way to describe the beauty, and these are only the pictures!

And I love your description Allie of Piha's attitude.

Mom said...

I like the ever-changing montage of flowers on your blog wall. You are getting a very good eye for photography. Of course, Amiri's muscle-pose is a prize winner!

McKenzie said...

I just love to see the beauty of the region and learn the history. Allie is getting good enough to write a travel book. Also, after not driving for some time, you are able to navigate the terrain and create such adventures for the boys. I also loved Amiri's boy of a thousand faces moment.

Auntie Kathie said...

I checked the link on Piha and saw more pix and info...a surfer's paradise, a fur seal, tuna and found it all fascinating and unbelievable that you are over there in such a gorgeous tropical place! I think your header pic is a kalanchoe, leaves and flowers look like mine. Hi there, Amiri!!