Monday, February 22, 2010

Dunedin

Sunday February 21, 2010

The next leg of my journey took me to Dunedin. Dunedin is a small town, mostly known for its Scottish Heritage and Otago University, the first university established in New Zealand.

The bus got into Dunedin early afternoon. My hostel, YHA Stafford Gables, was originally a hospital, and since has been transformed into a hotel then a hostel. Difinitely had an old small cottage feel to it.


I spent most of the afternoon walking around the town. There was some event going on as the scottish heritage was in full swing. In the city center there was some sort of bagpipe band competition. I stayed for a couple of performances, they were all pretty solid. The sound of the bagpipe has always captured me, nice sounding instrument.


From there I walked further outside of town to cruise around the citys Botanical Gardens.



With my great luck there happened to be a festival going on there, it happens once a year. It was just finishing up but got to hear the remaining set of this bluegrass/string band. They weren't bad, did a pretty good rendition of Proud Mary to end the set.

After my stroll thru the gardens, I headed into the college are of the town. The students return to school next week so some of them were just arriving and movin it. It made me really miss college and remember all my great times at Uc Davis. I really really started to miss it, especially seeing groups of people sitting outside drinking beers and throwing some hamburgers on the barbi. I was unfortunately in Dunedin one weekend to early as next week is the offical welcome weekend for the students and I've been told by some Kiwis it is one hell of a party. Too bad.
Building on Otago's Campus

I then made way back to the city center where you can spot a massive purple silo. This was one of 3 major silo that holds the chocolate for Cadbury. Cadbury Dunedin's factory is the companies only New Zealand factory.


Next up was Central Station, supposedly New Zealands most photographed building. Anyhow it was quite a beautiful station. Only 1 train runs out of the station nowadays and its just some old train rail thats supposed to be pretty scenic. Anyhow, I figured if its New Zealands most photographed building, I better snap a few photos of my own.


The town was pretty dead during the night so didn't do much. The hostel had a tooftop garden where I ate my dinner and wrote some blog entries. I did accomplish to finally do my laundry so I am free of laundry duties for my final two weeks. Should be interesting of what clothes I decide to leave here, ive worn the same 6 shirts for the past 5 months, pretty impressive if you ask me, Im not even that sick of them either.

The next morning on the bus, we had one final quick stop on our way out of Dunedin, Baldwin Street. Baldwin St. is the world's steepest street. This really didn't interest me as it didn't even seem that steep.  I guess the 2nd steepest street in the world is in San Franscisco, so maybe im just used to steep streets in general. Alot of people thought it was great and they walked up it.  It was just a bit too touristy for me, its just a stupid man-made street. I'de much rather use my time and effort walking up one of mother natures beautiful mountains or hilltops and seeing stunning surrounding natural scenery, just my opinion. But yes, I have been on the worlds steepest street, and no I havent walked all the way up it, just a pitty. To fortify how touristy this lame street was, there was a booth at the top where you could purchase a certificate saying you walked up the worlds steepest street for a mere 2 dollars.  Laughable. I think I have a pretty good idea of the type of people who actually buy these certificates.


Over and Out

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