Tag Archives: Australia

Sailing for Deco

Sailing for deco (when driving is not feasible) takes you to points down-under. So, dear readers, I (Chris) recently had the opportunity to take a trans-Pacific cruise from San Francisco to Australia with my brother and his friends. The itinerary included Hilo and Honolulu, Hawaii, several of the French Polynesian Islands (Bora Bora, Tahiti, Pago Pago), Tauranga, Auckland, Napier and The Straights of Melbourne (New Zealand) and Sydney (Australia). What excited me most was the stop at Napier. For those who aren’t aware, Napier is known for many things including its abundant Art Deco architecture. I could hardly wait to share my experience with you.

But a bit of history on how Napier became an Art Deco mecca.

 

On February 3, 1931, an earthquake and the ensuing fires destroyed most of Napier. The city was rebuilt in a mix of styles including simple clean homes influenced by Frank Lloyd Wright, Spanish mission and the most popular style at the time, Art Deco. The clean, modern structures were a departure from the ornate building of the past. Many of these buildings have been maintained and/or restored to all their original beauty and are a major tourist attraction.

 

(photos via: https://www.napier.govt.nz/napier/about/history/napier-earthquake-1931/)

Anthony was not happy I was going here without him. In fact, I was not to show him pictures, get him a souvenir or talk about Napier. Imagine his surprise when I texted him that the ship was rerouted and we would not be landing in Napier. In fact, he didn’t believe me until he checked “cruise tracker” and saw us heading north.

So, now you’re asking yourself, if i didn’t go to Napier, why all this?

When we landed in Sydney, Australia we decided to try the hop on-hop off bus to get a lay of the land. Imagine my surprise and delight as I discovered Art Deco had influence in this city as well. I don’t know anything about these buildings and apologize for the less-than-artistic photos. (You try taking the perfect picture on top of a moving double-decker bus!)

 

Here is a sampling of what I saw:

 

 

To experience a true Art Deco building, be sure to visit the Anzac Memorial.  It is free to enter though donations are gratefully accepted.

 

 

Hope you enjoyed the picture post and are inspired to travel to the world for great art deco!

 

Chris (A traveling Freakin’, ‘Tiquen’ Guy)