FSO What I love about where I live

So what do I really love about my town?  My town or where I live?  I'm going to concentrate on town today.

Whangarei is the northernmost city in New Zealand. The city population is around 70,000, big enough to provide all the services but not too big.    

We who live in the north make a lot of our laidback lifestyle, the subtropical climate (more than 2,000 hours of sunshine a year) and very few frosts.  No snow here, thank you very much.  I'd have to find somewhere else to live if it snowed, I don't do cold very well.  

I live on a farm, about a 35 minutes drive to town.   I'm happier at home on the farm than I am in town.  My favourite place in town is the Town Basin, a marina very close to the heart of the city, where yachts from around the world moor and explore the stunning coastline of Northland.  

 It's a great place for a coffee at my favourite restaurant, Rivas and look out at the boats.

 Rivas from the other side of the marina

or a look around the speciality shops where modern landscaping blends perfectly with colonial architecture

I like to take a stroll along the riverside from the Artisan's Market, situated on one of the two old bridges that previously took traffic out to Whangarei Heads.

along the walkway past the childrens playground, perhaps call in at the art gallery, Reyburn House.

 Sculpture outside Reyburn House

Past the intimate Riverbank Theatre:

and a number of interesting sculptures.  I like these bird seats.

 until the walkway ends where the river joins a small stream, at the waka (canoe)

Friday My Town Shoot Out is a group blog kept going by wonderful volunteers who love the idea of sharing our home towns and visiting other places through images. We welcome you to participate in our weekly link-ups and/or get more involved as one of our volunteers.  Check out this week's contributions here.