Checking out of our hotel this morning, we were able to drop our bags off at the motel reception desk while we went to Church. Once more the keys to the mini bus were given to me and off we went. The Church (St.Patrick's - again) was dressed in palms all the way down the centre aisle. The palms we were given were actually sprigs of ferns.
We called at the church when we arrived on Friday afternoon and had the chance to take some pics while it was quiet.
The side Chapel was partitioned off from the main part of the church. It was a really restful and peaceful place to sit and reflect
Mass began at 9-30 outside of church with the Blessing of palms, then singing a psalm we followed Fr into church. The hospitality on this coast is unbelievably friendly and very welcoming indeed. After Mass we were invited to the parish centre for some refreshments. It was 11-40 when we bid our farewells and headed back to the motel - a lot later than expected. Murray, our host at the motel was on hand to run us to the station with our luggage and to say our farewells. Greymouth certainly created lots of fond memories for us both to treasure for a long time to come.
The clock tower in the town centre (above) Our motel, taken from the station platform while waiting for the train to take us to Moana, Lake Brunner, about an hours journey heading West, back towards Christchurch on the Tranzalpine.
The train was 15 minutes late leaving Greymouth but had made 10 of those minutes up by the time we pulled into Moana. The rain that had been forecast, never materialised, so we were a little overdressed for the climate. The railway station here is right on the shore of Lake Brunner, as you can see from the photographs. We walked to the motel, which took 5 minutes and never saw a soul. Being laid back must be a requirement to live here. The resident population is 80, swelling to 3000 in the height of Summer.
After checking in we went for a walk along the side of the lake, crossing a swing bridge over the Arnold River which is one of the many sources of water for the lake.
We called at the church when we arrived on Friday afternoon and had the chance to take some pics while it was quiet.
The side Chapel was partitioned off from the main part of the church. It was a really restful and peaceful place to sit and reflect
Mass began at 9-30 outside of church with the Blessing of palms, then singing a psalm we followed Fr into church. The hospitality on this coast is unbelievably friendly and very welcoming indeed. After Mass we were invited to the parish centre for some refreshments. It was 11-40 when we bid our farewells and headed back to the motel - a lot later than expected. Murray, our host at the motel was on hand to run us to the station with our luggage and to say our farewells. Greymouth certainly created lots of fond memories for us both to treasure for a long time to come.
The clock tower in the town centre (above) Our motel, taken from the station platform while waiting for the train to take us to Moana, Lake Brunner, about an hours journey heading West, back towards Christchurch on the Tranzalpine.
The train was 15 minutes late leaving Greymouth but had made 10 of those minutes up by the time we pulled into Moana. The rain that had been forecast, never materialised, so we were a little overdressed for the climate. The railway station here is right on the shore of Lake Brunner, as you can see from the photographs. We walked to the motel, which took 5 minutes and never saw a soul. Being laid back must be a requirement to live here. The resident population is 80, swelling to 3000 in the height of Summer.
After checking in we went for a walk along the side of the lake, crossing a swing bridge over the Arnold River which is one of the many sources of water for the lake.
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