One of the pleasures I get from travelling is seeing how other cultures live their daily lives and observing how different issues are dealt with. For example, the climate here in Nelson is very much ocean influenced. Like southern California, the winters are mild as are the summers. They don't have a lot of need for climate control in their homes. It simply doesn't get too hot or too cold. On the cold winter day (10C/50F) they may need to warm the house up a bit. Traditionally they have used wood burning stoves to accomplish this. However, with the threat of climate change these devices have fallen out of vogue. As I understand it, wood stoves are no longer allowed in new construction and certain existing homes with older models of stoves must either upgrade to a more efficient burning model, or lose the right to burn wood. There is a transition happening away from wood to cleaner burning fuel all in the name of climate change. This is yet another example of the Kiwi consciousness of the climate change issue.
On a different note, when we had just arrived we had to wait for our hotel room to be made up as we were a little early. So, we went to find a cup of coffee. At the restaurant we visited they had an item on the menu listed as fruit toast. Falling into the category "you don't know unless you try," we ordered some with our coffee. What we got was toasted raisin bread. I've never thought of it as "fruit toast" but will from now on! Since that day, we have found multiple versions of "fruit loaf" in the grocery stores, some referred to as spicy (with cinammon). So, we've been enjoying our spicy fruit loaf toast frequently.
The picture is us at a local pub enjoying a pint. An improvement over shoveling snow.
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