The sun was shining when we woke, and it shone all day. So we seized the moment, and went out to the gold-mining centre on the way to Cromwell. Which was fascinating, and I loved it – it’s on the site of an old gold mining area, and was all outdoors. The ground was stony with grasses and thyme growing underfoot – when you walked, the air was fragrant with the scent of it – and blue, blue spikes of flowers among the golden heads of the grasses. It was sunny, and silent apart from the insects in the grass, and the birdsong, and incredibly atmospheric.
A film company had built some replica mining huts a while ago, and they were still there, and gave you a very good idea of how the miners had lived, the conditions they endured in their search for gold.
There were lots of old bits of mining equipment lying around as well, rusting gently in the sunshine. And some bits that looked as though they still worked from time to time – Rob enjoyed the stamping battery, with its system of cams, all water powered.
I enjoyed the silence, the scenery, the colours of it all, the sense of history – and seeing another new bird (I’d thought that would be it now – we go home so soon): Californian Quail, which has an almost Elvis-like quiff on the top of its head!
After the goldmine, we went on into Cromwell (so named by a Northern Irish settler), which has a historic centre. The river was dammed, and the old buildings were going to be drowned, so they rescued them, and have re-created the old Cromwell town centre – or a part of it at least – and used the buildings as art galleries, and a second-hand bookshop. Rob left me in that one on my own…
The drive back to Queenstown was just as spectacular as the drive there, all mountains, and hills – and vineyards. If we were going to be here a bit longer, I think I’d have liked to book a wine tour, but tomorrow’s our last full day here. If we come again, then next time…
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