Part 2 of the collection: “Best of Ugly New Zealand Edition South Island (BOUNZESI)”. Have a lovely weekend, y’all, while deciding if the South or the North wins. For me, it’s clear as Lake Wakatipu.

The truth about Timaru!

Captured by the wonderful Natalie Price, who was kind – and brave – enough to let me publish this masterpiece. Thanks a lot!

Please let me re-emphasise that most of the photos presented on this blog aren’t indicative for the photographic abilities of their authors ;)

Google Maps Location (well, somewhere there)

Photo © 2011 Natalie Price. Original here.

Ladies and gentlemen, prepare for fireworks of Uglynewzealandism over the next days and weeks! Kicked off by this superb shot by the fabulous Shannon Stevenson, accompanied by a mind-boggling guest post by Alex Gilks aka The Voice of the South:

When the blanket of sudden winter snow melts a bit, and gets all gritty and sullied around the edges with brown and grey tyre juice, that’s when the folks of Timaru do what they do best: load up in a big ol’ 1980s Ford LTD style stretched limo, and head out to the main to cruise the mush, like a dirty big pink shark, looking to raise some hell.

Google Maps Location (sorta)

Photo © 2011 Shannon Stevenson. Original here.

After the tragic death of the Phar Lap, his fans and the racing fraternity ennobled the memory of the champion gelding by sending his arse back to Australia, keeping his bones in New Zealand, and exporting his shoes to the Philippines. A thoroughbred, a complete horsey, bossing the track and strutting proud and free in his domain: this image could not be complete without a statue of a frozen horse riding a goods lift up towards heaven. Travel well, wonder horse.

Another more-than-just-exquisite guest post by the valorous designer, teacher and author Alex Gilks, accompanying this magical shot by the sensational Grant Dommen.

Google Maps Location

Photo © 2011 Grant Dommen. Original here.

Wot, wot, wot!?! I didn’t post this cleverly placed fountain yet? Silly me. Here you go! On the upper area of this gem.

Google Maps Location.

Google Maps Location.

More of the world-famous park architecture that made… Timaru… ehm… – there’s a signpost reading ‘Piazza’, too!

Yeah! Hit me, Miami-Vice-style! Please also note the sign on the left-hand side.

Makes you wonder what the architect does today and if the council members had fun in that club that night…

Again, this is a great photo and shouldn’t be here. Anyhow, the whole train station area feels like a Kaurismäki movie and somebody should shoot a movie there, the sooner the better. Close to one of my favourite cafés in NZ, the “Off the Rail Cafe”, which, despite its name, is an amazing place.