Picton, our First South Island Port of Call

The port and township of Picton

As the gateway to the South Island by water, Picton is a busy little port. We docked right next to the interisland ferry so there was a lot of interest watching all the comings and goings on that ship.
  After a warm welcome from the local volunteers stationed at the bottom of the gangway, we caught the free shuttle bus into the township. Picton is a pretty town with its landscaped and paved park on the waterfront at the bottom of the main street. I was impressed with the cafes and shops which seemed to be geared to well-heeled tourists rather than locals. The art and crafts on display in the galleries and stores were of high quality and interesting.
  I was particularly amused with the sign in the window of the ice cream parlour stating that it was open from midday, on sunny days. Too bad if you were after a gelato or chocolate dipped double scoop of hokey pokey when it was cloudy!
  In a back street we found one of our favourite types of shops, a secondhand/antiques emporium. We spent a happy hour poking around the shelves and displays looking for treasures.