Day 17. Exploring Kororareka

This was Russell's name originally; in Maori (we spelled it wrong the last post, this is correct) it means sweet blue penguin!  The local penguin is blue and the Maori used to eat them - they are protected now.    We took the minibus tour to learn about the island. 

Main Street near wharf in Russell:

View of wharf and protected harbor, moorings are $12 a month:

Chris on top of the island:

Bill was there too (too cold for the crabs):

 The 1800's saw white men arrive as explorers, settlers, missionaries, whalers and traders who found the Maori mostly friendly and helpful.  The place became a notorious trading port town know for grog shops and brothels and called "the Hell hole of the Pacific".  The Brits sent sailors and officials who negotiated a treaty with the Maori and imposed some order.  Russell became the first Capitol of NZ.  Ask to read Chris's journal for the details. 
 
Next we went to the Russell Museum for more information and then to the first NZ Episcopal church and finally to the French Catholic mission.  Here are photos of the churches.

We are told this is a very popular spot for celebrity weddings (no press to interfere):

Small and beautiful:

They had learned the native language and brought a printing press to make prayer books in Maori - 60,000.  They were leather bound and did the tanning too.  Bill printed this page on teh oldest press in NZ 1839, still used for demos at the site in Russell.

 
Back to La Veduta to relax and write and read before going out to dinner bed; then it's early to bed for the next phase of the trip.