Day 23 Napier to Wellington

Last night's Happy Hour included vegetable fritters with a pepper jelly and a new guest, Gregorio, from a little town in northern Spain who came for 6 weeks of World Cup Rugby.  He was fluent in French but knew almost no English, so Chris felt sorry for him and struggled with French, which was a pretty successful effort. When he left to meet a Spanish friend, we went to the Irish Pub we had seen earlier.  When we got there place was empty, so we wandered till we found a small Italian place where we had a lovely dinner. The owner was out of central casting - could do a Danny Divito look alike - and the Tuscan style works well with the local fresh foods.  And, surprise, the two Spaniards sat next to us!  We left after 9 to hear the live music at the pub, and they joined us there too.  The local guitarist sang our oldies and country, and the few people there sang along.  It wasn't Irish but it was fun.  We drove the other two back with us so they didn't have to climb the big hill.
 
Today we had a big NZ breakfast with them, played with the 2 year old grandson Oliver, and said goodbye to all.

Oliver with Crabette and the iPad:

We drove south thru the Hawke's Bay region, loads of vineyards and fruit trees in early bloom - beautiful, like all NZ scenery.   We turned east about an hour out of Wellington to visit another small but very prestigious wine region near the town of Martinborough.  Had soup and bread for lunch but did not do any wine tasting, and drove on to Wellington.  This part of the trip would make a James Bond fan think they were in the French Alps, with Grand Prix switch backs up and down 15 miles of 2 lane road that begged for road race -  Bill was well mannered and did not scare Chris (well not often).  We got to the James Cook Hotel on the waterfront, next to the cable car route up to the top of the mountain overlooking the harbor.  We had dinner at The Queens Harbor Club, it seems to be an old yacht club dining deck overlooking Wellington Harbor-lots of old woodwork and a view of the marina.  Good night for now, we explore Wellington tomorrow.

Day 22 Napier and Hawke's Bay region.

We took a guided tour of the town of Napier.  In 1931 a massive 7.9 quake leveled most everything that was here.  When the earth settled the land had risen almost 7 feet.  Rivers and lagoons and harbors were now dry land so the town which was a spit of earth between the Pacific and the harbor/ lagoon was all changed. The town rebuilt in the contemporary modern style now known as Art Deco.  They have preserved the buildings and are famous for an entire downtown that has been maintained in that style.   

Panin, the mermaid of the reef, with all 4 of us: 

Napier Art Deco city center: 

Award winning design – for a drug store: 

Inside the design continues:

Even shamrocks get incorporated into the design:

Next we went on a road trip around the vineyards and stopped at two, Elephant Hill for a tasting and fabulous lunch and then to Craggy Ridge for more tastings.  We are getting very good at tasting and not drinking so we can make back safely, which we did!  This evening we plan on an Irish Pub with live music for dinner.

View from lunch at Elephant Hill Winery:

Mom with a trophy bottle!

Day 21 Rotoura to Napier

Last night's show at the Matai Maori Village was really something quite impressive. They do a show and dinner most every night, dinner is the traditional hot stone lined pit into which they place chicken, lamb, root vegetables and cover with wet leaves or cloth and allow to cook about 3 hours.

Yummy, dinner:

We were greeted by the host/MC who had everyone introduce themselves by country -9 nations:  Australia, China, Korea, England, France, Germany, Romania, Japan and USA.  He then told us the program which included having a chief of the 9 tribes who were guests of the local Maori chief. 

Warrior canoe:

Our chief had to be brave, strong and fierce to command respect of their chief.  So Bill was drafted.  He stood on stage bravely while the chief and warriors greeted him and the visitors hostilely to earn his respect.

 

Bill and the chief with Ben assisting:

 Then he participated in the ceremonial nose touching greeting, and Bill gave a speech thanking the great Maori chief for welcoming our visiting tribes.  Quite fun!
  Next morning we visited the Rotorua Museum which began life as a bath house in the early 1900's, founded by a British Doctor who made it very famous.  Teddy Roosevelt sent the Marine Band from the Great White Fleet to the opening ceremony, who were in Wellington at the time. 

Chris and the crabs at Rotorua museum:

 The museum –  began life as a bath house:

From the roof of the museum:

Then to Wai-O-Tapu hot springs.  The photos tell the story better than I can so I will not try.  Then on to Napier back on the east coast, over beautiful mountains and onto a fertile plane with many vineyards called Hawke's Bay.

Thermal springs:

Sulfur flats and geothermal generation plant:

Chris got a new hat :)

Not too inviting for a dip:

We found the B&B on a hillside and were treated to several glasses of wine and appetizers by a charming couple who also have their son and his family visiting-2 cute grand children. 

Sunset from our B&B in Napier:

A light dinner and off to bed.

Day 20 we cannot show you pictures of the best part of the day

We got reservations for a Hobbiton Movie Set and Farm Tour, only to find out we cannot share anything that will reveal anything.  Everyone knows they are using this site to make a two part new Hobbit movie (prequel to Lord of the Rings), and we had to sign a no internet picture agreement till the movie is out. They showed us a news story of guy who paid a big fine, so they are very serious about this.  So you can see the bus we took to the site and the sheep shearing that occurred after we left.

Chris feeding little lamb (tour bus in background):

Sheep shearing (quite a skill):

The rest will have to wait till we can show you in person or until the movie is released.  We were lucky to get here when we did because it will closed from early October till sometime in November, presumably for filming.
 
The trip to the Alexander farm in Matamata was really easy - more rolling green country side and sheep and cows and rocks and did I say green! It was a beautifully sunny day that even got warm enough for Chris to de-layer!

After we saw some of the farm's 1 week old lambs and a quick sheep-shearing, we had lunch and went to Rotorua.  We discovered a weekly craft fair of all things NZ and managed to spend a few dollars.   

We also saw local black swans and steam from their famous mineral springs, then off to the visitors’ center here and got ideas for tomorrow.

Black swans near lodge we are visiting:

Natural sulfur escaping in the park near Rotorua:

Chris through Hobbit window at visitors’ center:

We came back to the Ariki Lodge and a nap for Chris and this entry for me!  Tonight we see a Maori culture show and dinner.

Day 19 Auckland to Rotorua with a stop at Waitomo Caves

Glad it was Saturday when we drove thru Auckland, almost no traffic while last night arriving was crawl speed on a 6 lane expressway, like going to LAX with Bob and Carolyn.  First stop was gas with a Micky D's and free WiFi, so we had to partake.  Coffee "long black" is espresso with hot water to make it about 6 oz; they do tea well and Chris likes hers white, so it is all good. Waitomo is a glow worm cave that is quite impressive - no pics allowed so as not to disturb the little buggers.  They grow threads like spider webs that have lights on the ends that attract bugs which they then eat.  The lights look like a green tinted starry sky.  Caves were formed 25 to 30 million years ago and white surveyors got the first look in about 1840.  Very well organized and executed for tours. 

Boat from glow worm river trip in Waitomo‏:

Then back east to Rotorua and a second fabulous B&B on the lake where we got upgraded to the suite, kitchen, laundry, whirlpool bath and a great couple. 

The view from our room in Rotorua:

Mass at the local church was almost all in the native Maori language, quite impressive.  Then we had dinner at the "Lone Star", a cowboy bar that was the most packed place we found.  Had a fun conversation with the owner and a very good dinner.  Back at the Akiri Lodge doing a load of wash while Chris soaks in the tub with a small glass of port.  I will try the port when I finish this post.

Will see Hobbit Town tomorrow!

Day 18 Kauri trees and driving

After another fabulous breakfast we said goodbye to Dino and Daniele, it was like leaving old friends. The drive to the ferry was foggy but things cleared as the sun burned off the cloud cover.  

The ferry leaving Russell Island:

Maori plant pod that is symbol of life‏:

We're going back south along the west coast so we can drive thru the Waipoua Kauri Forest and stop at the visitor areas. 

The Tasmanian Sea along the west coast of NZ‏:

Just like Ireland - sheep crossing the road‏:

Ireland but so much larger scale:‏

The first was the largest living Kauri tree "Tane Mahuta- Lord of the Forest" about 50 feet in circumference and 2,000 years old.

Kauri tree:

The largest living tree sign info:

The crabs in Waipahu forest - even they were impressed by the trees‏:

The Crabs had to wash their bodies before leaving the forest‏:

We walked further into the tropical forest to see the 4 Sisters.  The trails are all elevated to protect the shallow & sensitive roots; the trees evolved before there were even animals on the island. The pictures tell their grandeur better than us. 

4 Sisters tree, 4 trunks – same root:

We also stopped at the Kaori Museum and saw how they were harvested and milled - not easy!  Then back to a hotel near Auckland, a good meal, and bed.
 

Relative size. The living tree is on the right of center 3rd frame down. On the left are the historical findings marked in size‏:

Auckland harbor at sunset from our hotel:

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.