alexandriacardinals

January 30

Auckland

[Our last full day in the Lands Down Under awoke with the promise of more beautiful weather . . . ]

[So, we decided to do what all Aucklanders and tourists do in such situations . . . ]

[Hop a ferry to Waiheke Island!]

[Still early morning and I’m already wondering if 1,000,000 SPF sunscreen is going to ward off any bleaching effects of the sun today?]

[We headed out into the harbor, wary of the annual tub boat races in progress . . . ]

[Passing the New Zealand Navy on the starboard side.]

[Boats, people, and bridge cranes]

[Auckland looks lovely in a blue background.]

[The Biddies look lovely in a blue background.]

[The Mother of All Bridge Cranes looks lovely in a blue background.]

[Yo!  Your exhaust isn’t exactly environmentally friendly!]

[Maybe that’s why the two blue tugs are after him?]

[Bert and Kathy, with Auckland incidentally in the background.]

[As I recall, the Grosses took a bus trip out this far the previous day while The Biddies and me were hiking the city.]

[One room apartment, for rent.]

[It’s an SRO ferry crowd.]

[We sneak in three photos from the Super here as we appear to be closing in on Waiheke.]

[I believe we have a sighting.]

[Yes, there appears to be a human being on the highpoint.  I believe it’s part of the island’s sculpture trail.]

[Everybody shoots!]

[And there’s Auckland way back there in the distance.]

[Yup, here’s people on the sculpture trail.]

[Auckland’s still visible off the stern.]

[Just about there, the end (or beginning) of the sculpture trail . . . ]

[And here we are . . . ]

[So, what’s the deal:  Waiheke Island is in the Hauraki Gulf.  Its ferry-terminal in Matiatia Bay at the western end is 21.5 km (13.4 mi) from the downtown terminal in Auckland – measured on GPS by Fullers Ferry captains.  It is the second-largest island in the gulf, after Great Barrier Island.  It is the most populated island in the gulf, with nearly 8,730 permanent residents plus another estimated 3,400 who have second or holiday homes on the island.  It is New Zealand’s most densely populated island, with 95 people/km², and the third most populated after the North and South Islands.  It is the most accessible island in the Gulf, with regular passenger and car ferry services, a Waiheke-based helicopter operator, and other air links.  In November 2015, Waiheke Island received international attention when it was rated the fifth best destination in the world to visit in 2016 by Lonely Planet and also voted the fourth best island in the world in the Conde Nast Best Islands in the World List (Wikipedia).]

[Tourists begin swarming the island . . . ]

[Now we’re on a bus tour.  This is one of several beaches on the island, I believe Oneroa, which has a Little Oneroa Beach to the east separated by a cliff.  That seclusion apparently makes it an unofficial a clothing-optional beach – Little Palm Beach is officially a clothing-optional beach (they did not take us there).  For some reason that information always seems to catch my ear?]

[A small bay on the opposite side from the above beach.]

[Whoa, it appears we have discovered a winery.  We’ll be back!]

[But first we continued on to what I believe is the island’s biggest beach, Onetangi.]

[Two boats, four gulls, and a bikini]

[And we’ll be back to the beach, but next we went back to the aforementioned winery, which just happens to share a bus stop with the Museum of Waiheke.]

[The winery had priority – plus we were looking for some eats.]

[The Super took the next four shots of our assault up the hill.]

[And now I’m back – this is Tantalus Estate.]

[The crop . . . ]

[And in the facility, which did indeed have fine dining.  We were early enough to get a table for eight – luckily because they said they were totally booked for lunch.]

[Outdoor dining inside – it was perfect!]

[Brought back fond remembrances of SAWA’s wine lovers platter . . . ]

[And three thumbs up for their Pinot Gris!]

[After lunch at the winery, back to Onetangi Beach.  There go The Biddies.  I don’t do beaches – I’m allergic to sand in my shoes.]

[The Biddies are at water’s edge.]

[This north-facing beach is over a mile long.]

[The Biddies hand signal their return to the sanity of pavement.]

[Here’s our hop on – hop off bus, a driving force in the tourism industry.]

[We’re off the bus now as we hoped to walk in along the sculpture trail . . . ]

[More wine crop . . . ]

[Arrghhhh, but somehow we missed it?  Waiheke has become internationally known for the biennial Headland: Sculpture on the Gulf, an “outdoor sculpture exhibition set on a spectacular coastal walkway on Waiheke Island in Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf.”  It takes place towards the end of January until approximately mid February every other year. It was listed by the New York Times as no. 35 in its list of 46 must see places and events for 2013.  The sculpture walk attracts thousands of visitors to Waiheke, for example, more than 30,000 people walked the sculpture walk in 2013  (Wikipedia).  We looked for the trail, misread a sign obviously, and walked back to port along vinyards and assorted other natural habitat.]

[We’ve spotted our ultimate destination . . . ]

[So, this is what we actually walked.]

[Back to the port beach area.]

[Where there was an open-air art exhibit . . . ]

[Art, with models]

[Reetz takes it all in . . . ]

[Trying hard to walk and take pictures at the same time.]

[The Super got the next two as we pulled away from the island.]

[There’s that sculpture trail.  We were too far inland.]

[Arriving back in Auckland.  We had a discussion with the women in the photo, locals, on the way back.  They asked where we were from.  We said the U.S., Minnesota.  They knew of Minnesota as a place that was cold.  They asked what cities were there.  We said Minneapolis and St. Paul.  They had heard of them.   After a few minutes pause, I asked them how long it took them to learn how to drive on the wrong side of the road?]

[Yeah, really was too bad we didn’t have a nice day?]

[Walking through the local plaza mall on our way back to the hotel . . . ]

January 31

[The morning of our last day . . . ]

[We had time to go out for breakfast and spend our last couple hours in the “neighborhood.”]

[For some reason this place was of some interest for them?  And they certainly spent a lot of time in there while I sat outside and people watched.]

[This was a small plaza about halfway between the port and our hotel.  It was right outside Tiffany & Co.  When The Biddies came out, we ate a carryout breakfast on the plaza while the Super shot these photos of our entertainment – eventually stripped down to his diaper by his parents so he could run around in the fountains that went off randomly.]

[We began winging our way back to the Northern Hemisphere . . .  ]

February 1

[If you’re going to San Francisco, be sure to wear some flowers in your hair . . . and regained the day we lost on the way over.]

[Yup, goin’ home.]

If it would not look too much like showing off, I would tell the reader where New Zealand is.  ~  Mark Twain 1897

Coming Soon:  Montreal to Boston, by boat!

January 29

Auckland

[We started our grand adventure in Australia’s largest city.  We’re ending in New Zealand’s largest city.  In between we visited several smaller cities.]

[Arriving in port where we would disembark the Maasdam for the last time.]

[Port sights . . . ]

[Walking off to our hotel.  On the map it looked like just a couple blocks . . . ]

[A glance back at our water home.]

[But now onward into the city . . . ]

[It turned out our hotel was probably more than a half mile away, as we schlepped our bags along the sidewalks.  It was early morning so we couldn’t check in yet, but we checked our bags and headed back to . . . the port.]

[OK, a final look back.]

[And the ship detritus we would no longer need . . . ]

[This is where, as I recall, the Gross contingent branched off for a bus tour of the city, while The Biddies and me decided to just walkabout downtown.  First find, dinner?]

[Our first walking glimpse of Sky Tower.  The Sky Tower is an observation and telecommunications tower located at the corner of Victoria and Federal Streets. It is 328 metres (1,076 ft) tall, as measured from ground level to the top of the mast, making it the tallest freestanding structure in the Southern Hemisphere and the 25th tallest tower in the world. It has become an iconic landmark in Auckland’s skyline due to its height and unique design (Wikipedia).  We never partook of it.]

[We decided to hit the city parks.  Victoria was first.]

[It was a Sunday morning, not a lot of people out and about.  We needed a restroom.  The park building was closed for repair, but luckily the couple who “run” the place told us we could go in through a side door.  We had a nice chat, thought we’d be friends for life, I’ve already forgotten their names, but as you can see the typical ruggedly beautiful Kiwi couple.]

[Auckland has been on my radar since 3rd or 4th grade (who remembers?).  Here is the Harvard Nieman Fellow class of 1956-57.  In the back row, 3rd from the left, is John Cornwall of Auckland, New Zealand.  Also in the photo is my dad, very top row, 3rd from the right; Hans Hanson of Norway, front row, 3rd from the left; Dieter Schultz of Germany, back row, 2nd from the left; Anthony Lewis, who went on to significant fame as a columnist for the New York Times, back row, 4th from the left; Harold Liston of Illinois, 3rd row back, 2nd from the left.  This is not written down anywhere – I just remember them.  And yet there are people today whom I see weekly but can’t remember their names?]

[We continued our hike out the far side of the park . . . ]

[Then it was a long uphill grind, i.e., several blocks, to the level of the Sky Tower – the place is like San Francisco.]

[Now in the heart of downtown, finding things of culture.]

[Gee, maybe we should have?  Not likely a line at this time of day?]

[The Town Hall . . . ]

[Which overlooks this outdoor entertainment complex . . . ]

[After sitting here for a while . . . ]

[We were just down the block from what appears to be Auckland’s main intersection – Queen and Wellesley Streets.  We sat at a little outdoor cafe on the corner and sipped our sarsaparillas.]

[Then thankfully began a downhill march . . . ]

[To the Auckland Art Gallery, which just happened to be featuring The Maori Portraits.]

[The Biddies looking forward to it!]

[The view across the street, to set your bearings . . . ]

[And we’re in – with nary a body cavity search!]

[The Super takes it all in . . . ]

[As does Reetz.]

[The Super seems to recall this was called “Japanese fabrics” . . . ]

[And she liked it so much she took the following three photos . . . ]

[Described two down . . . ]

[The Biddies check genealogies, just in case.]

[Mindful of the view at the Science Museum of Minnesota?]

[Admiring the ceiling work of the outdoor cafe at the gallery.]

[A great place to sit and enjoy a sip of . . . another sarsaparilla?  We were lucky number 13 – I believe The Biddies had a food order.]

[This must have been a shot for the root system.]

[And now we’re walking back up hill again to the University of Auckland.]

[Two Super shots from here . . . ]

[And this was now from the far side of the university.  The whole campus was fenced off for I believe a big rock concert so we couldn’t enter.]

[And now we’re walking down the “backside” of the university.  Don’t these people ever stop exercising?]

[So Kiwi!]

[The Super’s shot into the campus . . . ]

[Yes, I made a major contribution to the endowment fund.]

[The end of the university, and now we just follow this same street down to our hotel.]

[The building with the red highlights is us.]

[And now the views from our balcony . . . ]

[And a look down to . . . “Animal House”?]

[Our suite – Reetz gathers photographic evidence.]

[It’s actually an apartment building run like a hotel.  We had two bedrooms, Reetz got the view.]

[And now out for dinner . . . ]

[Recombining with the Gross contingent at a place where the map of the country is made out of beer cans.  Must be a really good place!]

[Reetz and her mural.]

[All enjoying the beverages of the facility.]

[The Super’s four bar scene shots . . . ]

[Then we came out to this . . . another mural of super fit kiwis!  Uffda!]

[Then we went for an after dinner stroll to check on all the port activities.  I would like to report I did not participate in the events displayed in the following photo!]

[Hi! This is my sister-in-law. Isn’t she cute? But like her sister, The Super, she has been known to trample little old ladies, small dogs, and children if they get between her and ice cream, custard, or gelato!]

[The walk from the port back to our hotel.]

[Where we enjoyed a fireworks display from our balcony.  I believe it was planned just for our arrival!]

The endangered Kiwi is aptly New Zealand’s icon. There is so much promise to lay a large egg but without the ability to get it off the ground.  ~  Grant McLachlan

Up Next:  Day 2 in Auckland.

January 28

Cruising the Bay of Plenty

[Gorgeous weather for an all-day cruise on the way to Auckland.  Actually, it should be called the White Island cruise.  We hung around here pretty much all day, which was great, doing 360’s in the big boat and circling the island to make sure we got photo ops from every possible angle.]

[Whakaari / White Island is an active andesite stratovolcano, situated 48 km (30 mi) from the east coast of North Island in the Bay of Plenty.   It is New Zealand’s most active cone volcano, and has been built up by continuous volcanic activity over the past 150,000 years. The nearest mainland towns are Whakatan and Taurnage.  White Island has been in a nearly continuous stage of smoking at least since it was ‘discovered’ by James Cook in 1769.  The island is roughly circular, about 2 km (1.2 mi) in diameter, and rises to a height of 321 m (1,053 ft) above sea level.  However this is only the peak of a much larger submarine mountain, which rises up to 1,600 m (5,249 ft) above the nearby seafloor. Sulfur mining was attempted but was abandoned in 1914 after a lahar killed all 10 workers. The main activities on the island now are guided tours and scientific research (Wikipedia)].

[So I hope you like photos of volcanoes?]

[Smaller boats cruised close in . . . ]

[Helicopters came and went . . . ]

[A white “sea” of Australasian gannets . . . ]

[A breeding colony of about 3,000 pairs.]

[A much smaller island – appears to be unihabited.]

[Islands in the Mist?]

[Visitors arriving at the volcano . . . ]

[I believe tourists as well as scientists make pilgrimages here . . . ]

[If not a plane or Superman, a gannet.]

[The vast emptiness of the open ocean . . . and the Super likes this?]

[A blue helicopter joins the fray . . . ]

[Now the area looks like a helipad.]

[I hope it doesn’t blow . . . ]

[We and the ship would be in deep doo-doo!!]

[Rock outcrop islands abound.]

[Probably not the same gannet.]

[There is much joy in Biddieville.]

[Rounding the far end . . . ]

[Time for cruise comforts – though The Biddies plot their next escapade.]

[Beautiful “Lake Darling” getting worldwide exposure.]

[Is that Kim Kardashian over there?]

[Say “kiwi”!]

[Did I mention it was a really, really nice day?]

[Let’s check out some other action shipboard . . . ]

[The Super goes for a wade – I went for a wine.]

[And the ship is swinging around again . . . ]

[And there’s our volcano . . . again.]

[Surely it must be time for a cold beverage?]

[Good idea!]

[Mmmmmmmmmm, refreshing!]

[Two hot babes and a hot volcano!]

[Could this be the last pass?]

[Yup, heading off again into the abyss.]

[Either good fishing or swimming here.]

[And then on to our luxury skybox with wingback chairs and beverage service.]

[Whoa!  A wildlfe sighting – then they were gone?]

[Back to the beverage service . . . ]

[Is this a James Cameron movie?]

[It just looks way cool!]

[Master of all she surveys . . . ]

[Hellloooooooo!]

[The Last Supper]

[The next morning we would be fending for ourselves in Auckland.]

[‘Nuff meat, Bill?]

[Looks like chicken, but not something I ordinarily order?]

[Finally we, and the sun, go to bed . . . ]

And once again the Super took enough photos (or her tablet took some all by itself) for her own section

[I’m going to submit this for display with the Nashville, Indiana, Historical Society.]

[And we’re going to submit this to the Indiana University Alumni Hall of Fame!]

[Really, it was this BIG!!]

[But I managed to reel her in!]

[Selfie!!]

[Has my head stopped shedding?]

[Did I mention it was this BIG?]

[And whom amongst us doesn’t love a good volcano?]

[Hoki mai!]

If your heart is a volcano, how shall you expect flowers to bloom?  ~  Khalil Gibran

Up Next:  Two days in Auckland and then Homeward Bound (with homages to Paul Simon).

January 27

Rotorua

[Continuing the same day . . . ]

[Finally, the Maori experience . . . ]

[Whakarewarewa, The Living Maori Village]

[And it’s thermal, to boot!]

[Acknowledging famous women guides:  During the mid-19th century tourists began visiting the geothermal wonders in and around Rotorua.  As tourism developed in the area, guiding became a formalised profession for local Māori guides.  Several Maori guides became international personalities in their own right, guiding international visitors through geothermal attractions with humour, charm and navigating deftly between English and Maori languages and culture.  Today, a guiding tradition that began over 200 years ago remains strong thanks to the excellent work of guides (both past and present) of Whakarewarewa, The Living Māori Village  (“Meet the People The Famous Guides of Whakarewarewa, The Living Māori Village”).]

[Crossing the bridge into the village, kids dive for coins tossed to them by the tourists.  We were advised this was not mandatory – but how could you not?]

[I have no idea how deep the water is or if the kids recover all the coins.]

[A thermal hotspot]

[Camera-ready tourists . . . or waiting for a Sean Spicer press briefing?]

[Thermal “crockpot”?  Put your food in in the morning, ready to eat at night.]

[Might be a tad toasty for a bath.]

[Plenty o’ sulphur in the neighborhood.  Stinks a bit, too.]

[The crowd on the bridge readying for . . . ]

[A blast from “Ole Faithful”?]

[Yup, New Zealand’s version of Yellowstone.]

[And here are the thermal baths.  Our guide said she partakes in the evening . . . ]

[The coin divers come up from the river to warm up.  There’s a pocket gopher effect on their cheeks because it’s where they store their coins.]

[“No ba hing,” a Maori phrase?]

[Our enthusiastic guide, whose name I can’t remember.]

[Korotiotio means grumpy man and is the most volatile spring gushing super-heated water that explodes from the ground (YouTube).]

[A hot day exacerbated by hot water.]

[And this explains the next several pictures . . . ]

[And now it’s time for . . .  theater!]

[A tourist attempting the Maori “scare the enemy” expression . . . ]

[Attractive red hair . . . ]

[But this was the shot I was attempting to get.]

[And now the entire cast . . . ]

[Full of energy and fun!]

[Ooops, the red hair grabbed the autofocus again.]

[Here we go!]

[We were taught the chant and the dance on board ship – I could have handled it!]

[The Super just had to have this photo!]

[And the photographer with the Super’s tablet.  I saw her again not 5 minutes after the show already back “in town” in denim shorts and a tee shirt, just like teens everywhere.]

[Kathy and Bert join the apres show fun.]

[How many knew Bert (far right) is also a famous barbershop quartet guy?]

[And the Super’s favorite guy on guitar.]

[After the Maori village . . . ]

[To here, Government Gardens.]

[The Rotorua Museum, the old Bath House building, in the Gardens near Lake Rotorua.]

[Probably not Knute Nelson.]

[Bath houses and spas abound.]

[Looks like Mono Lake in California.]

[Another tree farm area.]

[Coming up to a kiwifruit farm.  The guide could not tell me what kind of trees these are, but what a great wind break they make.]

[And here we are.  The kiwi is not native to New Zealand, it’s a Chinese gooseberry.  Once again the blog attempts to educate and entertain.  “Attempts” being the key word here.]

[There are also golden (here) and red kiwifruits – have they made it to the U.S. yet?]

[Back to port but still with some time on our hands.]

[So, let’s go to town for a “cool” one . . . ]

[And, of course of most import, catching up on social media.]

[A music event with picnicking on the walk back . . . ]

[Or I think that’s what it was.]

[Back to the ship, and hoki mai (come back).]

[I think I remember him?]

[Reetz excited to finally see a kiwi . . . no, not the fruit.]

[Hoki mai, Tauranga.]

[And the sun sinks slowly in the west.]

[Yes, to the west, on both sides of the equator.]

And now for the Super’s take on the Maori village

[See how much of this you remember from the top half of the post.]

[Our guide enthralls the mass assemblage.]

[She was fun because she had fun.]

[Maybe one day she’ll make the guide hall of fame?]

[Diving for college!]

[Don’t you all wish you’d brought an umbrella?]

[The “crockpot”]

[Parekohuru means murderous ripples.]

[Nothin’ spells lovin’ like somethin’ from the oven.]

[Reetz enjoying the show.]

[Dual coverage]

[Cheeks full of money.]

[I never thought I’d be in a Maori village?]

[Let’s go to that cafe behind me!]

[I’m so happy I could just grin!]

[Ladies and gentlemen, it’s show time!]

[Cameras ready!  Begin!]

[They encourage photo and video taking – free advertising!]

[Our guide gives an explanation of why kiwis are grown this way.  Since we likely can’t grown them in Minnesota, I’ve forgotten.]

[As I recall, male plants are grown on one side, female plants on the other.  One male plant can pollinate 8 female plants, so it’s a polygamous arrangement.  However, my recollection could be wrong.]

[Woof, woof!]

Altogether too many sheep.  ~  George Bernard Shaw, regarding New Zealand