Auckland 17, 18, 19

 

We stayed in an apartment in a renewed part of the port area.

 

 

The iconic Skycity.

 

 

Victorian decoration on the gates at the port.

 

 

On top of Mount Eden, an old volcano, to see the view over Auckland.

 

 

Not too far from home.

 

 

The view wasn't great as it turned overcast, cool and windy that day. Didn't rain in the end, but we were nearly blown off the mountain.

 

 

Next day was lovely, so we took a ferry to the historic, village of Devonport, dating from the mid 1800's.

 

 

On board the ferry.

 

 

Devonport was lovely, enhanced by the bus tour we took with a local. A wonderful old fellow who obviously loved his town. This is North Head, over looking Cheltenham Beach. It was once a Maroi Pa (fortified village) and now has the Navy maintaining a presence.

 

 

Jenny and Bill emerge from the tunnels, first built at the end of the 19th century in response to the Russian threat, then extended in WWI and WWII

We had good views of Auckland from Mount Victoria.

 

 

Looking towards the bridge. The houses are attractive - wooden once again.

 

 

The city from the ferry on the way back.

 

 

Their were two cruise boats in the port.

 

 

University of Auckland.

 

 

Jenny on her soap box.

 

 

Albert Park floral clock.

 

 

The trees are massive. The obviously like the sub tropical climate.

 

 

Sculpture leading to the Auckland Art Gallery, Toi O Tamaki.

 

 

Another art work under the beautiful wooden roof.

 

 

Different!

 

 

The old part of the gallery.

 

 

George Rommey 1734 - 1802 Lady and Child.

The moss and lichen on the trees looks lovely.

 

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Rotorua 15, 16

Passing through Tongariro National Park on the way to Rotorua.

 

 

Looking over Lake Taupo.

 

Lake Rotorua.

 

 

Bikes make a different Christmas tree in a park near the lake.

 

 

Looking over boiling waters at the extensive volcanic area of Wai-O-Tapu (Sacred Waters).

 

 

 

The Artist' Palette; hot and cold pools and steaming, hissing fumeroles.

 

 

The happy tourists; David, Jenny, Joy and Bill.

 

 

Bridal Falls.

 

 

The Champagne Pool. A fifth of a hectare of bubbling water with an ochre petrified edge.

 

 

Boiling mud.

 

 

In the evening we went to the Mitai Maori Village, Rainbow Springs, for a Maori cultural experience. It turned out to be both fun and informative. This is one of their ancient war canoes, a waka.

 

 

Maori warriors paddling a waka.

 

 

The stroke looks quite scary.

 

 

The cultural performance was both interesting and fun.

 

 

There was a lot of singing and dancing.

 

 

This man explained the significance of the tattoos.

After the performance, we had a delicious hangi, then we one a rather dark walk to a Maori village and along the river to see the glow worms.

 

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Wellington 12 & 13

Wellington Harbour from the car on the way in.

 

 

We picked up Jenny and David from the Wellington airport and went to our apartment. This is the view from the balcony.

 

 

The first thing we did was was walk around the harbour to the Museum of New Zealand, Te Papa. One of the exhibitions was a rather graphic exhibit about Gallipoli.

 

 

A Maori entrance.

 

 

Next day we took the Cable Car which climbs 120 metres up the hill to the top entrance of the Botanical Gardens.

 

 

 

On the way up we were treated to a light show in the tunnels.

 

There is a cable car museum at the top.

 

 

The view is impressive.

 

 

Many of the houses are wooden. Some houses on the steep hills have their own little cable cars for the use of the owners.

 

 

We walked downhill through the Botanical Gardens, which were lush and interesting.

 

 

In the Begonia House at the bottom of the hill.

 

 

David, Jenny and Bill at the rose garden.

 

 

Part of Parliament House, known as the beehive.

 

 

Street art nearby.

 

 

The birthplace of New Zealand's most famous writer, Katherine Mansfield.

 

 

 

 

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