Friday Fotos

One of our interests while traveling to New Zealand was to learn more about the Maoris. Fortunately, we had several opportunities to visit historical sites or events such as this Maori welcoming ceremony. And though the experience isn't the same as it would be in a remote area or perhaps a hundred years ago, it's as close as a modern tourist can get.The really nice thing … [Read more...] about Friday Fotos – Maori welcoming ceremony in New Zealand

One of the coolest places we visited during our 2019 trip to New Zealand was a kiwi farm. It was a hot day in the valley where this farm is located, but under the shade of the kiwis, it was cool and pleasant. We weren't allowed to pick the fruit, but we did get an education about kiwi fruit and how this golden kiwi is one of the best.By the way, the kiwi is actually a … [Read more...] about Friday Fotos – under the shade of the kiwi vine

Welcome to Zealandia wildlife refuge!Don’t get this Zealandia confused with the continental shelf by the same name. This one is in Wellington, New Zealand and we visited during our 2019 trip to New Zealand. This was a great experience. Much like all other organized tours, there simply wasn't enough time to see everything we'd have liked.The Zealandia wildlife refuge is … [Read more...] about Friday Fotos – Zealandia is a wildlife refuge for the future

In last week’s post, Friday Fotos – Napier is the Art Deco capital of New Zealand, I mentioned that the train in Napier was a fun way to see the sites. Well, here it is, the Hawkes Bay Express! Isn’t this a beauty? The owner hand built it and it truly is the perfect complement to the old-timey Art Deco atmosphere in town. The insides of the Hawkes Bay Express are decorated in … [Read more...] about Friday Fotos – Hawkes Bay Express is a stylish ride

Napier, the Art Deco capital of New ZealandUpon our arrival in Napier, we discovered that it was a very cool little town with a surprising past. The architecture is amazing, and it all came about because a natural disaster gave the town an opportunity to remake itself into something truly special.Unfortunately, the day we were in Napier the weather was cold and windy. … [Read more...] about Friday Fotos – Napier is the Art Deco capital of New Zealand