Along the way to Milford Sound, one of the sights to see is The Chasm. While The Chasm is a beautiful nature walk on a path traveling through the trees and over a river, it was not an easy place to get photos. Not far away, however, is this pass. You can still see snow on the mountains even though we were at the end of summer.
Mirror Lakes is in New Zealand’s Fjordland National Park. The water was perfectly still on the day we visited.
Mirror Lakes – what a showstopper!
Mirror Lakes was one of the stops on our tour to Milford Sound. The crystal clear water was perfectly still on the day we visited, which let me capture a photo of fish swimming above the mountaintops. This was one of those stops where the tour director gave us ‘twenty minutes,’ but the natural beauty was so immense that many of us tended to straggle. Mirror Lakes gets a tremendous number of visitors and our bus was just one of those who stopped. Because there is a wooden path to walk on, it’s easy access, and that helps contribute to the popularity of Mirror Lakes.
With clear water and no wind, Mirror Lakes reflects the mountains beyond.
In the National Park, this is one of the many creeks and rivers.
We were so lucky to have such a beautiful day.
Milford Sound is a popular place for tours.
Here's the coastline of New Zealand along the Tasman Sea.
Cruising along the sound.
This weathered bell has been on the front of the Milford Monarch since 1994. No longer used, it's a beautiful decoration.
Looking back toward the Tasman Sea
This group of fur seals was just hanging out
This fur seal woke up when we cruised by and did a little stretch.
This was my last clear shot. After this, the lens was getting too wet and I had to seek cover.
I believe this is looking back at The Chasm from Milford Sound
A pair of lions guard the front door of Larnach Castle
All of the doorways at Larnach Castle are amazing.
The ceiings at Larnach Castle are amazing.
This vase sits on the mantle of one of the fireplaces.
Welcome to Larnach Castle, where over-the-top is just the beginning.
The castle, like other opulent older homes, has beautiful hardwoods throughout.
The mistress of the house wanted this statue in her dressing room. It's a strange story!
The views from the roof of Larnach Castle are spectacular
From the lawns to the shrubs and trees, the landscaping at the castle is immaculate.
On the way down from the roof of the castle, the stairs are steep and winding!
It's hard to believe this castle was nearly leveled by developers.
This beautiful gazebo is just one of the many elegant garden features.
Our first stop on our shore excursion was at the Dunedin rail station.
A local garden society maintains the grounds of the rail station.
The inside of the Dunedin rail station.
When you're entering the Dunedin rail station, you pass through these columns.
Another piece of detail that makes the rail station a classic piece of history.
Picton is a gorgeous little village of only 4,000 people, but it has a lot of boats!
It looks like this little town has almost as many boats as houses.
The harbor at Picton has a good sealife population, so these waters are clear several feet down.
The ocean can become very dramatic down here when there's a storm coming. Swells reached about 9 feet at one point.
Getting ready for the seaport walk. Let's go!
The blue skies lasted most of the day, which was unusual. The flat water is supposed to be normal.
Boats in the harbor at Picton, where tourism is big business
These guys play to benefit the Blenheim Orphanage. They drew a nice little crowd.
Here we are, living the life in Picton...at least until we have to be back on the Noordam.
Lots and lots of islands, peninsulas, and fjords in this part of the world.
These little cluster of sailboats was just out in the bay waiting for their owners.
The California pine was brought to New Zealand years ago. It now is farmed as an export to Japan, where it will be turned into furniture, which will go to...the US (amongst other places).
The arch is the entrance to the park from the quaint downtown.
We're back in Wellington, the capital of New Zealand
This building is called the Beehive. It's where the Executive Offices of the New Zealand Parliament are located.
This "lake" is actually part of a dam, which became part of Zealandia when it began.
Unable to fly, these birds fall prey to mammalian predators.
What a place! Six floors of exhibits and offices. It would take a couple of days to see the whole thing—and we had less than two hours.
This is a very popular exhibit and requires separate tickets, which we didn't have. It was also sold out!
Our guide told us she was bothered by this interpretation of a Maori meeting house for several years, then one day had an epiphany and now understands it.
This beautiful stained glass was in the same area as the Maori 'house'.
The clouds parted long enough to get a glimpse of the moon.
Ariel likes to be prepared for the day.
California pine is a huge export for New Zealand - it's also a big problem.
Taken from the balcony of our stateroom,
More than a hundred years ago there was an earthquake in Napier that raised up the entire valley.
The town of Napier was leveled by an earthquake in 1931, but has rebuilt in an art deco style.
Our guide leaving the Napier Customhouse, which has been restored thanks to a group of locals
This train has been lovingly restored by our guide and his family.
There's a tractor under all that glitz!
What a great way to see the area. The guide is very informative and the train has so many little period details.
All those colors? They're giant pincushions!
Just one example of the art deco style that runs throughout downtown Napier
Vintage autos, restored by their owners, were on display.
The art deco style is the theme in the downtown.
There are even little balconies like this one on Harston's
Just in case you want to fit in with the Napier building style!
If you want retro style, this is your place!
There seems to be a common theme in New Zealand. We've seen arches on the waterfront before.
Napier might only have 57,000 residents, but it oozes style.
Ariel watches wistfully as we get further from Napier. We think she likes art deco!
We depart Napier under partyly sunny skies
As we prepare for April 16, Ariel takes a ride on the towel elephant made by our room steward, Ricky
As has been the case with many of the ports, Tauranga is primarily a shipping port, but tourism is a growing business
Even though Tauranga is a shipping port, it has some breathtaking views
Our tour wasn't for another hour, but they announced there was to be a drill for the staff
This is the backyard view for one of the Maori guides who works for the tour company.
While small, this Maori welcoming ceremony was well done and they were so friendly!
New Zealand is making a push to get their gold kiwi fruit into markets this year. It's soooo good!
This is an ingenious system. The canopy needs to be a certain depth, so the growers place next year's vines up top. They cut everything at the end of the season and lay those new top vines down.
When the sun was dropping, I decided it was time to go topside and snap a photo.
It was Asian night in the Lido dining room! These two are the best!
This is an example of a Maore double-hulled canoe
We think this towel animal is a sloth. At least Ariel like it!
This was part of the view of Auckland from our balcony.
The emblems around the edges of the stained glass signify the countries involved in the conflict. The center commemorates the New Zealand military branches.
Thousands of names are inscribed on the walls in this room.
This is a real airplane that they brought in through the roof.
This memorial serves to remind visitors of war's devastation.
The views from the museum are spectacular and fitting for the monument
New Zealand was once a land of birds and no mammals.
That is one big bird. The moa once flourished in New Zealand, but the Maori and other forces brought it to extinction.
The puka is the sticking out of the tongue - in times past, different expressions meant something - kind of like a separate language.
This canoe could carry about 100 warriors, most of whom were paddling.
If the canoe was to be used for transporting something other than warriors, the bow and rear could be replaced with something appropriate.
Once glue had been applied to the binding, the pages set
The book bindery operated out of this house upstairs and down.
I hear the scones were fabulous—but they were not gluten-free, so not for me!
This garden area is maintained by a local group of gardeners
The attention to detail on these pieces is amazing.
Here's another of those beautiful pieces from the central garden
Established in 1836, this is the oldest church in New Zealand, and it's still beautiful inside.
Russell is a quaint town without a lot of traffic—except for the pedestrian kind.
Outdoor tables are common and the atmosphere is relaxing
We stopped and had ice cream under those red umbrellas. It was so refreshing!
I'm not sure I'd want to be greeted by these guys (one on each side of the front door) when I arrived home!
The wood throughout Larnach Castle is beautiful.
Omaru has so much fantastic architecture. Many of these buildings use Omaru stone, which was taken from quarries neaby.
The path through the park in Devonport leads to this tiny peninsula. Isn't this a beautiful view?
200,000 liters of ice blue water flow flow over Huka Falls every second.
200,000 liters of ice blue water flow flow over Huka Falls every second.
Huka Falls near Lake Taupo in New Zealand is nothing less than impressive. Located approximately in the middle of the north island, the falls are on the Waikato River. Roughly 200,000 liters of ice-blue water flow through this point every second—that’s more than 50,000 gallons every second. The falls create a huge undertow, which has taken under boats that got too close. We were happy to watch from the sidelines and marvel at the sheer power of Huka Falls.
Want to see more photos from trip? Here’s a link where you can find all the entries in our travel journal.
More photos from New Zealand
In Fjordland National Park in New Zealand
Devonport is a seaside town on an island in New Zealand with the look of an old village. The architecture of many homes and shops is classic.
We walked through a park in Devonport to a point where we could see another part of the island across the water.
When I saw this display in the window at this shop in Devonport, I had to take a photo. NOtice that's an old Smith Corona Junior typewriter.
As the ferry takes us away from Devonport and back to Auckland, we get a last glimpse of this beautiful little town.
The pages were bound together with string.
More plates from the old bindery
The shims come in all sizes to make for precise placement.
The books made in this bindery were all leather covered. This is getting close to the final product.
This old press was used to make a single proof after the letters had been set. After the proof, the actual printing was done downstairs
Just beyond the anchored sailboats is the MS Noordam waiting for all of us to see the sights.
Russell has a lot of hills—and boats
This was an early morning shore excursion, so we had to be up bright and early!
With clear water and no wind, Mirror Lakes reflects the mountains beyond.
In the National Park, this is one of the many creeks and rivers.
We were so lucky to have such a beautiful day.
Milford Sound is a popular place for tours.
Here's the coastline of New Zealand along the Tasman Sea.
Cruising along the sound.
This weathered bell has been on the front of the Milford Monarch since 1994. No longer used, it's a beautiful decoration.
Looking back toward the Tasman Sea
This group of fur seals was just hanging out
This fur seal woke up when we cruised by and did a little stretch.
This was my last clear shot. After this, the lens was getting too wet and I had to seek cover.
I believe this is looking back at The Chasm from Milford Sound
A pair of lions guard the front door of Larnach Castle
All of the doorways at Larnach Castle are amazing.
The ceiings at Larnach Castle are amazing.
This vase sits on the mantle of one of the fireplaces.
Welcome to Larnach Castle, where over-the-top is just the beginning.
The castle, like other opulent older homes, has beautiful hardwoods throughout.
The mistress of the house wanted this statue in her dressing room. It's a strange story!
The views from the roof of Larnach Castle are spectacular
From the lawns to the shrubs and trees, the landscaping at the castle is immaculate.
On the way down from the roof of the castle, the stairs are steep and winding!
It's hard to believe this castle was nearly leveled by developers.
This beautiful gazebo is just one of the many elegant garden features.
Our first stop on our shore excursion was at the Dunedin rail station.
A local garden society maintains the grounds of the rail station.
The inside of the Dunedin rail station.
When you're entering the Dunedin rail station, you pass through these columns.
Another piece of detail that makes the rail station a classic piece of history.
Picton is a gorgeous little village of only 4,000 people, but it has a lot of boats!
It looks like this little town has almost as many boats as houses.
The harbor at Picton has a good sealife population, so these waters are clear several feet down.
The ocean can become very dramatic down here when there's a storm coming. Swells reached about 9 feet at one point.
Getting ready for the seaport walk. Let's go!
The blue skies lasted most of the day, which was unusual. The flat water is supposed to be normal.
Boats in the harbor at Picton, where tourism is big business
These guys play to benefit the Blenheim Orphanage. They drew a nice little crowd.
Here we are, living the life in Picton...at least until we have to be back on the Noordam.
Lots and lots of islands, peninsulas, and fjords in this part of the world.
These little cluster of sailboats was just out in the bay waiting for their owners.
The California pine was brought to New Zealand years ago. It now is farmed as an export to Japan, where it will be turned into furniture, which will go to...the US (amongst other places).
The arch is the entrance to the park from the quaint downtown.
We're back in Wellington, the capital of New Zealand
This building is called the Beehive. It's where the Executive Offices of the New Zealand Parliament are located.
This "lake" is actually part of a dam, which became part of Zealandia when it began.
Unable to fly, these birds fall prey to mammalian predators.
What a place! Six floors of exhibits and offices. It would take a couple of days to see the whole thing—and we had less than two hours.
This is a very popular exhibit and requires separate tickets, which we didn't have. It was also sold out!
Our guide told us she was bothered by this interpretation of a Maori meeting house for several years, then one day had an epiphany and now understands it.
This beautiful stained glass was in the same area as the Maori 'house'.
The clouds parted long enough to get a glimpse of the moon.
Ariel likes to be prepared for the day.
California pine is a huge export for New Zealand - it's also a big problem.
Taken from the balcony of our stateroom,
More than a hundred years ago there was an earthquake in Napier that raised up the entire valley.
The town of Napier was leveled by an earthquake in 1931, but has rebuilt in an art deco style.
Our guide leaving the Napier Customhouse, which has been restored thanks to a group of locals
This train has been lovingly restored by our guide and his family.
There's a tractor under all that glitz!
What a great way to see the area. The guide is very informative and the train has so many little period details.
All those colors? They're giant pincushions!
Just one example of the art deco style that runs throughout downtown Napier
Vintage autos, restored by their owners, were on display.
The art deco style is the theme in the downtown.
There are even little balconies like this one on Harston's
Just in case you want to fit in with the Napier building style!
If you want retro style, this is your place!
There seems to be a common theme in New Zealand. We've seen arches on the waterfront before.
Napier might only have 57,000 residents, but it oozes style.
Ariel watches wistfully as we get further from Napier. We think she likes art deco!
We depart Napier under partyly sunny skies
As we prepare for April 16, Ariel takes a ride on the towel elephant made by our room steward, Ricky
As has been the case with many of the ports, Tauranga is primarily a shipping port, but tourism is a growing business
Even though Tauranga is a shipping port, it has some breathtaking views
Our tour wasn't for another hour, but they announced there was to be a drill for the staff
This is the backyard view for one of the Maori guides who works for the tour company.
While small, this Maori welcoming ceremony was well done and they were so friendly!
New Zealand is making a push to get their gold kiwi fruit into markets this year. It's soooo good!
This is an ingenious system. The canopy needs to be a certain depth, so the growers place next year's vines up top. They cut everything at the end of the season and lay those new top vines down.
When the sun was dropping, I decided it was time to go topside and snap a photo.
It was Asian night in the Lido dining room! These two are the best!
This is an example of a Maore double-hulled canoe
We think this towel animal is a sloth. At least Ariel like it!
This was part of the view of Auckland from our balcony.
The emblems around the edges of the stained glass signify the countries involved in the conflict. The center commemorates the New Zealand military branches.
Thousands of names are inscribed on the walls in this room.
This is a real airplane that they brought in through the roof.
This memorial serves to remind visitors of war's devastation.
The views from the museum are spectacular and fitting for the monument
New Zealand was once a land of birds and no mammals.
That is one big bird. The moa once flourished in New Zealand, but the Maori and other forces brought it to extinction.
The puka is the sticking out of the tongue - in times past, different expressions meant something - kind of like a separate language.
This canoe could carry about 100 warriors, most of whom were paddling.
If the canoe was to be used for transporting something other than warriors, the bow and rear could be replaced with something appropriate.
Once glue had been applied to the binding, the pages set
The book bindery operated out of this house upstairs and down.
I hear the scones were fabulous—but they were not gluten-free, so not for me!
This garden area is maintained by a local group of gardeners
The attention to detail on these pieces is amazing.
Here's another of those beautiful pieces from the central garden
Established in 1836, this is the oldest church in New Zealand, and it's still beautiful inside.
Russell is a quaint town without a lot of traffic—except for the pedestrian kind.
Outdoor tables are common and the atmosphere is relaxing
We stopped and had ice cream under those red umbrellas. It was so refreshing!
I'm not sure I'd want to be greeted by these guys (one on each side of the front door) when I arrived home!
The wood throughout Larnach Castle is beautiful.
Omaru has so much fantastic architecture. Many of these buildings use Omaru stone, which was taken from quarries neaby.
The path through the park in Devonport leads to this tiny peninsula. Isn't this a beautiful view?
200,000 liters of ice blue water flow flow over Huka Falls every second.
A pair of lions guard the front door of Larnach Castle
Architecturally, New Zealand’s Larnach Castle is a Gothic Revival mansion. It was built in 1871 by William Larnach using materials from around the world. It’s one of the largest mansions in New Zealand and has quite the history. That history began when William Larnach committed suicide in the New Zealand Parliament Buildings in 1898. After years of legal battles within the family, the ‘castle’ was sold in 1906. For the next sixty years, the castle was neglected and went through several different owners until 1967, when it was purchased by Barry and Margaret Barker. Thank goodness for the Barkers because otherwise the now stately mansion would have been leveled by developers for housing.
More photos from Larnach Castle
A pair of lions guard the front door of Larnach Castle
I'm not sure I'd want to be greeted by these guys (one on each side of the front door) when I arrived home!
The wood throughout Larnach Castle is beautiful.
All of the doorways at Larnach Castle are amazing.
The ceiings at Larnach Castle are amazing.
This vase sits on the mantle of one of the fireplaces.
Welcome to Larnach Castle, where over-the-top is just the beginning.
The castle, like other opulent older homes, has beautiful hardwoods throughout.
The mistress of the house wanted this statue in her dressing room. It's a strange story!
The views from the roof of Larnach Castle are spectacular
From the lawns to the shrubs and trees, the landscaping at the castle is immaculate.
On the way down from the roof of the castle, the stairs are steep and winding!
It's hard to believe this castle was nearly leveled by developers.
This beautiful gazebo is just one of the many elegant garden features.
Devonport, New Zealand was our first ‘excursion’ on our two-month-long trip ‘down under.’ We were awed by the quaint architecture and the friendly people. What we discovered almost immediately was that people in New Zealand are far more friendly than we tend to be in the US. It’s a sad commentary on our American culture, but it was a common lesson throughout our journey in New Zealand.
Quite honestly, there are plenty of posts on the web about the ‘best things to do’ in Devonport, but we were delighted by walking around town. It was a very warm day, so we did stop and hang out at a local ice cream shop. There was a local theater in the same building, which had a men’s restroom with wall tiles laid out in a diagonal pattern. Can you say vertigo?
This photo was taken off the rear of the ferry on our way back to Auckland. The ferries are built with two front ends so they never have to turn around.
More photos from Devonport, New Zealand
Devonport is a seaside town on an island in New Zealand with the look of an old village. The architecture of many homes and shops is classic.
We walked through a park in Devonport to a point where we could see another part of the island across the water.
When I saw this display in the window at this shop in Devonport, I had to take a photo. NOtice that's an old Smith Corona Junior typewriter.
As the ferry takes us away from Devonport and back to Auckland, we get a last glimpse of this beautiful little town.
We stopped and had ice cream under those red umbrellas. It was so refreshing!
The path through the park in Devonport leads to this tiny peninsula. Isn't this a beautiful view?
The first thing we did after getting off the ferry was to take a walk. Our path took us along the waterfront and to a point where there was a lookout across the water to a different part of Devonport. The photo barely does the day justice, but the blend of blue skies and clouds, gentle breezes, and calm seas were very relaxing. Devonport is actually composed of two volcanoes, one of which can be seen in the far left on this photo. The volcanoes aren’t active now, but with the tectonic plate movements that devastated the town of Christchurch, New Zealand not long ago, I suppose there’s always that question of, could it happen to us?
More photos from New Zealand
In Fjordland National Park in New Zealand
Devonport is a seaside town on an island in New Zealand with the look of an old village. The architecture of many homes and shops is classic.
We walked through a park in Devonport to a point where we could see another part of the island across the water.
When I saw this display in the window at this shop in Devonport, I had to take a photo. NOtice that's an old Smith Corona Junior typewriter.
As the ferry takes us away from Devonport and back to Auckland, we get a last glimpse of this beautiful little town.
The pages were bound together with string.
More plates from the old bindery
The shims come in all sizes to make for precise placement.
The books made in this bindery were all leather covered. This is getting close to the final product.
This old press was used to make a single proof after the letters had been set. After the proof, the actual printing was done downstairs
Just beyond the anchored sailboats is the MS Noordam waiting for all of us to see the sights.
Russell has a lot of hills—and boats
This was an early morning shore excursion, so we had to be up bright and early!
With clear water and no wind, Mirror Lakes reflects the mountains beyond.
In the National Park, this is one of the many creeks and rivers.
We were so lucky to have such a beautiful day.
Milford Sound is a popular place for tours.
Here's the coastline of New Zealand along the Tasman Sea.
Cruising along the sound.
This weathered bell has been on the front of the Milford Monarch since 1994. No longer used, it's a beautiful decoration.
Looking back toward the Tasman Sea
This group of fur seals was just hanging out
This fur seal woke up when we cruised by and did a little stretch.
This was my last clear shot. After this, the lens was getting too wet and I had to seek cover.
I believe this is looking back at The Chasm from Milford Sound
A pair of lions guard the front door of Larnach Castle
All of the doorways at Larnach Castle are amazing.
The ceiings at Larnach Castle are amazing.
This vase sits on the mantle of one of the fireplaces.
Welcome to Larnach Castle, where over-the-top is just the beginning.
The castle, like other opulent older homes, has beautiful hardwoods throughout.
The mistress of the house wanted this statue in her dressing room. It's a strange story!
The views from the roof of Larnach Castle are spectacular
From the lawns to the shrubs and trees, the landscaping at the castle is immaculate.
On the way down from the roof of the castle, the stairs are steep and winding!
It's hard to believe this castle was nearly leveled by developers.
This beautiful gazebo is just one of the many elegant garden features.
Our first stop on our shore excursion was at the Dunedin rail station.
A local garden society maintains the grounds of the rail station.
The inside of the Dunedin rail station.
When you're entering the Dunedin rail station, you pass through these columns.
Another piece of detail that makes the rail station a classic piece of history.
Picton is a gorgeous little village of only 4,000 people, but it has a lot of boats!
It looks like this little town has almost as many boats as houses.
The harbor at Picton has a good sealife population, so these waters are clear several feet down.
The ocean can become very dramatic down here when there's a storm coming. Swells reached about 9 feet at one point.
Getting ready for the seaport walk. Let's go!
The blue skies lasted most of the day, which was unusual. The flat water is supposed to be normal.
Boats in the harbor at Picton, where tourism is big business
These guys play to benefit the Blenheim Orphanage. They drew a nice little crowd.
Here we are, living the life in Picton...at least until we have to be back on the Noordam.
Lots and lots of islands, peninsulas, and fjords in this part of the world.
These little cluster of sailboats was just out in the bay waiting for their owners.
The California pine was brought to New Zealand years ago. It now is farmed as an export to Japan, where it will be turned into furniture, which will go to...the US (amongst other places).
The arch is the entrance to the park from the quaint downtown.
We're back in Wellington, the capital of New Zealand
This building is called the Beehive. It's where the Executive Offices of the New Zealand Parliament are located.
This "lake" is actually part of a dam, which became part of Zealandia when it began.
Unable to fly, these birds fall prey to mammalian predators.
What a place! Six floors of exhibits and offices. It would take a couple of days to see the whole thing—and we had less than two hours.
This is a very popular exhibit and requires separate tickets, which we didn't have. It was also sold out!
Our guide told us she was bothered by this interpretation of a Maori meeting house for several years, then one day had an epiphany and now understands it.
This beautiful stained glass was in the same area as the Maori 'house'.
The clouds parted long enough to get a glimpse of the moon.
Ariel likes to be prepared for the day.
California pine is a huge export for New Zealand - it's also a big problem.
Taken from the balcony of our stateroom,
More than a hundred years ago there was an earthquake in Napier that raised up the entire valley.
The town of Napier was leveled by an earthquake in 1931, but has rebuilt in an art deco style.
Our guide leaving the Napier Customhouse, which has been restored thanks to a group of locals
This train has been lovingly restored by our guide and his family.
There's a tractor under all that glitz!
What a great way to see the area. The guide is very informative and the train has so many little period details.
All those colors? They're giant pincushions!
Just one example of the art deco style that runs throughout downtown Napier
Vintage autos, restored by their owners, were on display.
The art deco style is the theme in the downtown.
There are even little balconies like this one on Harston's
Just in case you want to fit in with the Napier building style!
If you want retro style, this is your place!
There seems to be a common theme in New Zealand. We've seen arches on the waterfront before.
Napier might only have 57,000 residents, but it oozes style.
Ariel watches wistfully as we get further from Napier. We think she likes art deco!
We depart Napier under partyly sunny skies
As we prepare for April 16, Ariel takes a ride on the towel elephant made by our room steward, Ricky
As has been the case with many of the ports, Tauranga is primarily a shipping port, but tourism is a growing business
Even though Tauranga is a shipping port, it has some breathtaking views
Our tour wasn't for another hour, but they announced there was to be a drill for the staff
This is the backyard view for one of the Maori guides who works for the tour company.
While small, this Maori welcoming ceremony was well done and they were so friendly!
New Zealand is making a push to get their gold kiwi fruit into markets this year. It's soooo good!
This is an ingenious system. The canopy needs to be a certain depth, so the growers place next year's vines up top. They cut everything at the end of the season and lay those new top vines down.
When the sun was dropping, I decided it was time to go topside and snap a photo.
It was Asian night in the Lido dining room! These two are the best!
This is an example of a Maore double-hulled canoe
We think this towel animal is a sloth. At least Ariel like it!
This was part of the view of Auckland from our balcony.
The emblems around the edges of the stained glass signify the countries involved in the conflict. The center commemorates the New Zealand military branches.
Thousands of names are inscribed on the walls in this room.
This is a real airplane that they brought in through the roof.
This memorial serves to remind visitors of war's devastation.
The views from the museum are spectacular and fitting for the monument
New Zealand was once a land of birds and no mammals.
That is one big bird. The moa once flourished in New Zealand, but the Maori and other forces brought it to extinction.
The puka is the sticking out of the tongue - in times past, different expressions meant something - kind of like a separate language.
This canoe could carry about 100 warriors, most of whom were paddling.
If the canoe was to be used for transporting something other than warriors, the bow and rear could be replaced with something appropriate.
Once glue had been applied to the binding, the pages set
The book bindery operated out of this house upstairs and down.
I hear the scones were fabulous—but they were not gluten-free, so not for me!
This garden area is maintained by a local group of gardeners
The attention to detail on these pieces is amazing.
Here's another of those beautiful pieces from the central garden
Established in 1836, this is the oldest church in New Zealand, and it's still beautiful inside.
Russell is a quaint town without a lot of traffic—except for the pedestrian kind.
Outdoor tables are common and the atmosphere is relaxing
We stopped and had ice cream under those red umbrellas. It was so refreshing!
I'm not sure I'd want to be greeted by these guys (one on each side of the front door) when I arrived home!
The wood throughout Larnach Castle is beautiful.
Omaru has so much fantastic architecture. Many of these buildings use Omaru stone, which was taken from quarries neaby.
The path through the park in Devonport leads to this tiny peninsula. Isn't this a beautiful view?
200,000 liters of ice blue water flow flow over Huka Falls every second.
