There and back again (photo heavy)

 We're back! NZ was just divine, and we definitely want to go back and explore more.
The good ship Noordam took us from Auckland to Tauronga, Napier, Wellington, Picton, Akaroa, Port Chalmers, Dunedin, into Fjordlands National Park, and back home via Hobart.
One of my highlights was a visit to Hobbitton, Peter Jackson's film set for "The Hobbit" and the Lord of the Rings trilogy. The weather that day was gorgeous, which made the visit even better. Also, there were not that many people around, so I could get some good, people-free photos of hobbit holes, hobbit gardens, etc. I

got quite excited already when the landscape started looking like the Shire! There were about 40 Hobbit holes to inspect, although only a few were actually places you could enter. As in very movie, it's mostly make-believe. Still, everything was just as I remembered it from the movie. Luckily we had a guide whose memory for LOR was phenomenal, so she knew the significance of every location and had many quotes from the books. The gardens were just cute, with lots of props like the cheese stand and jam jars, scarecrow and giant pumpkin. The setting is just amazing, beautiful green hills, big trees and a lovely lake. The

 Green Dragon pub is situated on the lake, just gorgeous, but for some reason or other, I never made it inside before we had to start our journey back to Tauronga! I'll just have to go back one day...
The other highlight was the day we spent in Fjordland National Park, visiting Dusky Sound, Doubtful Sound, and best of all, Milford Sound. Again, we were so lucky with the weather (our host on board said this was her fourth time in the park and the first time she had a sunny day).
There are no words to describe the beauty of this area, even the photos can't do it justice. It has to be experienced. The wildlife is not exactly abundant, but there are fur seals, penguins, little Hector's dolphins, and the occasional albatross. The waterfalls are stunning, I must have photographed them at least a hundred times! (Blogger is playing up now, so I'll finish this). All in all, we had a lovely time in NZ and one day soon we'll be back. Oh, and I took Sherman along, well, a likeness of Sherman, a bag in which I kept some crocheting. And the cocktail, well,one of many...

 

Across the Tasman

Spending a few days in Auckland before embarking on the "Noordam" for a cruise around NZ, then Hobart, Melbourne and Sydney. We're staying just off Queen Street, in a small apartment. I wasn't aware that Auckland was so hilly (we were here last 25 years ago!). I think Auckland's steepest street is just across the road (Liverpool Street), and you sure need brakes -or hang on to the husband for dear life! A couple of lovely ladies took us on a tour yesterday, they showed us some lovely spots, black beaches, rock formations on the coast, covered in nesting gannets, parks and reserves with kauri trees and pohutukawas with lovely red flowers, cabbage trees and many others. We saw pukeku birds with young ones, and ducks. We stopped at an ice cream and cheese factory for refreshments, and a very old pub in the historic village of Puhoi. Puhoi was settled by immigrants from Bohemia, and the church of St. Peter and St. Paul still shows the old German names in the lead light windows. The basket of knitted garments to ward off cold was a nice touch! Although it rained most of the time, it was a lovely drive and we saw lots of things tourists rarely see. In the evening, we dined at an Italian restaurant, "Da Vinci's". I felt transported to Rome, a lovely space with terracotta walls, checkered tablecloths, and fabulous food. And they had a very passable Limoncello too.
Today we started late, as we both couldn't sleep for some reason. It's a pretty noisy area. We took the bus to the ferry terminal, then Wayne trundled off to the Maritime Museum and I found a few interesting shops in Queen's arcade. I took the ferry over to Devonport and enjoyed a small late lunch and the sunshine. Sadly, the two shops I wanted to check out, Cushla's fabrics and a French interiors shop, were both closed. Still, I had fun exploring this pretty part of Auckland and got back to the hotel around 5:30. In the evening, we found another great eaterie, Le Garde-manger, a French bistrot with fabulous food and French staff. The crepe Suzette was sublime! I can't make up my mind which of the two restaurants I like better, but Auckland sure has something to offer the foodies! Off to the ship tomorrow, and looking forward to seeing the Noordam again. Photos to follow!