Upon arriving in Auckland, we sought food and were directed to an area downtown where there were many pubs and cafe's. Aucklander's describe their city as "more of a town than a city." The traffic and the skyscrapers had me fooled. Construction and machinery sounds abound. The place has a really good vibe. I dropped into a bookstore and brushed up on my Maori art and was struck by the similarities between the Maori and the Hawaiian culture. New Zealand was the last place on Earth settled by the Polynesians only about 1,000 years ago. As Maori legend has it, the demigod Maui created the North Island with his fishook, thus making it "Maui's Fish." The South Island is "Maui's Canoe." We stayed mainly on the North Island, but played in Christchurch and Napier on the So. Island.
I didn't have the nerve to get that facial tattoo.
Sunrise over Christchurch.
A 45 min. ferry ride takes us to Waiheke Island where we were rewarded for our efforts with a guided tour of the island. The island is has recently become the home of many wineries. We visited the Mudbrick Winery and enjoyed their great hospitality. The weather was perfect and the laid-back vibe on the island induced a state of euphoria. The Chardonnay delicious. The guide took us all around the island before we returned on the last ferry.
On the ferry with Auckland in the backround.
Quiet harbor. Sailing is huge down unda".
The nets are to prevent the birds from eating the grapes. The wineries on Waiheke are quite small and some of the wine never leaves the country...or the island I suppose.
Farm-raised oysters.
The nets are to prevent the birds from eating the grapes. The wineries on Waiheke are quite small and some of the wine never leaves the country...or the island I suppose.
Farm-raised oysters.A black sand beach. Evidence of NZ's volcanic past.
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