Traveling Tolins 2

The city of Napier was destroyed by an earthquake in 1931 and rebuilt in the spirit of the decorative and colorful architecture of the day.   Napier has one of the world’s most spectacular collections of art deco buildings. Unfortunately we have been weathered out of our second port call.  The wind is blowing at 40-45 knots and the passage into the dock area is narrow so the captain decided to cancel our Napier port call.  The pictures below were taken from the cruise ship as we passed by.    More food pictures for the ladies of the Wednesday morning quilters .  This small area is for late risers; it's located on the seventh deck forward.

Explore the highlights of the harbor side haven of Tauranga on the turquoise waters of the Bay of Plenty. One of New Zealand’s fastest-growing cities, Tauranga is now one of the country’s main centers for business, international trade (very large container shipping port), culture, fashion, and horticultural science. With soft-sand beaches, a sparkling harbor, and majestic mountains, the area’s natural beauty has inspired many artists, whose work hangs in local galleries. Mount Maunganui, a few kilometers to the front of our docked cruise ship.  Maungatapu is a suburb of Tauranga; took this picture for use as a leader photo.  Don't remember the why or who of these figures except they are of the Maori people. Most public schools in New Zealand are single-gender only; all students wear uniforms. The Historic Village is a collection of original and replica buildings taken from early Tauranga and set in a unique sett...

We took in the North Island’s splendid beauty during a scenic excursion to the West Coast.  Our first stop was at a private sheep ranch where we saw their beautiful land, home, and flower garden, then fed tamed deer, watch sheep shearing, and a demonstration with their sheep dog.   Our guide (and bus driver!) then drove us through the wine regions of Kumeu and Huapai to Muriwai Beach. Here, we admired unspoiled natural vistas of black sand, rugged terrain, pounding surf and the bright red flowers of the pōhutukawa tree, New Zealand’s own Christmas tree. This lush area harbors a wide array of birdlife; the takapu, or gannet, is the most prevalent and draws bird lovers from all over New Zealand. From the cliffs overlooking the beach, we walked about 400 yards to a viewing area, where we enjoyed close-up views of this native seabird colony.  Young gannet trying out his ...