April 1, 2014. The Solstice. Hobart, Tasmania.

It was a great success. Ken and I walked around the dock area in Hobart, Tasmania. It was the longest walk we have taken on this three month journey. For two hours we walked so that was a great success. The Hobart harbor is another of those protected, beautiful waterfronts, surrounded by low hills filled by houses. It is a beautiful city. The waterfront is old but all the buildings have been refurbished and are full of art galleries, craft stores and other beautiful objects. We spent a long time looking at hand crafted items all made in Tasmania. The pieces were beautiful. Now the success story of the day is that we took no money or credit cards with us so we had no ability to buy anything. We walked back to the ship with empty hands. The bad part is that we have purchased absolutely nothing so far on this journey. Gill had already mailed gifts back to family and friends from New Zealand, while Ken and I have yet to buy a thing. Our poor children and grandchildren are being deprived. Today was a great success story for us with more walking and no buying!! Mary Mitchell would have approved.

March 31, 2014. The Solstice. Russell Shorto.

In 2005, Russell Shorto published a book about New Amsterdam, the Dutch colony that became New York City. Ken read the book when searching his ancestors but although he mentioned the book to me, I did not read it….until now. Just down the hall from our cabin is a wonderful library. The shelves are open so all I must to is to return the book. In the non fiction section, I found “The Island at the Center of the World”, and remembered Ken telling me about it. Of course we all know the story but no one knew much about the Dutch Colony, perhaps because the winner writes the history, and perhaps because the Dutch records were never translated until recently. From the early 17th Century until now, the records sat getting almost ruined. Due to the translations, this story of the Dutch Colony can now be told. Russell Shorto does a pretty good job of bring that period to life. I enjoyed this book. I knew almost nothing about this Dutch colony, which has turned out to be important in the development of the country. The print is small. I read so much using an e reader that I forget about size of the print. Without good light, I could not read the print so was required to read during the daylight. At night, I would read the biography of Queen Elizabeth, which was just prior to or exactly the time period in both books. It was living in the 16th and 17th Centuries and one book enhanced the other. “The Island at the Center of the World”, is well worth reading.

March 30, 2014. Solstice. The Tasman Sea.

Showering is not easy while crossing the Tasman Sea. Fortunately, a bar had been installed. By holding on with one hand the whole time, I was able to accomplish my task. The Tasman Sea is known to be rough but today is not too bad. The swells are 10 feet high, coming from the north and as we are going due west to Tasmania, the ship rolls from side to side. And it is foggy too. You can not see 20 feet out to sea. Ken and I have a different pattern on this ship. We read in the morning, then go to breakfast around 10:00 at Bistro at Five, which is a small restaurant serving crepes. By then, no one is there except us and the waiters, which suits us just fine. After we digest our food in our cabin where we read and use the computer, we walk the decks. At 4:00, canapés are delivered to our cabin, so we snack. We dine at 6:30 at one of the three specialty restaurants. We are very unsociable, partly to avoid infections and partly to stop having the same conversation with each new person we meet. I now tell everyone we are from Texas and then change the subject. We are enjoying this cruise but our pattern is certainly different to any of the other cruises.

March 29, 2014. Solstice. A Spectacular Day.

The weather started out badly. The sea was rough and the air war foggy. The first event of the day was to visit Dusky Sound, another one of the long fiords on the west coast. At 9:00, the Captain informed us that we could not enter Dusky Sound. The entrance was narrow and with the wind blowing at over 15K.per hour, he thought it best to keep us safe. Ken and I had ordered room service breakfast so we enjoyed watching the fog while drinking our coffee.. By noon, the weather had improved. We ate lunch at the Tuscan restaurant, which has full floor to ceiling windows, so we had planned to eat lunch while cruising Doubtful Sound, named by Capt. Cook. Our table was right by the window so our view was perfect. Again, the New Zealand fiords are gorgeous. The final fiord of the day was Milford Sound. The Tasman Sea was still foggy but when we turned to enter Milford Sound, the sun came out and the sky was blue. We sat on our balcony and watched the waterfalls and the rocks pass before our eyes. We had seen Milford Sound before but today the scenery seemed especially dramatic. Perhaps being on a larger ship from deck 10 made everything bigger. And the water was calm too. Today started out badly but ended on a high note. Tonight, we said goodbye to New Zealand!! Now we are heading west to Australia.

March 28, 2014. Solstice. Dunedin.

Our goal during this cruise has been to see New Zealand from the sea. We have spent a month living in New Zealand, learning everything we could about the people and the places.. Now we are enjoying the vistas from the water, wondering how the folks felt when the land was sighted for their first time. The east coast is gentle. The hills are high but not too steep and the coves and long harbors are protected. Today we stopped at Dunedin, a city founded by Scottish Presbyterians. Our ship sailed away being serenaded by two pipers and a drummer, all three in full regalia. Once again, the harbor was long and protected, and very pretty. Today was our last chance to walk on New Zealand soil. Tomorrow we see three fiords on the west coast, right off the Tasman Sea, so it is likely to be rough. Then we head to Tasmania, so we have said goodbye to New Zealand., except we have one more day to watch the topography on the west coast. We have enjoyed the beauty of New Zealand.

March 27, 2014. Solstice, Akaroa. A Home With a View.

Akaroa would be a perfect place to live for a couple of months to escape the northern winter. It is a beautiful little town, big enough to be interesting but small enough to be comfortable. In addition, it is only 90 minutes drive from Christchurch. The hills rise straight from the water. The harbor is long and narrow so our ship anchored in the center and the tenders took folks to shore. The harbor is totally protected as is Wellington. Every home has a view. There would be no reason to mention it in advertising because every home you see looks out at the water, with one home after another taking top spot on my list. Farms cover the high hills, with sheep on every slope. Also, in New Zealand, you see fences everywhere, right to the tip of the high hills. One thing you do not see in New Zealand are big barns, such as we have in Pennsylvania. The climate is moderate enough that the farm animals never need cover. You see shearing barns but no large barns for animals. It makes the look of the farms totally different. Actually, New Zealand is one big farm, all individual but all connected. The scenery is delightful, especially in the harbor of Akaroa.

Akaroa

Christchurch Recovering

March 26, 2014. Celebrity Solstice. The Ultimate Dining.

Every morning, Ken and I eat breakfast in Bistro on Five. It is one of the specialty restaurants on the Solstice. By the time we get there we have the place to ourselves. Our service is superb. Normally there is a $5.00 cover charge but for us, it is free because Ken signed us up for the Ultimate Dining Experience. Our patterns are not a bit consistent. We refuse to pay an entrance fee but we gladly pay for Ultimate Dining. On the Norwegian Star, I carefully explained to Ken my philosophy about paying more money for specialty restaurants on the ship. He ignored me and bought it anyway, which we ended up enjoying. It thoroughly We had the same conversation about the Celebrity Solstice and with the same result. This ship has three specialty restaurants plus the casual Bistro on Five. Every evening, Ken and I dine in another superb restaurant, rotating between the three. It is great fun. So we take very few excursions because they are expensive and often are not good, but we dine every night with our Ultimate Dining card. It makes no sense but it certainly is fun!!

March 25, 2014. Celebrity Solstice. At Sea.

There are wonderful place names in New Zealand. We have just left The Bay of Plenty, named by Captain Cook in the 18th century, when the local Maoris looked well fed and healthy and actually gave the ship company food. It is an area of low rolling hills. Captain Cook did not land to settle the area but his place name has stuck. The first place we stopped was at The Bay of Islands. Of course, there were islands everywhere. Maoris lived near by and actually signed a treaty with the English settlers in 1841, stating who could live where. This has stood the test of time. This document is still cited when disputes need to be settled. In fact, a case made it all the way to the British High Court and found to be valid. It is one of the reasons that the Maurois have thrived. They are well educated and hard working and are a vital force in New Zealand. Today we cruised down the east coast of the North Island and will soon turn west to Wellington, the Capitol. We could clearly see the coastline. The North Island was made by volcanoes so you can see the cone shapes all along the shore. Already the wind has picked up. I expect a rough sea getting to Wellington. Fortunately, we will be asleep.

March 24, 2014. The Solstice. Tauranga.

The ship, The Solstice, is a lovely ship. The Celebrity is the Cruise Line. This is the fourth ship we have been on this year and have noted that every ship has charms. Each ship is different in décor, staffing, passengers and routines. The Solstice is more American than all the others. The plugs work without an adapter, the decorations are modern, the guests are Canadian, American or Australian and the staff is mainly from eastern Europe. And the television has ESPN on two channels, so I was able to see some college basketball. There is also a connection with Corning Glass. Every evening at 8:00, a demonstration of glass blowing is held in the glass studio on the 15th deck and glass works are displayed all over the ship, all made on board. Folks who go on cruises seem to go on lots and lots of them. Yesterday we chatted with a couple who had taken 40 cruises with the Celebrity Line. And many people have told us they cruise 100 days a year. It is amazing to me. We are certainly enjoying this ship. It has modern luxury without a lot of rules.

Christchurch1

Christchurch

March 23, 2014. Solstice. Bay of Islands.

It was the most unlikely conversation. It took me so long, Ken thought something was the matter when I was checking out from the Rendezvous Hotel in Auckland. The young man was young and to be polite, asked where I was from in America. He figured out that I was not a Kiwi. I said as I always say, “I am from Texas”. He asked, “where in Texas?” His eyes got big , took his hands off the computer and looked at ne with big eyes, when I said “We are from San Antonio”. He was very excited. It turned out that he has been a fan of the San Antonio Spurs since he was in grade school. He owns a Tim Duncan jersey and wears it only when he is watching a Spurs game, which is not very often. So we spent the next ten minutes discussing the fortunes of the Spurs and Tim Duncan. He was so excited to meet someone from San Antonio and was disappointed to know that I had never attended a game. I redeemed myself by saying that my son had attended Spurs games. When you are away from home, you just never know what will come next. This young man loved talking to me about the Spurs, and so did I.

March 22, 2014. Auckland, New Zealand. The Solstice.

At breakfast I ordered a long black for me and a flat black for Ken. I did not bat an eye, now did I stumble. Once I ordered a tall black. Jurden reminded me that in New Zealand, a tall black is a basketball player, while a long black is a cup of coffee, so in the month I have been here, I have become a Kiwi. Their rugby team is called the All Blacks, after their uniforms, so named by the media in 1920 when they won the world cup of rugby. Now, all their teams have something black, the baseball team the Black Caps etc. etc. Every where in New Zealand there are public toilets which are clean and always supplied with toilet paper. That tells you the state of the country. It is clean and orderly. The people are energetic, hard working and pleasant. On Thursday, Gill and I were standing looking at a building, trying to figure it out when a lady stopped to ask if we needed help. This incident had occurred twenty times sine our stay in New Zealand. People help each other. Now we board the Solstice to see the country from the sea, just as Captain Cook did years ago. From the ground, New Zealand is a beautiful country. Now we will see it from the water.

March 21, 2014. Auckland, New Zealand. Mama Mia.

It was a Kiwi production and it was great. Gill spotted it and she and I bought tickets yesterday for tonight's show. Ken and I have not seen it before, although we know all the songs. The dancing was excellent, clever and energetic. The Civic Theater is beautiful, built in 1920 so has all the bells and whistles and sits about 800 people. The production has been running for four weeks but will close after Sunday's performance. For a country of 4.4 Million, that seems like a long run. The musical was fun and we enjoyed it. The attendees tonight was a very different group that I have seen at other performances. About half the folks were under 20 with very few gray headed people. And the dress was all the way from shorts and jeans to cocktail dresses. You are allowed to take a drink to your seat in the theater and at the intermission, people sold candy and ice cream to those still sitting in their seats. It was all very civilized. Ken is now using a cane for balance, so tonight, a gentleman usher took us up a back elevator and up a ramp to avoid the long flights of stairs. From our hotel, we walked through an underground tunnel, right to the Civic Theater. It was all very easily accomplished, all because Ken was carrying a cane!!

Glacial Lakes

Milford Sound

March 20, 2014. Auckland, New Zealand. The City.

Ken and I decided not to explore Auckland. We are instead, just wandering around our hotel. We spent all morning in our room, after ordering room service for breakfast and working all morning on the Internet. It was a welcome respite after almost a month of activity in New Zealand. The hotel has a Japanese restaurant so we ate lunch there, which turned out to be wonderful. In fact, the size of the lunch was much larger than anticipated so we ate our main meal at lunch. We upgraded to the Club level at our hotel, so when Gill came over late in the afternoon, we three went to the 12th floor for a drink and appetizers where we all made it our evening meal. Gill flew to Auckland today and will be here until Monday. Tomorrow she has booked a city tour. Saturday she will visit Weihike Island and the next day will take a 14 hour driving tour of the North Island. This is her last chance because in ten days she will leave New Zealand. Tomorrow, Ken and I will walk around the area surrounding the hotel, looking for a drug store. And tomorrow night, we three have tickets for Mama Mia. Our sojourn in Auckland has been delightful.

Airview

Another Room with a View

More River

Down the River

March 19, 2014. Auckland, New Zealand. Moving On.

The purpose of our journey was to visit Gill in New Zealand. Our visit was a great success, at least for us. I suspect we drove Gill nuts with our lack of activity. But we enjoyed our walks around Christchurch, all directed by Gill. We finished up with a bang. Last evening, Ken and I hosted a dinner at the lovely little restaurant, The Curator's Restaurant, just across the street from our apartment at the Y. Jurgen and his wife came, along with Gill. We preordered the food and wine so it was just like entertaining at home except no one needed to work. It was a festive event. Today we flew to Auckland and checked into The Rendezvous Hotel. Ken booked it long ago, using air miles to pay the four day stay. He is a clever fellow. Who knew you could use air miles to pay for hotels? And the hotel is lovely too. Today we took a long nap but tomorrow we will walk around Auckland a bit. We are inching our way back home!!

March 18, 2014. Christchurch, NZ. Construction.

The more you walk in downtown Christchurch the more you see the construction. This city is one big construction zone. We three walked to the Recharge business area, the first commercial space open after the earthquake. It is very cute, made to look like an old fashioned main street. It provided the people a place to gather for coffee. The tram runs right through the center, which adds it's own charm. While Gill and I drank a cup of coffee while sitting outside, Ken had his hair cut, so the place was useful to us too. while we walked, we saw buildings going up and buildings coming down, and many big holes full of water where large buildings have already been taken down. One tall building, 15 stories high, seems intact, except it is tilted so must come down, The building is sound but the ground under it has shifted so is not stable. Much has been done in Christchurch but much yet has to come. But they have a good plan and the people seem determined to finish their task. Ken hopes they complete the task before another earthquake hits the area, but it was 400 years since the last one, so time is on their side. Gill has been in Christchurch since January 3, so she has served as our scout. With the map, she kept us going in the right direction. Having your own Tonto has been extremely helpful to us and we were grateful for her presence with us in Christchurch. Once again, good friends are a major asset in our lives!!

March 17, 2017. Christchurch, New Zealand. The Avon River.

The city of Christchurch was established in 1860 and laid out by people from England. A river flows right through the area they chose for their city. The area is Canterbury and the city Christchurch. They named the river the Avon, after the river in England. It is spring fed, so the water is clear. The river flows through the city in a big loop. 76 acres of the city was set aside for a park, Hadley Park. The Botanical Garden sets in the center of Hadley park. In their wisdom, a walkway was built along both sides of the Avon River, so you can walk miles, all along the shore of the river. It is a beautiful walk. In the clear river can be seen trout and eels. And punting and kayaks are available. Ducks are in great abundance. We three walked for almost two hours along the shore today. There is construction being down on the bridges but generally you can keep to the river side. Workers come to sit by the river for lunch and children feed the ducks. It is an amazing scene in the midst of a big city. Hadley Park is bigger than Central Park. Our walk was delightful, all within an easy walk from our home. The founding fathers were very wise with their city planning.

March 16, 2014. Christchurch, New Zealand. The Weather.

We have been blessed with good weather in New Zealand. For the whole three weeks, the sky has been blue and the sun has been bright…..until now. In the middle of the night we could hear the wind, then the rain. It has not stopped yet. The rain is pelting down so hard that the wind blows the rain sideways and looks a little like snow or fog. This is the tail end of typhoon Luci, who hit the North Island yesterday. We are getting just the edge of the storm as it heads out to see. We were delighted to experience the end of a typhoon as it is a first for us. Gill went for a walk this morning and reported that the temperature is moderate. The streets are flooded and the Avon River is very high. In some places it is overflowing it's banks. No one was out on the street. She wore her river sandals and rolled up her pants. Tonight we had reservations to take our guide and his wife out to dinner but they cancelled as their house is surrounded by water so they can not get out. Instead, we three will dine out together and Tuesday evening we have rescheduled our dinner all together. Tonight, I intend to wear my river sandals and a skirt. Both Ken and I brought excellent rain coats so we are pleased to be getting them out of our cases. The gardeners will be happy for the rain. Tomorrow, we will walk over to check out the flowers to see how they have survived the heavy rain. For us, we are having a wonderful day watching New Zealand television and the rain, all from the comfort of our suite at the YMCA.

Geyser Pools

Geyser

Ski Hill in Summer

Kamahi

March 15, 2014. Christchurch, New Zealand. Double Decker Bus.

Gill ordered the tickets and this morning, we three boarded a double decker bus for a tour of downtown Christchurch. We sat on the top so we had great views. The guide was informative, giving us many facts about the earthquake and the reconstruction. We have walked around quite a lot of the city, but this tour took us into new neighborhoods. The amount of the destruction was still visible. 100 buildings have yet to come down although 2600 are already gone. There are parking lots all around town, since the buildings once filled that spaces. We drove past the boarded up Opera House which looked sad, but when we drove past the rear of the building, where the back half of the building had gone and you see the seats still visible, you realized how devastating the whole thing has been. The Anglican Cathedral is unusable, so a temporary Cathedral has been built. The people call it the Cardboard Cathedral as the main structure is made of cardboard. And the Catholic Basilica is seriously damaged so a decision will be made as to whether to repair or demolish the building. In the meantime, it looks like a wreck. We three enjoyed our tour on the red double decker bus, and again, I would like to return in 5 years to see the progress.

Maori Workshop