A couple of hams - Auckland War MemorialAuckland, Auckland
Auckland War Memorial - Auckland War MemorialAuckland, Auckland
Rangitoto - Auckland War MemorialAuckland, Auckland Rangitoto as seen from the Auckland War Memorial
Auckland - Auckland War MemorialAuckland, Auckland Auckland as seen from the war memorial
Yellow Flower - Auckland, Auckland
BEEEEEE! - Auckland, Auckland
Mt Eden crater - Auckland, Auckland
Auckland - Rangitoto IslandAuckland, Auckland Auckland as seen from Rangitoto
Rangitoto Lighthouse - Rangitoto IslandAuckland, Auckland
A boat - Rangitoto IslandAuckland, Auckland It might be all of NZ's Navy.
Rangitoto landscape - Rangitoto IslandAuckland, Auckland A view of the volcanic formations on Rangitoto
Rangitoto Clincker Field - Rangitoto IslandAuckland, Auckland "Clincker" style volcanic formation on Rangitoto
North Heads Guns - DevonportAuckland, Auckland
North Heads Guns - DevonportAuckland, Auckland They had attempted to cut apart one of the disapearing guns and remove it
Sleading in Auckland - DevonportAuckland, Auckland How you slead in a warm climate
Playing in the old gun locations - DevonportAuckland, Auckland A child playing in one of the old gun locations at North Head
View out of North Head cave - DevonportAuckland, Auckland
Disapearing Gun - DevonportAuckland, Auckland Old disapearing gun at North Head. This is the same type of gun we saw in Pensacola last summer
Disapearing Gun and view off of North Head - DevonportAuckland, Auckland
Auckland - DevonportAuckland, Auckland Auckland as seen from North Head
The Cruise Ship - DevonportAuckland, Auckland Hilton Auckland on Prince's Wharf trying to pretend to be a Cruise Ship
North Head - DevonportAuckland, Auckland
- DevonportAuckland, Auckland
The trees have brooms! - DevonportAuckland, Auckland
We found him! - Auckland, Auckland Kim.COM (Megaupload founder) is a resident of Aukland. Seen outside our hotel.
The Emerald Princess - Auckland, Auckland The Emerald Princess cruise ship, docked in Port next to our hotel. This was the same cruise ship we were on nearly 10 years ago for our Honeymoon Cruise.
Fur Babies - Auckland, Auckland
Waiheke Bay - Waiheke Island, Auckland
Grapes - Te Motu WineryWaiheke Island, Auckland
Grapes! - Te Motu WineryWaiheke Island, Auckland
Casita Miro - Casito Miro WineryWaiheke Island, Auckland The best of the Wineries we visitied on Whaike.
Grapes - Obsidian WinesWaiheke Island, Auckland Nets are needed to keep the local birds from eating the grapes.
Wine! - Obsidian WinesWaiheke Island, Auckland
View outside of Cable Bay - Cable Bay WinesWaiheke Island, Auckland
A couple of hams - Cable Bay WinesWaiheke Island, Auckland Us after lunch at Cable Bay
Shakespear Park - Tiritiri MatangiAuckland, Auckland
The beach at Tiritiri Matangi - Tiritiri MatangiAuckland, Auckland
Outcropping - Tiritiri MatangiAuckland, Auckland
Tawa - Tiritiri MatangiAuckland, Auckland
Variable Oyster Catcher - Tiritiri MatangiAuckland, Auckland
Variable Oystercatcher - Tiritiri MatangiAuckland, Auckland Watch out for that eye!
Driftwood - Tiritiri MatangiAuckland, Auckland
Bellbird - Tiritiri MatangiAuckland, Auckland
Tui - Tiritiri MatangiAuckland, Auckland Notice his white feather chin wattle
Bellbird - Tiritiri MatangiAuckland, Auckland Bellbird entering a feeding station
Bellbird (korimako) - Tiritiri MatangiAuckland, Auckland
Stichbird (hihi) - Tiritiri MatangiAuckland, Auckland hihi looking for some sugar water
North Island robin (toutouwai) - Tiritiri MatangiAuckland, Auckland
Tiritiri Lighhouse - Tiritiri MatangiAuckland, Auckland
Shakespear Regional Park - Tiritiri MatangiAuckland, Auckland View of Shakespear Regional Park as seen from the path leading down to the Tiritiri Matangi Wharf on the Wattle Track
Wellington Airport - Wellington, Wellington Wellington Airport as seen from Mt. Victoria
Mushrooms! - Wellington, Wellington A shortcut to mushrooms
Our LOTR Location Guide, Jack - Wellington, Wellington
A couple of hams - Wellington, Wellington Us at the shooting location where the hobbits were hiding from the Black Rider.
Azog - Wellington, Wellington
Gandalf the Grey - Wellington, Wellington
Gollum - Wellington, Wellington
View of the Harbour outside of Scortch-O-Rama - Wellington, Wellington
Scorch-O-Rama - Wellington, Wellington Cute geek themed restaurant where we had lunch during the LOTR location tour
River Anduin - Hutt River (River Anduin)Upper Hutt, Wellington
River Anduin - Hutt River (River Anduin)Upper Hutt, Wellington Shooting location for the River Anduin
This way to Rivendell - RivendellUpper Hutt, Wellington
Rivendell welcome sign - RivendellUpper Hutt, Wellington
The archway to Rivendell - RivendellUpper Hutt, Wellington Local LOTR fans have re-created the arch from The Fellowship of the Ring at Rivendell outside of Wellington
The archway to Rivendell -- Damage - RivendellUpper Hutt, Wellington The arch was damaged by a kid on a bicyle. Here you can see that it's partially made with pool noodles.
Julia the elven warrior - RivendellUpper Hutt, Wellington
Shilpi Sharma - RivendellUpper Hutt, Wellington One of our tour travelmates geeking out
Matt the elven warrior - RivendellUpper Hutt, Wellington
Bianca - RivendellUpper Hutt, Wellington One of our tour travelmates geeking out
Isengard - Harcourt ParkUpper Hutt, Wellington Shooting location for the entry to Isengard, Gandalf the wizard would be seen riding his horse into Isengard here.
Tour Wizards - Harcourt ParkUpper Hutt, Wellington Two of our tour group playing Wizard near Isengard
Julia the wizard - Harcourt ParkUpper Hutt, Wellington
Bird! - City to Sea BridgeWellington, Wellington A bird represented in the City to Sea bridge
Bird at City to Sea Bridge - Wellington, Wellington
Whales! - City to Sea BridgeWellington, Wellington A whale built into the side of the City to Sea bridge
Thar she blows! - Wellington, Wellington Whale's integrated into the side of the City to Sea bridge.
Wellington Civic Center - Wellington, Wellington
Wellington Public Trust Building - Wellington, Wellington
Wellington Cenotaph - Wellington, Wellington The Wellington Cenotaph, also known as the Wellington Citizens' War Memorial, is a war memorial in Wellington, New Zealand. Commemorating the New Zealand dead of World War I, and World War II.
The Beehive - Wellington, Wellington New Zealand's Parliament building
The Beehive and Parliament House - Wellington, Wellington
New Zealand Parliament House - Wellington, Wellington
Parliamentary Library - Wellington, Wellington
Wellington Cathedral of St Paul - Wellington, Wellington
Thomas Cooke Telescope - Wellington, Wellington
Thomas Cooke Telescope - Wellington, Wellington Up close on the controls
Crazy Kiwis - Wellington, Wellington
Crazy Kiwis - Wellington, Wellington A bunch of crazy kids jumping into the Harbour
Wellington War Memorial - Wellington, Wellington
Great War Memorial Plaque - Wellington, Wellington
Great War Memorial Hall - Wellington, Wellington
Great War Memorial - Wellington, Wellington
The Great War museum - Wellington, Wellington
Tomb of the Unkown Warrior Plaque - Wellington, Wellington
Pukeahu National War Memorial Park - Wellington, Wellington
Waffle Shop? - Wellington, Wellington Yes Please!
Bikes in the lobby of the QT Museum Hotel - Wellington, Wellington
Bikes in the lobby of the QT Museum Hotel - Wellington, Wellington You can see that they actually drive these
Tea bag lady - Wellington, Wellington
Rimutaka Crossing Winding Road - Rimutaka CrossingUpper Hutt, Wellington A view back on the road we had just traveled up
Rimutaka Crossing - Rimutaka CrossingUpper Hutt, Wellington A stop we made on the way up out of Wellington
Julia at the crossing - Rimutaka CrossingUpper Hutt, Wellington
Te Mata Fog - Havelock North, Hawke's Bay
Te Mata fog - Havelock North, Hawke's Bay
Te Mata Peak - Havelock North, Hawke's Bay Looking down from Te Mata Peak
Te Mata Peak - Havelock North, Hawke's Bay Looking down at the road we were about to travel back down
The road down Te Mata - Havelock North, Hawke's Bay
Te Mata Peak - Havelock North, Hawke's Bay Looking down at the road we were about to travel back down, nice and currvy, lots of fog and rain
Te Mata Peak - Havelock North, Hawke's Bay Looking down at the road we were about to travel back down, nice and wet!
Te Mata Peak - Havelock North, Hawke's Bay Surveying marker
Driving down Te Mata - Havelock North, Hawke's Bay
Donut Robot - Napier, Hawke's Bay The Donut Robot, named after the Donut Robot the owner acquired in Queens, NY
Supplies inside of the Donut Robot - Napier, Hawke's Bay
Donut Robot - Napier, Hawke's Bay The Donut Robot that the owner acquired in Queens, NY
Tom Parker Fountain - Napier, Hawke's Bay The fountain was donated by Napier businessman Tom Parker who<br /><br />had seen a similar one in Bournemouth, England. Come back at night<br /><br />when the fountain is spectacularly illuminated. For Depression and<br /><br />Reconstruction weary citizens the fountain, the coloured lights in the<br /><br />Norfolk Pine trees that line Marine Parade, and the activity in the<br /><br />Soundshell transformed the area into a fantasy world which completed<br /><br />the transformation of their city from charred ruins to the newest city on<br /><br />the globe.
Pania of the Reef - Napier, Hawke's Bay
Pania of the reef plaque - Napier, Hawke's Bay
The Soundshell - Napier, Hawke's Bay
Sundial - Napier, Hawke's Bay
View off of Napier's Beach - Napier, Hawke's Bay
Parasailing at Te Mata - Tuki Tuki, Hawke's Bay
The Art Deco Centre - Napier, Hawke's Bay Housed in the former Kinross White building (Louis Hay, 1932) is the<br /><br />Art Deco Trust. The ‘eyebrows’ above the windows are a feature which<br /><br />Hay copied from Frank Lloyd Wright’s Unity Temple in Oak Park<br /><br />Chicago. This is the only building which has them at both upper and<br /><br />lower levels. Note the ziggurat motifs above the upper eyebrow.
The Daily Telegraph Building - Napier, Hawke's Bay
Munster Chambers - Napier, Hawke's Bay The name and the shamrocks decorating this building reflect the original<br /><br />owner’s Irish origins. Its façade features the overlapping rectangles<br /><br />sometimes used by Louis Hay.
Barry Bros - Napier, Hawke's Bay
Harston's Building - Napier, Hawke's Bay
The Former Government Building - Napier, Hawke's Bay Designed in 1936 but not built until 1938, its style is Stripped Classical,<br /><br />with an Art Deco entrance, very similar to many buildings erected in<br /><br />Washington DC during the 1930s to house the new government agencies<br /><br />created under F D Roosevelt’s New Deal. There, they are known as<br /><br />‘Greco Deco’ style. In front is a Moderne lamp tower in a geometrically<br /><br />landscaped forecourt.
The Former Government Building - Napier, Hawke's Bay
Thorps Building - Napier, Hawke's Bay Originally a shoe shop, Thorps was converted to a café and the interior<br /><br />remodelled in the early 1990s. Plaster decorations were cast from original<br /><br />1930s moulds still held in Hastings by Atlas Fibrous Plasterers Ltd,<br /><br />which produced much of the plasterwork in Napier and Hastings during<br /><br />the Reconstruction.
Bistonomy - Napier, Hawke's Bay
Daily Telegraph Building - Napier, Hawke's Bay Flag Pole and Embelishment at the Daily Telegraph Building
Daily Telegraph Building - Napier, Hawke's Bay
Sinsbury Logan Building - Napier, Hawke's Bay This has been the same law-firm since it was built in 1875
The Municpal Theater - Napier, Hawke's Bay
Hilderbrant's Building - Napier, Hawke's Bay
Public Trust Office - Napier, Hawke's Bay
Vintage Car - Napier, Hawke's Bay The Art Deco Trust ran tours that you could take in vintage cars
Old fire Station - Napier, Hawke's Bay
Another Art Deco Building - Napier, Hawke's Bay
Dram & Cock - Napier, Hawke's Bay Seriously, Cock
Hawke's Bay Chambers - Napier, Hawke's Bay
Hawke's Bay Chambers - Napier, Hawke's Bay Notice the Star of David's
Museium - Napier, Hawke's Bay
Mission Estate - Mission Estate WineryNapier, Hawke's Bay
Vinyards at Mission Estate Winery - Mission Estate WineryNapier, Hawke's Bay
Nagatowa Stables Winery - Nagawata Stables WineryBridge Pa, Hawke's Bay
Nagatowa Stables Winery - Nagawata Stables WineryBridge Pa, Hawke's Bay The Winery Dog
Sign at Te Mata Winery - Havelock North, Hawke's Bay
Te Mata Parasailers - Tuki Tuki, Hawke's Bay
Matt after the Old Coach Road Trail Bike ride - Mountain Bike StationOhakune, Manawatu-Wanganui I may have taken a fall in the mud while going down the Old Coach Road trail.
Ruapehu - Tongariro National Park, Manawatu-Wanganui View of Ruapehu driving from Okahune
Mt Ngauruhoe - Tongariro National Park, Manawatu-Wanganui View of Mt Ngauruhoe driving from Okahune
Ruapehu - Tongariro National Park, Manawatu-Wanganui
Mt Tongariro - Tongariro National Park, Manawatu-Wanganui
Mt Ngauruhoe - Tongariro National Park, Manawatu-Wanganui
Julia at Chateau Tongariro Hotel - Chateau Tongariro HoteTongariro National Park, Manawatu-Wanganui
Julia - Chateau Tongariro HoteTongariro National Park, Manawatu-Wanganui Julia sitting outside of Chateau Tongariro Hotel with Mt Ngauruhoe in the background
Julia tries to hold a mountain up - Chateau Tongariro HoteTongariro National Park, Manawatu-Wanganui
Chateau Tongariro Hotel - Chateau Tongariro HoteTongariro National Park, Manawatu-Wanganui Hotel where we stayed the night after the ride down the Old Coach Road. New Zealand's oldest.<br /><br />Chateau Tongariro Hotel the building was completed in 1929 and, despite extensive refurbishment, still retains much of the style of the pre-Depression era.
Sundial at Chateau Tongariro Hotel - Chateau Tongariro HoteTongariro National Park, Manawatu-Wanganui
Chateau Tongariro Hotel - Chateau Tongariro HoteTongariro National Park, Manawatu-Wanganui
Helicopter construction crew - RuapehuTongariro National Park, Manawatu-Wanganui
Vacation homes at Ruapehu - RuapehuTongariro National Park, Manawatu-Wanganui
Driving down Ruapehu - RuapehuTongariro National Park, Manawatu-Wanganui
Huka Falls - Huka FallsWairakei, Waikato Looking downriver towards the falls
Huka Falls - Huka FallsWairakei, Waikato
Huka Falls Jet Boat - Huka FallsWairakei, Waikato
Huka Falls - Huka FallsWairakei, Waikato Looking upriver at the falls
Lady Knox - Lady Knox GeyserWaiotapu, Bay of Plenty Preparing to set off the Gyser with a chemical brew
Lady Knox - Lady Knox GeyserWaiotapu, Bay of Plenty Seting off the Gyser with a chemical brew
Lady Knox Geyser - Lady Knox GeyserWaiotapu, Bay of Plenty The Geyser starting to bubble
Lady Knox Geyser - Lady Knox GeyserWaiotapu, Bay of Plenty Mid eruption
Lady Knox Geyser - Lady Knox GeyserWaiotapu, Bay of Plenty The sun caught the water droplets in the sky and sparkled
At Lady Knox Geyser - Lady Knox GeyserWaiotapu, Bay of Plenty
Wai-O-Tapu - Waiotapu, Bay of Plenty
Wai-O-Tapu - The Weather PoolWaiotapu, Bay of Plenty Looking out away from Wai-O-Tapu out at the many steam vents
Devil's Home - Devil's HomeWaiotapu, Bay of Plenty The first example of a collapsed crater where underground acid action has caused the ground to collapse. Note the rough sides and yellow/greenish colours where cooling volcanic vapours have coloured the walls.
Rainbow Crater - Rainbow CraterWaiotapu, Bay of Plenty
Thunder Crater - Thunder CraterWaiotapu, Bay of Plenty A collapsed crater formed in 1968. It graphically illustrates how unstalbe the land can be, note the steaming water at the bottom which is responsible for erosion.
Devil's Inkpot - Devil's InkpotWaiotapu, Bay of Plenty
Devil's Inkpot - Devil's InkpotWaiotapu, Bay of Plenty You can see the discoloration from the minerals depositing on the wall after bubbling out of the inkpot
Algae - Waiotapu, Bay of Plenty Phosphor tinted algae growing on vegetation
Sulphur Algae and trentepholia - Waiotapu, Bay of Plenty
Artist's Pallete - Artist's PalleteWaiotapu, Bay of Plenty
Champagne Pool as seen from the Artist's Pallete - Artist's PalleteWaiotapu, Bay of Plenty
Artist's Palette - Artist's PalleteWaiotapu, Bay of Plenty Overflowing water from the Champagne Pool draws with it minerals that have originated from below the surface. As the waters cool and the minerals are exposed to our atmosphere they show themsevles in a variety of locations and colours depending on water levels and wind direction. On the left of the Palette is a Geyser from which steam rises and water can erupt up to a hieght of 1 metre.
Opal Pool - Waiotapu, Bay of Plenty
Crossing the Terrace on the Boardwalk - The Primrose TerraceWaiotapu, Bay of Plenty
The Primrose Terrace - The Primrose TerraceWaiotapu, Bay of Plenty
Scenic shot of thermal pools and Lake Ngakoro - Waiotapu, Bay of Plenty
Bridal Veil Falls - Bridal Veil FallsWaiotapu, Bay of Plenty
Alum Cliffs - Alum CliffsWaiotapu, Bay of Plenty
Bubbling pool of steaming mud - Wai-O-Tapu GeyserWaiotapu, Bay of Plenty
Colours near Alum Cliffs - Alum CliffsWaiotapu, Bay of Plenty
Frying Pan Flat - Frying Pan FlatWaiotapu, Bay of Plenty
Sulphur Algae and trentepholia - Frying Pan FlatWaiotapu, Bay of Plenty
Sulphur Cave - Sulfur CaveWaiotapu, Bay of Plenty
Lake Ngakoro Waterfall - Lake Ngakoro WaterfallWaiotapu, Bay of Plenty
Gecko carved from a fallen pine tree - Lake NgakoroWaiotapu, Bay of Plenty
Gecko carved from a fallen pine tree - Lake NgakoroWaiotapu, Bay of Plenty Here you can see unfinished portions of the carving and the underlying tree
Lake Ngakoro Waterfall - Lake NgakoroWaiotapu, Bay of Plenty
Tomtit - Waiotapu, Bay of Plenty
The Primrose Terrace - Waiotapu, Bay of Plenty Water's flowing towards the Bridal Veil Falls
Champagne Pool - Champagne PoolWaiotapu, Bay of Plenty This spring is the largest in the district, being 65M in diameter, and 62M deep, Its surface temperature is 74C and bubbles are due to CO2. The pool was formed 700 years ago by a hydrothermal eruption, the rock from which can be seen at the top of embankment by the track. Minerals contained in the water are gold, silver, mercury, sulphur, arsenic, thalium, antimony, etc and are presently depositing in the surounding sinter ledge. The various sinter ledges have been associated with tilting of the pool as a consequence of earthquake activity.
Champagne Pool - Champagne PoolWaiotapu, Bay of Plenty
Sulfur Cave - Sulfur CaveWaiotapu, Bay of Plenty
Devil's Bath - Devil's BathWaiotapu, Bay of Plenty
Devil's Bath - Devil's BathWaiotapu, Bay of Plenty A large ruggedly-edged crated adjoining the bush line with an amazing natural water color at its base. The colour is the result of excess water from the Champagne Pool mixing with sulphur and ferrous salts changes in colour through green to yellow are associated with the amount of reflected light and cloud cover.
Us infront of the Devil's Bath - Devil's BathWaiotapu, Bay of Plenty
Julia at the Devil's Bath - Devil's BathWaiotapu, Bay of Plenty
Mud Pools - Mud PoolsWaiotapu, Bay of Plenty
Mud Pool - Mud PoolsWaiotapu, Bay of Plenty Mud erupting in a fecal shaped eruption from the Wai-O-Tapu mud pool
Mud Pool - Mud PoolsWaiotapu, Bay of Plenty
Redwood Bark - Redwoods TreewalkWhakarewarewa, Rotruoa, Bay of Plenty Signage showing the difference between Californian and New Zealand redwood bark
Redwood - Redwoods TreewalkWhakarewarewa, Rotruoa, Bay of Plenty Signage showing the difference between the wood of Californian redwood and New Zealand redwood.
Redwoods Treewalk - Redwoods TreewalkWhakarewarewa, Rotruoa, Bay of Plenty
Julia on the Redwood tree walk - Redwoods TreewalkWhakarewarewa, Rotruoa, Bay of Plenty
Redwood lanterns - Redwoods TreewalkWhakarewarewa, Rotruoa, Bay of Plenty Examples of the Lanterns hung among the Redwood trees. At night the walk is lit from below and above by the lanterns.
Redwood Trimmed - Redwoods TreewalkWhakarewarewa, Rotruoa, Bay of Plenty Here you can see the trimmed branches which were cut-back to provide clearance for the tree-walk
Lanterns - Redwoods TreewalkWhakarewarewa, Rotruoa, Bay of Plenty Another view of the lanterns used to light the treewalk at night
Redwood Treewalk and Ferns - Redwoods TreewalkWhakarewarewa, Rotruoa, Bay of Plenty A vast layer of ferns lies under the redwood canopy
Redwood Tree Walk - Redwoods TreewalkWhakarewarewa, Rotruoa, Bay of Plenty Demonstrating the harness and sling system used to suspend the walk-ways between the trees.
Redwood Tree Walk cables - Redwoods TreewalkWhakarewarewa, Rotruoa, Bay of Plenty Demonstrating how the bridge is suspended from its cables
Julia Crossing the redwoods - Redwoods TreewalkWhakarewarewa, Rotruoa, Bay of Plenty
Fix Espresso - Fix EspressoRotorua, Bay Of Plenty Our daily caffeine fix while in Rotorua, the best Flat White we had in country this trip.
Rose Garden - Government GardensRotorua, Bay Of Plenty
Waitūkei sculpture - Government GardensRotorua, Bay Of Plenty These magnificent bronze sculptures by Rotorua artist Lyonel Grant were completed in 2001, and stand in Government Gardens. The two figures, one male, one female, were inspired by the mixing of Maori and European cultures in Rotorua.
Waitūkei sculpture sign - Government GardensRotorua, Bay Of Plenty These magnificent bronze sculptures by Rotorua artist Lyonel Grant were completed in 2001, and stand in Government Gardens. The two figures, one male, one female, were inspired by the mixing of Maori and European cultures in Rotorua.
Government Garden's Museum - Government GardensRotorua, Bay Of Plenty Currently closed due to damage from the 2016 Earthquake
Croquette Club - Government GardensRotorua, Bay Of Plenty Ladie's of the croquette club caught in their native habitat playing Mahjong
Cannon fodder - Government GardensRotorua, Bay Of Plenty LOOK OUT BEHIND YOU
A Rose - Government GardensRotorua, Bay Of Plenty A rose by any other name
Fred W. Wyle - Government GardensRotorua, Bay Of Plenty Wouldn't blame you for mistaking this for Theodore Roosevelt
Inside the Duck - Rotorua, Bay Of Plenty
Lake Okareka - Lake Okareka, Bay Of Plenty A view of Lake Okareka from onboard the Duck
View of the lake okareka - Lake Okareka, Bay Of Plenty You can see the top of the shark netting used to help keep the weeds in
DUCK! - Lake Okareka, Bay Of Plenty Get it, a duck, seen from a duck?
View out the back of the Duck - Lake Okareka, Bay Of Plenty
View out the back of the Duck - Lake Okareka, Bay Of Plenty It just made a lot of racket and churned a lot of water, didn't go fast.
Skyswing - Skyline RoturuaRotorua, Bay Of Plenty A view of the SkySwing towers.. Watch the video
Skyswing - Skyline RoturuaRotorua, Bay Of Plenty Just watch the video
Skywsing - Skyline RoturuaRotorua, Bay Of Plenty Part of the Many Faces of Julia Collection
Rotovegas? - Skyline RoturuaRotorua, Bay Of Plenty
Hobbiton Movie Set Sign - Shire's Rest CafeMatamata, Waikato At the Shire's Rest Cafe & Gift Shoppe
Matamata hills - Shire's Rest CafeMatamata, Waikato Part of the hills the so apty made this area perfect for the shire.
Hobbiton Welcome Sign - HobbitonMatamata, Waikato
Shire Signage - HobbitonMatamata, Waikato
Hobbit Hole - HobbitonMatamata, Waikato
Julia at Hobbiton - HobbitonMatamata, Waikato Looking like a silly kid Julia visits Hobbiton
- HobbitonMatamata, Waikato
Hobbiton Lawn - HobbitonMatamata, Waikato
View of Hobbiton - HobbitonMatamata, Waikato
The tree on top of Bag End - HobbitonMatamata, Waikato
The Baker's Hobbit Hole - HobbitonMatamata, Waikato
Hobbit Hole - HobbitonMatamata, Waikato The ONE and only Hobbit hole we were allowed to enter
Hobbiton - HobbitonMatamata, Waikato
Hobbiton - HobbitonMatamata, Waikato A view of Hobbiton from the top of Bag End
Side of Bag End - HobbitonMatamata, Waikato
Bag End - HobbitonMatamata, Waikato
Bag End - HobbitonMatamata, Waikato The front of Frodo's house
Hobbiton - HobbitonMatamata, Waikato Looking up at Bag End (P.S. the tree is a real fake tree)
Hobbiton at night - HobbitonMatamata, Waikato
Julia preparing for dinner at the Green Dragon - The Green DragonMatamata, Waikato
Interior of the Green Dragon Inn - The Green DragonMatamata, Waikato
Post Feast Carnage - The Green DragonMatamata, Waikato The carnage after the feast at the Green Dragon
Julia visit's the Green Dragon - The Green DragonMatamata, Waikato
Dessert - The Green DragonMatamata, Waikato The Dessert spread after the feast at the Green Dragon. The Pavlova was amazing.
Hobbiton at night - HobbitonMatamata, Waikato A view of Hobbiton at night from across the river.
Tree - HobbitonMatamata, Waikato
Matt and Julia - HobbitonMatamata, Waikato Hanging out in Hobbiton
Exit of Waimoto Glowworm Cave - Waitomo Glowworm CaveWaitomo, Waikato It's a boat ride through a cave, with no lights....
Looking down the shaft into Ruakuri cave - Ruakuri CaveWaitomo, Waikato
Sensor at Ruakuri Cave - Ruakuri CaveWaitomo, Waikato Air sensors used to ensure that the caves are not being damaged
Ruakuri Caves - Ruakuri CaveWaitomo, Waikato
Ruakuri Cave Curtain - Ruakuri CaveWaitomo, Waikato Curtain fomration inside of the Ruakuri caves
Ruakuri Cave Glowworms - Ruakuri CaveWaitomo, Waikato
Glowworm and his fishing line - Ruakuri CaveWaitomo, Waikato Glowworm with his sticky fishing lines reflecting. The fishing lines are secreted strings used to ensare flying insects attracted to the light.
Glowworm fishing line - Ruakuri CaveWaitomo, Waikato
Glowworms - Ruakuri CaveWaitomo, Waikato Glowworms on the ceiling of one of the caverns in Ruakuri Cave
Ruakuri Cave Cavern - Ruakuri CaveWaitomo, Waikato One of the many caverns inside of Ruakuri Cave
Ruakuri Cave - Ruakuri CaveWaitomo, Waikato One of the many caverns inside of Ruakuri Cave
Ruakuri No Trespassing Sign - Ruakuri CaveWaitomo, Waikato No Tresspassing sign dating back to land ownership disputes of the Ruakury caves
Hamilton Gardens - Hamilton GardensHamilton, Waikato
Butterfly - Hamilton GardensHamilton, Waikato
English Garden - Hamilton GardensHamilton, Waikato Fountain in the Hamilton Garden's English Garden
Hamilton Garden Bird House - Hamilton GardensHamilton, Waikato White wing dove....
Julia in the Chinese Garden - Hamilton GardensHamilton, Waikato
Indian Char Bagh Garden - Hamilton GardensHamilton, Waikato The 'Char Bagh' or 'enclosed four part' garden was the original Paradise Garden. It is sometimes known as the 'Universal Garden', not only for its widespread and long period of use, but also because it was regarded as an icon for the universe itself.<br /><br />This form of garden spread throughout the Muslim world between the 8th and 18th centuries. The complex symbolism behind this form of garden has its very ancient roots in three of the world's great religions - Islam, Christianity and Buddhism. <br /><br />The Mughal emperors were descendants of Genghis Kahn who spread their empire eastwards from Persia into northern India from the 13thcentury onwards. As part of their conquest they brought Islam to India and Persian garden design to the Indian subcontinent.<br /><br />These gardens had a focus on water and irrigation because of their origin in the hot and dry climate of present-day Iran. As they spread across the continent, their design was adapted to the local conditions, but the basic design features remained. They had geometric layouts with strong symmetry. Water features were subtle and designed to bubble and trickle rather than splash, in order to preserve water. <br /><br />The Indian Char Bagh gardens were not just places to walk through. They were poetic, secret pleasure gardens with sensuous perfumes of flowers in a living Persian Carpet. They allowed the viewer to relax, feel the breeze in the cool shade of an open sided Pavilion, watch the clouds glide behind white turrets and hear the sound of sparkling water in the fountains and pools.<br /><br />The type that has been developed at Hamilton Gardens is the Riverside Garden with a plan very similar to the Taj Mahal on a very much smaller scale. A small hunting palace near Agra, called Lal Mahal, has inspired the Hamilton Garden's Char Bagh garden.
Hallway to the Italian Renaissance Garden - Hamilton GardensHamilton, Waikato
Italian Renaissance Garden - Hamilton GardensHamilton, Waikato
Italian Renaissance Garden - Hamilton GardensHamilton, Waikato Italian Renaissance Gardens evolved from many sources, in particular the Arab garden traditions although Islamic symbolism was given a Christian interpretation. The other major influence was a revival of interest in the cultures of antiquity, and the Renaissance designers constantly tried to emulate and surpass the ancient Greek and Roman achievements.<br /><br />This included accommodating antique sculptures or copies of antique figures like the copy from the original 5th century Capitoline wolf with Romulus and Remus in the Italian garden. The two babies, Romulus and Remus, were thrown into the Tiber River, which carried them to Platine where they were suckled by a she-wolf and then raised by a shepherd.<br /><br />Renaissance gardens were also an evolution of the Medieval garden and many of the elements from that earlier era were retained such as the high surrounding walls, flat square beds with edges lined with plants, beds of simples, flowery meads, and the arched trellis work. The major difference in the Renaissance gardens was the introduction of a strong central axis and the discovery of linear perspective as a link between the main buildings and the different portions of the garden. Gardens became separated into compartments that could be named, enclosed, and hidden to create an unfolding sequence of spaces. The axis organised and unified the whole composition.<br /><br />Geometry was seen as a reflection of a divine and cosmic order and a lot of Renaissance study was focused both on trying to find geometric patterns in nature and then trying to recreate this codified order in architecture, art, town planning and gardens. Long successions of theologians from St Augustine onwards were convinced that numbers and proportions were divined and that a secret canon could be partially derived from Holy Scripture. Art and science were strongly linked and a study of proportion and the human figure created a framework for a classical order of perspective, proportion, symmetry, and geometric forms, circles and triangles. These forms have provided the underlying grid for the Hamilton Gardens example.
Julia pretending to be Juliet - Hamilton GardensHamilton, Waikato
Te Parapara Garden - Hamilton GardensHamilton, Waikato
Hamilton Gardens - Hamilton GardensHamilton, Waikato Julia attempting to get some tea. It's a part afterall!
Pan - Hamilton GardensHamilton, Waikato Pan as seen in the Tudor Garden
Tudor Garden - Hamilton GardensHamilton, Waikato Oliver Cromwell’s Roundheads destroyed many of the world’s original Tudor Gardens, with neglect ruining those that remained.<br /><br />This traditional garden reflects the fascination sixteenth century English aristocracy had with geometric patterns and symbolism with double meanings.<br /><br />The intricate knot garden is based upon the drawings by Didymus Mountain – the pen-name of sixteenth century writer Thomas Hill. It is surrounded by mythical beasts, an arbour, Elizabethan wall and a stone pavilion based on the pavilion at Montacute House. <br /><br />Traditionally the gardens provided an outdoor setting for fantasy plays or ‘masques’ while the original of this pravilion was used just by the family for summer desserts such as marzipan and sweet spiced wine.<br /><br />A feature of most Tudor gardens were the beasts on green and white striped poles. None have survived and the only other known reconstruction is at Hampton Court. They include; a griffin, dragon, centaur, phoenix, unicorn, satyr, sea serpent and Bottom – one of the primary characters from William Shakespeare’s comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream. They hold sculptural crests of some of the ‘rock stars’ of Tudor times including privateer and slaver Sir Francis Drake, who was notorious for his many plunderous journeys sanctioned by Elizabeth I.<br /><br />The posts and rails in these gardens were covered in green and white stripes: the Tudor colours. The Tudor Rose on each flag was a combination of the York and Lancaster roses, the symbols of the two sides who fought in the long running The Wars of the Roses.
Centaur - Hamilton GardensHamilton, Waikato Shield: Sir Thomas More (lawyer, statesman, social philosopher, Lord Chancellor under Henry VIII, and humanist – also known as St. Thomas More) famous for writing Utopia and becoming Lord Chancellor of England.
Griffin - Hamilton GardensHamilton, Waikato Shield: King Henry VIII (reigned 1509-1547) famous for so many things. Henry VIII was known to be a very charismatic, intelligent, and cruel King. He had six marriages, some of which ended terribly. He is by far the most well-known of all the British monarchs.
Griffin and Centaur - Hamilton GardensHamilton, Waikato
Zeppelins? - Hamilton GardensHamilton, Waikato
Bronze Scarecrow at the Kitchen Garden - Hamilton GardensHamilton, Waikato A Bronze scarecrow at the Kitchen Garden with a Fan-Tail hanging out on his shoulder.
Plants - Hamilton GardensHamilton, Waikato
Hamilton Gardens - Hamilton GardensHamilton, Waikato Big white tree on the lawn