North Island Final Part

Rotorua
This was my favorite place so far. It's a town Santa Cruz size on a lake with a volcano in the middle and lots of geothermal activity all over. There are steam and hot pools, bubbling mud and stinky fumes throughout the town. The local museum is fantastic. It is also a center for Maori culture so we got to have some experience of that as well.

Dave by the steam. People have vents in their homes and backyards.

More thermal fun

Dave and I walked all over the town. Besides all the thermal sites we walked through a small Maori village and visited the church and traditional meeting house there. The church is an intricate combination of Western and Maori design.

Maori carving from the church pews

The Maori meeting house in the village.

We also spent a lot of time at the Rotorua museum. This is yet another amazing Kiwi museum. It has exhibits on the history of the building which started out as a spa, culture and history of Maori in the area and general local history as well. We had a guided tour with a man who knew everything, he was excellent, and humble as can be in the Kiwi way. We brought Anika the next day to do a scavenger hunt and see the art collection. We learned about NZ impressionist artists.

We also did one of those touristy things that is actually worth doing. We went to a Maori concert and Hongi (feast). It is a bet like a luau. You take a bus out to the village site. The bus driver was one of the best parts of the experience. He was so funny and entertaining. He did a monologue using 61 different languages to say welcome and imitate accents and cultural stereo types. On the way back he asked us to sing songs representing our countries (we did "This land is Your Land"). When you get to the village they do a traditional dance to check you out and then a woman sings the welcome song. You walk into a model village form the past where different Maori people demonstrate and explain their traditions. You can try poi balls, stick games, dancing the Haka ( the all male war dance also used for sizing up the guests) weaving and story telling. I have great photos of Dave learning the Haka and competing in a stick game. After that there is a concert with stories, songs and dance. This is followed by a film filing in any gaps in local Maori history and taking it to the present. Last you have a dinner buffet with food cooked the traditional way in a hole in the ground. It ends with singing and speeches. and the bus ride home as fun as the ride there. I loved learning about Maori culture form Maori people.

Cable car and view of Wellington

Wellington
This is supposed to be the artsy city of NZ but we didn't really get to see it. The weather is notoriously bad here and we got to experience that. Howling wind, rain and cold. I was glad for the silk long underwear I got in Japan. We went to the Te Papa national museum, another amazing museum. They really know how to do museums here. On our one good weather day we walked the waterfront which has outdoor art and great views. We also took the cable car (not as cool as SF's) to the botanical garden and walked around. We explored the downtown area pretty well but I wish we had better weather and more time to get to know the city well.

We took the ferry from Wellington to Pictonon the South Island. It is a three and half hour ride on a huge ship. We shared the boat with many sheep heading south.

The sheep

As you leave the port you face a wall of containers. This sight was significant to me because one of the things I am noticing around the world is the effects of our international consumer culture. Every where owning stuff is becoming more and more important often pushing away local products, art forms and traditions, redirecting the focus from community to commodity. All over the world we are seeing people wanting to have more stuff at the same time as the stuff.  I am not talking about food, indoor plumbing  or medicines here but plastic toys, bigger and bigger TVs, always a better computer and all kinds of electronics. We need to face that things do not necessarily improve our lives. I am seriously questioning free trade as we watch it make rich people richer and poor people poorer.

I would have liked to include many more picture here but the broadband all over NZ is so slow it takes forever to load a photo. Maybe in South America it will be better and I can add some.

Hope everyone had a good Christmas and/or Hanukkah! I will let you know about ours in my next blog. We are now in Nelson on the South Island and loving it.

North Island Part two

Cormandel Peninsula
We drove down here from the far North with an over night stop in Auckland. The next day as we drove the rest of the way was the sunniest, warmest day yet. But we spent much of it in the car.

We did a few very fun interesting things on the way and when we got there. The South Island may have most of the magnificent natural wonders but the North Island sure has some interesting human creations. And its share of natural wonders. One thing we started to notice about NZ is that there are lots of understated but very unique "road side attractions" that are Kiwi inspired and created. Like....

This is one of the many beautiful and tranquil views at Rapaura Gardens.We stopped here on our drive from Auckland to Cormandel town, had a picnic and took a hike. Part of the gardens are formal and part are what they call "bush" here, what we would call wild or natural. There is a nice waterfall at the end of the main trail.

This is the view from the "Eye Full " tower.

One of several tunnels with ceramic bricks and decoration on the sides.

The two photos above are form Barry Brickle's Driving Creek Railway. Barry Brickle is a famous NZ potter. He started an art center that has thrived for over 30 years and has hosted artists from all over the world including the US and Africa. He also is into engineering, trains and conservation. He built much of this single gage railway by himself so he could dig his own clay and transport it around his property. (Our SERVAS potter friends used to dig their own clay too. They told us to go here. We learned from them about the pottery tradition in NZ which is big but has been hurt by free trade.) Along the train route are sculptures, all manner of ceramics, retaining walls made out of old bottles and amazing views. They have planted tons of native trees and are attempting to reforest the hills with natives. At the end of the train line is the "Eye Full tower" with a 360 view of the peninsula. He did not start out for this to be a tourist attraction but his banker insisted he find a way for it to make money and suggested this. A theme we are seeing around NZ, is a combo of DIY, make do with what you have, be inventive and be very low key about it all.

Water wheel/pump

Bike see saw merry go round thing. Looks like flying bikes.

I am not sure how to describe the Waterworks. Someone took a bunch of junk and recycled it into moving sculpture and things to play with. This place could be used to teach physics, or as we called it at Monarch, force and motion. Everything is inventive, interactive and fun. Especially if you like to get wet. It also has an old timey feel to it like how people used to play before law suits and over protective parents. Like Barry Brickel's place lots of recycling and home made ingenuity is at work. There are also sculptures by a local potter and words of wisdom throughout the park.

Hot Sand Beach
Okay you go to this place two hours before or after low tide. You dig a hole in the sand. Next thing you know its full of hot water. If it gets too hot, and it does, then you take a dip in the ocean. Lots of other people join you and its a diverse crowd.

From the Coromandel we headed south to Rotorua for geothermal sites and Maori culture.

Hobbiton
We hadn't really planned to go here but it was on the way to where we were going. It was surprisingly interesting. The whole "Lord of the Rings" movie thing is very big here. They just shot two more Hobbit movies so the sets were bigger than before and recently restored. The place is way out there on a sheep farm. Imagine you are a family of unsuspecting farmers and this film director comes by and says they will pay you to let them turn part of your land into Hobbiton. And they'll keep paying you if you leave it that way for years so they can come back and keep shooting. Oh and they let you set up a tourist attraction as long as you include the films director as a partner. We had to sign a paper saying we would not publish any photos in a public forum (like this blog) or talk about the super secret things we saw. So I can't say anything else.

But I think I can share these photos from the sheep shearing and raising demonstration. Holding the one week old lamb and feeding it was the highlight of Hobbiton for me I have to say. 

Who is cuter? Dave or the lamb?

New Zealand- The North Island

So we arrived in New Zealand Nov. 12. but we had to return to the US for several weeks because of a family emergency. The trip there and back was challenging emotionally and physically but it was really good we went. We got back to New Zealand Dec. 4 and have been here a little over two weeks. It took us a while to get back in the travel groove but I think we are there again.

Auckland
We spent about four days in Auckland. It reminded me a lot of SF. Hilly surrounded by water, very diverse population. The Museum was fantastic. But mostly we were trying to get things done when we were there which wasn't hard since everything is in English and people are incredibly helpful and kind.

Northland
We went North from Auckland to Opinoni and then near Taipa. We stayed with our first SERVAS hosts here. They were a wonderful couple Margi and Rodd who lived out in the country and work as potters. They reminded us a lot of our friends Paula and Ward.The community they live in felt very familiar which was kind of good for us at this point.

Opinoni

Margi and Rod's pottery showroom

Margi and Rod's house

Driving up here the topography really reminded me of Marin or Sonoma counties in Cal. The difference is the vegetation which we decided was a combination of Dr Seuss meets prehistoric times meets Salvador Dali. It is sub tropical up here and the trees and other plants are very different form ours. We visited the Kauri trees which are the biggest ancient trees here. We also got our first taste of unique NZ road side attractions. More were to come.

The Labyrinth and wood works puzzle place.

Anika and a Kauri tree

KawaKawa
Okay this town is famous for its public bathrooms that were designed by the artist Hunterwasser. He was form Austria and moved to New Zealand in the 70s. Eventually he became an NZ citizen. It was a cool little town and you could see his influence. I don't think my photos do it justice.

The town had other art influenced by Hunterwasser

More tomorrow. I will get all caught up any day now!

Memories of Japan -Part II

 So I left you as we were getting the train to Inuyama, that is after the frantic search for the train passes.

Inuyama is on a river and has the oldest standing castle in Japan and the third most important Tea house. (They love to rank things) The best thing here was that it happened to be the day of a parade and street festival. Our first Japanese street food! My favorite was a waffle like fish shaped thing with custard and red bean paste inside. We also were introduced to Karikuri the elaborate marionettes  kept in towers that get paraded around in some towns.

The river in Inuyama

Which way do we go? Imagine signs you can't read leading you around! Thank goodness for kind people and a sense of direction.

The oldest castle. It is five stories high and has great river views from the top.

 We stayed in a hostel that was very unhostel like but with a great bath in the basement.

From Inuyama we went to Takayama. We stayed here for four days in a Buddhist temple. This was one of the best places we stayed in Japan. Takayama itself is a great town with tons to see and do. Dave and I took two day trips without Anika here. We figured out that we need to have breaks from each other from time to time. Anika got to practice some independence and check out the town on her own. We also sent her on a scavenger hunt with a map and some clues of what to go see (you can see the result in her blog just click Anika at the top of my blog if you want to see Anika's blog)

One of the days Dave and I went to the Japanese alps and hiked in Komakochi National park. It was so beautiful I felt like I was in an National Geographic photo shoot. The other day we went off we went to Ogimachi which is a UNESCO world heritage site, like so many places in Japan. Here we visited 250-year-old farmhouses that have been relocated into the Gasshozukuri Minkaen open air museum. They have huge thatched roofs that can take 200 people to re-thatch. Both these places are so photogenic its like you can't take a bad picture. And we took tons of pictures.

Stunning view Komakochi

One of the preserved thatched roof houses

We were in the Japanese mountains for a week and I think this was my favorite part of Japan. Except for our Tokyo friends!

Kyoto

We went to Kyoto for five days. Everyone love Kyoto and I could see why. It is full of history and culture. It's flat and we rode bikes around most of the time. The one highlight for me was the onsen we found near our first lodging. It was a neighborhood place with indoor and outdoor tubs, sauna, DIY salt scrub room, cold plunge and more. There was a good restaurant too. I enjoyed seeing whole families spending time together here, women talking to each other, grandmas introducing grandchildren to the hot water and women doing each others hair like women do all over the world.

We also stayed with our first SERVAS hosts in Kyoto. Tomoko and her family were very gracious and experienced hosts.  Not to mention her house is a block away from some of the most famous temples and gardens in Kyoto. Her sister Sumoko took us to the mother of all Shinto shrines Inari. If you don't know what SERVAS is go to www.servas.org. It was great to stay in a real house and see how people really live.

Tori gates Inari shrine

Nara

This is where I went into shrine and temple overload. Nara is another UNESCO world heritage site place. There are so many temples and shrines I have no idea how long it would take to see them all. The thing that stood out for me the most were the deer, who wander freely through the temple area harassing tourists for food. The good rule following Japanese try to feed them only “deer bisquits”. But the deer have other ideas. We sat down to eat baked sweet potato we bought from a vendor. In five minutes the deer surrounded Anika and she had one on each side trying to get the last bit of her potato. She says one nipped her ear!

Dave and animals always seem to have a connection.

Tokyo

I did not expect to like Tokyo as much as I did. It is huge, crowded and sprawling. But the trains make it easy to get around and there are lots of different neighborhoods to explore. Our best Tokyo story is when we lost Anika on the train. We were headed to the Ghibli Museum and had tickets for a timed entry. As Dave rushed onto the next train and I followed we turned around to see the doors close with Anika on the other side! We got off at the station we were headed to because we were meeting a friend there who had our tickets and was going with us to the museum. Dave turned around and went back to the station where we last saw Anika to find her. I stayed to meet our friend. The friend came and said she couldn't go with us as she had a problem at work. But she gave me the tickets and wished us luck. Now I am standing alone on the train platform waiting for Dave and Anika. I realize I have no JR rail pass, Dave has them and no Japanese money. I can't go anywhere. I search the crowd as each train stops looking for my people. I am starting to get worried and have all the what ifs go through my brain. What if she didn't stay there? What if he can't find her? We are in a city of 17 million people!! Well it all worked out and I saw Dave and Anika approach from the next train to come in. We rushed to the Gihbli Museum and made it on time. This was an amazing museum that highlights the work of Hayo Miazaki who made Totoro, Spirited Away and many other animated movies.

This gives a very slight idea about the cool design of this museum.

Nothing in Japan and especially Tokyo would have been so good without our host Shige. He introduced us to many interesting young people, arranged for our stay at the university, took us to eat great food and generally was super fun. He was the best thing about Japan!!

Us with Shige and his family acting silly

Well I think that's it for Japan. It was amazing. Now on to New Zealand where we have been for a little over two weeks.

Memories of Japan- Part I

Can't Stop Thinking about Japan

Although its weeks since we were in Japan it is still filling my thoughts. I think this is because we had such an amazing time there. So I am going to do a few more Japan blogs hoping it helps me put Japan to rest for a while. I am really hoping we get to go back there in the future.

Magome

This was the first town we went to outside of Tokyo. So it felt special I think because we were successful on the trains and bus all by ourselves. The town is called touristy in our guide book but I loved it. It was an old post town on the Edo road in samurai times when all roads had to lead to the capital. The main street winds steeply up the mountain side with fantastic views and no cars. Water runs on either side under the paving stones. We stayed at a guest house which included our meals. There was a traditional wooden soaking tub for guests to share. Our room had views of the mountains and valley. It was our first traditional room with futons and tatami mats, very comfortable. The town reminded me of how I felt in Venice. Everything sends you back in time and was picture perfect. I loved this place. At night we were the only ones there except for one other guest at the guest house.

Looking up the main street at sunset.

To travel in the Edo period you had to have permission. These are what people showed saying they had permission to travel.

Tsumago

From Magome we hiked to Tsumago. Yet another great thing in Japan is you can cheaply send you bags ahead to your next destination. So our bags met us there. The hike was beautiful. 

 

The scenery

Many hones you passed on the trail still do some farming and dry crops in front of their homes.

One of the many shrines you pass on the hike.

Anika ringing the bear bell and Dave being the bear. Who knew they had bears in Japan?

Just one of the many pleasing decorations made with natural objects people put around their homes.

Tsumago is a very well preserved town which is why the guide books like it. I liked it but I felt it was more touristy than Magome.

From here we went to Inuyama. This is where Dave could not find our JR rail passes and we missed our train as he tore everything out of his bag looking for them. They were in his money belt! We got the next train.

Next Time Inuyama