Happenings
Israel 2022 Tel Aviv
by Gil on Apr.05, 2022, under Happenings
Our trip to Israel started over a year before during lunch with Marilyn Faulkner, when she asked where are you guys going next. The answer was “the Holy Land” and she said “I would love to do that” so we started planning. Tony Huffman organized our trip, our fifth fabulous experience planned by his organization. After a delay due to Covid in 2021, we arrived in Tel Aviv on Monday, March 14, 2022. Our touring started the next day after meeting our guide for the trip Jeremy Avon, who turned out to be a gem. The first day was spent in Tel Aviv exploring the relatively new city on foot, while we got over the jet lag. In the morning we walked through interesting neighborhoods, an older market area with unique shops, sampled some street food, got a view of the city, and learned about the short history of the city and the country.
- We meet Jeremy
- Tel Aviv Neighborhood
- Street Art
- Tel Aviv
- Gate of Faith Statue
- Bakery
- Street food
- Junk Shop
- Street Jeweler
- City Center
- Jeremy tells the History
- Independence signed here
- Original main street
- Original end of main street
Tel Aviv was founded in 1909 as the Jewish suburb of the mainly Arab city of Jaffa. It gets its name “Spring Hill” from a novel by the originator of the idea of a Jewish State, Theodor Herzl. The declaration of independence was signed in a building owned by Herzl in 1948. In the afternoon Libbi Cohen joins us to show us street art, local cuisine, and architecture with an off-the-beaten-path tour. We see the work of the street artists who have achieved fame and fortune, such as the band-aid man, see repurposed buildings supporting a thriving young people scene and a building boom that is in progress. We also sampled pastries baked by the city’s best baker, which were heavenly.
- Meet Libbi at the city center
- About Street Art
- Heavenly Pastry
- Meet the Baker
- Evolution of the city
- Old and New together
- More Street Art
- Parking Lot by day night club at night
- The Band-aid man was here
- Sampling an old drink revived
After a great first day, we look forward to experiencing the rest of Israel.
Caesarea, Haifa, Acre and the Lebanon Border
by Gil on Apr.05, 2022, under Happenings
Mother Nature forced a change in the itinerary with snow on our route to Galilee. Instead, we drove north up the coast and then turned inland to Galilee. Our first stop was at Caesarea, which is the ruin of a city built by Herod the Great, during the 22 to 9 BCE period. The ruins include a well-preserved amphitheater, race track (chariot racing), baths, market, and administrative buildings surrounded by a wall and moat. Herod built a palace for Ceasar and himself and included a harbor. A significant aqueduct brought water to the community. Inscriptions on a tablet in the ruin confirm the existence of Pontius Pilate Roman Governor of Biblical fame.
- Entrance to Amphitheater
- Amphitheater
- Pontius Pilate mentioned
- The beach and race track
- Race Track and seating
- Market
- Baths
- Administrative Buildings
- Entrance Gate
- Moat
Our next stop on our journey north was the city of Haifa, which is Israel’s third-largest city and a major port. One of the major tourist sites is the Baha’i World Centre. The immaculately maintained grounds include terraced gardens on the slopes of Mount Carmel, the burial place of the founder of the religion as well as administration buildings. Also in Haifa is the ancient walled city of Acre, also known as Akka and Akko, which was built as the headquarters of the Knights Templer. This group of crusaders was monastic soldiers whose mission was to protect the Holy Land and the visiting Christian pilgrims. The city had underground passageways that permitted the inhabitants to safely transfer and hide their treasure.
- Haifa
- Baha’i World Centre
- Acre
- Crusader City
- Canon Ball exhibit
- Underground Halls
- Crusader Grounds
- Knights of the Templers
We then drove to the northern tip of Isreal at the Lebanese border. The current border was established by the UN following Israel’s incursion to eliminate PLO bases being used to attack their country. The line is marked by fences and outposts. We visited the place where an Israeli unit was attacked by a suicide bomber resulting in a major loss of life. There were a series of Hezbollah attacks and counter-attacks in this area but there have been no recent incidents. We observed Lebanese soldiers and an Israeli patrol boat. The border point is accessible by cable car.
- The cable car
- Israeli patrol boat
- Sea Level
- Armistes marker
The next stop was the Sea of Galilee and the Golan Heights.
The Sea of Galilee and Golan Heights
by Gil on Apr.05, 2022, under Happenings
Our hotel balcony overlooked the Sea of Galilee (actually a lake) and beyond to the Golan Heights. The lake is approximately 13 miles long and 8 miles wide and is the second-lowest lake on earth, 686 feet below sea level. It is fed by the Jordan River from the south as well as underground springs. The area around the Sea of Galilee is where, according to the bible, Jesus did much of his ministering. Strategically, it is obvious that when Israel was divided the Lebanese and Syrians held the military advantage of the high ground. After numerous attacks, Israel decided to take the Golan heights to eliminate the strategically untenable situation. Our first visit was to an Israeli self-propelled artillery unit in the Golan Heights near the scene of the major battle. We first visited a memorial to Israelis who lost their lives and view tank defenses and bunkers. At the army base, a 23-year-old tank unit commander explains the unit’s mission and its constant preparation.
- View of valley from Golan
- Memorial
- Syrian Bunker
- Tank barriers
- Unit Crest
- Tank Unit Commander
- Ammo Vehicles
- Self Propelled armillary
- Business End
- Group Photo
On our way to visit a Kubitz, we stop at what’s left of the Syrian Army headquarters destroyed during the war.
- Syrian Headquarters
- Graffiti
- Battle damage
- Battle damage
We then visit and have lunch at a Kubutz. Our host explains the concept and workings of these small socialist units, that are scattered around Israel. Early in the history of the new nation, there were more of these settlements primaily in the agriculture segment. Today less than 3% lives and work in these settlements. They engage in a variety of enterprises including tourism, manufacturing as well as agriculture. As 0ur guide said, it’s not for everyone, but very interesting.
- Kubutz Host
- Kubutz Home
We then take a step back in history to visit the ancient ruin of a synagogue and spring used in dying cloth. This site has been partially reconstructed using computer programs that determined the placement of each stone. Umm el-Kanatir is one of the world’s oldest synagogues, and Jeremy explained that the basic layout is a design that continues today. We ended the day with a stop at where the Jordan River enters the lake. Our view is north where we will tour tomorrow.
- Synagogue site
- Springs and dying pools
- Visitor center from site
- Jeremy Explains
- Synagogue Structure
- Main Entrance
- Reconstructed structure
- Sea of Galilee
We start our last day at the Sea of Galilee with a visit to the Mount of Beatitudes and Tabgha. The Church of the Beatitudes is built on a hill, near the site of a Byzantine ruin thought to be where Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount. It is another Antonio Baruzzi design and is shaped as an octagon to signify the Eight Beatitudes from the Bible. It is thought that it was in a nearby cave that Jesus first spoke the Beatitudes. The Tabgha is the Church of the Loaves and Fish commemorating the biblical miracle that is thought to have occurred at this location.
- The Church of the Beatitudes
- Center of the Octagon
- The Church of the Loaves and Fish
- Mosaic fish design
Next, we explored a modern-day art colony, and view some contemporary art. Jeremy took us to a current-day synagogue and explains the nature of the religious practices.
- Village now an artist haven
- Old village streets
- Attractive Shops
- Local Artist
- Jeremy Explains the service
- Contemporary Synagogue
Our final stop in Galilee was at the Synagogue of Capernaum, a very significant religious location. The synagogue is adjacent to an ancient village thought to be the site of Jesus healing the crippled man. Saint Peters’s house is thought to be in the village. The synagogue and village are mentioned repeatedly in the bible and artifacts tie to the narrative. A saucer-shaped church is built over the village centered on Saint Peters’s home. We then are picked up by our helicopter pilot “Speedy” who flies us back to the coast and south past Tel Aviv, with great views of Capernaum as we leave, Caesarea, and past Tel Aviv to a village near Jerusalem.
- Capernaum
- Synagogue Ruins
- Church over Village
- View St. Peters Home
- Speedy briefs the Gal’s
- Capernaum from the air
- Caesarea aqueduct
- The Race Track at Caesarea
- The amphitheater at Caesarea
- Tel Aviv
Jerusalem and Bethlehem
by Gil on Apr.05, 2022, under Happenings
Because it’s the Sabbat, (Sabbath) we rearranged our schedule and visited the National Art and History Museum and got a taste of both. We sampled Israeli art, which reflects its tumultuous history. We viewed artifacts from that history, including synagogues from around the world and significant ruins marking periods including the Biblical period. We then had a very interesting lunch with Khaled Abu Toameh, a Palestinian journalist who gave us his perspective on Jewish/Palestinian relations. We then met our Palestinian guide Kamal, who takes us into the West Bank Territory to the Church of the Nativity, the birthplace of Jesus.
- Museum of Art and History
- Israel Art
- Symbolic sculpture
- Artifact pointing to biblical history
- King David’s symbol
- Model of the second Temple
- Dead Sea Scrolls
- Lunch with Journalist
- Kamal and Joyce
- West Bank
- Church of the Nativity
- Small Entrance
- Where Jesus was born
Our second day in Jerusalem, Israel’s capital city, began with a panoramic view from the Mount of Olives. Where we saw the City of David and the walled city of Jerusalem. We visited two Catholic Churches on the Mount of Olives both architected by Antonio Barluzzi. The first, Dominus Fleuit Church, is shaped like a tear to commemorate Jesus shedding tears with his disciples before his arrest. The second is the Basilica of the Agony where a rock marks the spot of shed tears. In the adjoining olive garden are trees that date over 2000 years that could have been there at the time of Christ.
- The Walled City of Jerusalem
- City of David
- Dominus Flevit Church
- Basilica of the Agony
- Tears Shed by Jesus
- 2000+ year old tree
We then drove to the street that separates the City of David which is below the ancient walled city of Jerusalem. We explored a portion of Davids City that is under excavation with discoveries connected to biblical events, then crossed the street to the entrance of the old city of Jerusalem. We visited the Western Wall where Orthodox Jews pray. We then walked the Via Dolorosa, (Latin Sorrowful Way). We start at the Church of the Condemnation and Imposition, the Church of the Flagellation described in the Bible as where Jesus was tried, put on the cross, and flogged by the Romans. We then proceed under the Ecce Homo arch mentioned in the Bible and up the winding street by the stations of the cross (14 in all). Each station is marked on the wall with a metal marker with the numeral and a casting depicting the station such as each of the three falls. The last five stations are in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre where Jesus was crucified, entombed, and according to the bible was resurrected. We then visited the site that is said to be where the Last Supper took place. This is a long walk back into biblical history and it’s a long day of walking, Joyce’s step meter registered over 12,ooo steps, mostly uphill.
- The Entrance to Jerusalem
- Within the Wall
- The Western Wall
- Orthodox Jews pray
- Discussing their religion
- The description of a station
- The Church of the Flagellation
- Jesus bears the cross
- Ecce Homo Arch
- Mark at each Station
- Site of the Crucifixion
Yad Vashem Holocaust Center is Israel’s location for researching, documenting, and telling the incredible facts relating to the murder of 6.000.000 Jews during WWII. David Olesker is our guide for this experience. He takes us through the pre-war antisemitism that existed in Europe, the Nazi obsession with “racial purity” and their dispossession, concentration, and systematic murder by the Germans and their collaborators. The museum uses individual experiences to illustrate man’s inhumanity to man on an unprecedented scale. Housed in the large circular multistory room are row upon row of books containing the information about those who were put to death. There are also pictures of some of the victims, In the garden outside the museum are trees planted to honor those who helped to mitigate the massacre, including one made famous by the movie Schindlers list. No photography was permitted in the museum.
- The Holocaust Museum
- Entrance Building
- Some of the victims remembered
- Schindlers honored
- David our guide
The market area of Jerusalem is a great photo op and to make it more interesting we are guided by Deda along with Jeremy to sample ethnic foods from both Israel and surrounding countries.
- The Market area
- Lebanese delights
- Yumm
- At typical stand
- A special fruit drink
- Hummus
- Deda serves the next treat
- Fresh
- Welcome to my store
- Spices
- The ultimate desert-Pistachio
- Jeremy’s favorite
The Dead Sea and Arava Desert
by Gil on Apr.05, 2022, under Happenings
Our last leg of our trip took us out of Jerusalem into desert country. We saw Bedouin camps by the highway and as we headed south the terrain gets more rugged. We arrived at the Jordan River at the spot, where according to the Bible, John the Baptist baptized Jesus. We had visited the same place from the Jordanian side a few years before (See Jordan trip). A different perspective, same narrative, and Marilyn the Baptist got to self baptize. The land mine warning was a reminder of more recent history at this spot.
- Jesus Baptism
- Marilyn self baptism
- Remnants of war
Our next stop on the Dead Sea is an ancient settlement of a breakaway Jewish sect that created the Dead Sea scrolls. The scrolls were discovered in nearby caves. The people of the sect took ritual baths and built an elaborate cistern and water system in their village. We then traveled a short distance to another settlement with the ruins of an early synagogue with a well-preserved mosaic floor. Nearby we stopped at the lowest point on earth 1411 feet below sea level.
- Dead Sea
- Essenes ruins
- Ancient Baths
- Dead Sea Scrolls found
- En Gedi
- Model of En Gedi
- Synagogue Mosaic floor
- 1411 Feet below Sea Level
Our next stop was Masada ( Hebrew for fortress), which is an ancient fortification situated on top of an isolated rock plateau overlooking the dead sea. Herod the Great built the palace for himself between 31 and 37 BCE. One account of the end of Masada describes a siege by the Romans of the last Jewish holdouts (Sicarii rebels) between 73 and 74 CE at the end of the first Jewish-Roman war. The siege ended when the Romans built an earthen ramp and a siege tower, which was set on fire by the defenders. According to one account, 960 men and women committed suicide in the face of the 15,000 Romans and slaves. Masada is well preserved with an elaborate cistern and water distribution system and baths as well as the palace. The remnants of the Roman encampment and earthen siege ramp are still visible.
- Dead Sea from Masada
- Tram to the Palace
- Jeremy explains the history
- Model of the Palace
- Topmost ruins
- Palace building
- Guest quarters
- Mosaic
- reconstructed palace building
- water system
- baths
- remnants of siege ramp
- depiction of siege
- Ruins of Roman encampment
We arrived at Six Senses Resort and Spa and say goodbye to our great guide, Jeremy. The next day we explored the resort and get some much-needed R&R. The Six Senses resorts are 21 out-of-the-ordinary five-star resorts located all over the world. Six Senses Israel is located near the village of Shaeharut in the Arava desert an hour’s drive from the Red Sea port city of Eilat.
- The Resort
- Our pool
- Spa pool
- Dining room balcony
Our final day of touring included a drive to Eilat where we met Gil, our last guide, who took us first to Arrona Spring mentioned in the bible as a stopping point on the trek from Egypt. We then went on to Timna Park located approximately 20 miles north of Eilat. The park valley includes unique geological formations and the site of the oldest known copper mines dating to the 5 or 6th millennium BCE. The mines and early foundries were probably worked by the Edomites the biblical foes of the Israelites. The sandstone cliffs in the Timna Valley feature a formation called King Solomon’s pillars and the site of ancient worship to various “Gods” du jour.
- Gil our Guide with the Gal’s
- Formations
- Arches
- Copper foundry site
- Mock up of Copper Foundry
- Copper ingots
- Solomon’s Pillrs
- Interesting formation
- Worship site
- Ibex
Our last image was of an Ibex, a wild goat indigenes to this region, and is somewhat symbolic of the amazing inhabitants of Israel, strong, unique, and able to survive in a very challenging land. We traveled back to the Six Senses then the next morning to Tel Aviv to board our flight to the United States. We experienced an incredible adventure that exposed us to the ancient, Biblical, and recent history of the unique place called Israel.
New Zealand 2020
by Gil on Mar.10, 2020, under Happenings
On Saturday, February 15 we left Savannah for a two-hour forty-minute flight to Houston, then the fifteen-hour flight to New Zealand on Air New Zeland. The Air New Zealand flight was very good or at least as good as a fifteen-hour flight can be. We arrived in Auckland early in the morning where we were met by the Seasonz representative who had us in the car in short order being driven to the Auckland Hilton. We had booked the room the night before so we were taken directly to our room. We showered had lunch and met our guide for a tour of the city . The tour included a visit to the Auckland Memorial Museum which includes an extensive Mauri (Indigenous people) exhibit as well as the memorial to the World War I New Zealanders who were lost. We then drove around the city as well as the quaint suburb of Parnell. In the evening we dined at a waterfront restaurant called Soul and I had two of my New Zealand favorites, local oysters and White Bait then finished with a Pavlova for dessert.
- Joyce on Air New Zealand
- Auckland skyline
- Auckland waterfront
- Auckland Memorial Museum
- Joyce and our Guide
- Maori War Canoe
- Maori Meeting House
- Local Canoe
- Extinct Moa Bird
- Waterfront Statue
- Joyce on the way to dinner
- Our Auckland Restaurant
The City of Auckland has grown and changed dramatically since I had last visited. Our stay was just one night and we left the next day which was Feb 17 since we lost a day traveling across the international dateline. The rest of our trip would take us to three Lodges on the North Island and One on the South Island over the next two weeks. Our next stop would be The Lodge at Kauri Cliffs which is on the East Coast (Pacific Ocean) at the north end of the North Island.
The lodge at Kauri Cliffs, North Island NZ
by Gil on Mar.10, 2020, under Happenings
We flew to the Bay of Islands airport from Auckland the afternoon of February 18th arriving at the lodge late in the afternoon. Kauri Cliffs is a Robertson Property developed by an American who purchased 6500 acres and in addition to the luxurious lodge, cottages and a championship-level golf course operates a sheep and cattle ranch on the property. There are three Robertson resorts in New Zealand and we will visit two. The Lodge and cottages have a spectacular 180-degree view of the Pacific Ocean and overlook the golf course. During the tour of the beautiful facility, we learn that there will be a beach barbeque that evening, so it’s time to unpack and then we are transported over the grazing land and hills down to a stunning beach that reminds us of the Monterey, California Coast. Cocktails and great dining at sunset on the beach, plus a chance to interact with the other guests from around the world is a great way to start our New Zealand Lodge experience.
- Cocktails on the beach
- Beach Barbecue
- Joyce and Gil
The next day we have a private charter to cruise the nearby Bay of Islands. After a great breakfast, we scurry around getting all the things we were told we should take, towels, swimsuit, sunscreen, etc. etc. and show up at the lodge with half of the list. The staff hands us a bag with everything needed when we get to our car and we realize we need to stop thinking and let these great people take care of us. We arrive at the dock and are met by our Captain (owner) Alan and his first mate Jennifer and welcomed aboard “Bucket List”. We are getting over jet lag and our instructions are we look forward to a relaxing day exploring the Bay of Islands. This is exactly what we experience, cruising through islands, seeing the spot where Captain Cook the first European landed, anchoring in a cove and having Alan and Jennifer prepare fresh snapper fillets, barbequed rack of lamb served with fine New Zealand wine, topped off by a Pavlova for dessert. More cruising and finally back at the dock ends a perfect day. Again, the New Zealand theme continues, Alan and Jennifer make us feel like family, not charter customers.
- Bucket List
- The Town of Russel
- Where Captain Cook Landed
- Cooks landing Marker
- Bay of Islands
- Lots of Boats
- The Bay of Islands
- Anchor for Lunch
- Alan Grills
- Lunch on Bucket List
- Pavlova for Dessert
- Relaxing away the jet lag
The evening after the cruise on the Bay of Islands during cocktails we were treated to a performance by a local Mauri tribal group.
- Mauri Dancers
- Mauri Dancers
- Mauri Dancers
- Mauri Dancers
The final day at Kauri Cliffs included a round of golf. The course was stressed by recent droughts, but still beautiful with great holes along the coast. We enjoyed our golf and had another great dining experience then it was time to pack.
- Lodge from the Golf Course
- Kauri Cliffs with Bay of Islands in the background
- Kauri Cliffs
- Kauri Cliffs
- Kauri Cliffs
We rose to see a beautiful sunrise then enjoyed another great breakfast overlooking the golf course, and ocean. Then we were off to the airport bound for the Huka Lodge.
- Sunrise Kauri Cliffs
Huka Lodge North Island NZ
by Gil on Mar.08, 2020, under Happenings
On Friday, February 21 we transferred to the Bay of Islands Airport from Kauri Cliffs Lodge. Oops the flight to Auckland was fine, but the ongoing connection Taupo airport was canceled, so instead, we flew to Rotarua and were driven the one hour trip to Taupo where the car from Huka lodge was waiting. On our drive, we saw extensive forests that were being harvested and replanted and a lot of geothermal activity. This part of the island was formed by volcanic activity. The lodge is situated on the Waikato River that flows out of Lake Taupo New Zealand’s largest lake. Our suite had a great view of the river gently flowing by. Just below the lodge is the Huka Falls, which gave the lodge its name. It originally was a fishing lodge. Fishing is still a reason to visit but of all the great dining experiences we had in New Zealand, Huka Lodge had by far the best. We started our first night with a gourmet tasting menu served to us at our private table in the wine cellar, paired with a different New Zealand wine with each course. We followed this regimen every dinner while at Huka Lodge.
- Mauri Carving at Entrance
- Huka Lodge
- View of Waikato river from our room
- First-night menu
- Wine pairing
- Joyce and Gil at Huka Falls
It was drizzling a little on the second day at Huka Lodge but that didn’t stop us from going fly fishing for trout on the Waikato river, with super guide Chris Brennan. Joyce had never fly fished and it had been years since I cast a fly, but we literally got tired of catching nice large Rainbow and Brown trout. We had a great time, catch and releasing well over 20 fish and enjoyed a picnic lunch on the river for a great day.
- Chris and Joyce
- Both landed at the same time
- Gil with a Rainbow
- Joyce fights a nice Rainbow
- Joyce with her Rainbow
- Gil with a Brown
- Joyce with a nice Rainbow
- Joyce with a Brown
On Sunday we drove back to Rotarua to visit a Mauri Tribal meeting house (Marae) and learn about the Mauri people. We were treated to the welcoming ceremony which made us honorary tribal members, we watched traditional dances and saw how a feast (Hangi Meal) was prepared then cooked under the ground on heated stones. While the meal was cooking we took a short excursion to nearby falls hiked through the forest then watched white water rafting. Again, the New Zealand hospitality provided by the two Mauri families made us feel right at home welcoming us and treated us like family.
- Tribal Meeting House
- Interior of Meeting House
- Getting Educated
- Cerimonial Dance
- Ceremonial Dance
- Intimidate enemies
- Traditional Dance
- Traditional Dance
- Traditional Dance
- Feast goes underground
- Our guide with Joyce
- On the way to the falls
- Rafters
- Feast is done
- Our lunch is served
One last incredible dining experience, then time to pack and in the morning after another great breakfast we were off to Cape Kidnappers by car.
Cape Kidnappers North Island NZ
by Gil on Mar.08, 2020, under Happenings
On Monday, February 24 we were driven the two-hour drive to the Hawks Bay Region stopping for lunch at the Clear View Winery. This is one of the wine regions of New Zealand with the largest city in the area Napier. Napier is interesting in that it was destroyed by an earthquake in the 1920s and rebuilt in the art deco style. After lunch, we continued the short distance to the Farm at Cape Kidnappers, which is a 6000-acre working ranch with approximately 2000 sheep and 500 cattle. Overlooking the bay is the world rated top 100 Cape Kidnapper golf course and lodge where we stayed. Our suite had a great view of the property and Hawks Bay and was only a short walk from the beautiful lodge. This is another Robertson resort so we knew the evening routine, cocktails, and canapes served in the lounge area followed by a gourmet dinner with fine NZ wine and outstanding service.
- Cape Kidnappers Lodge
- Cape Kidnappers Lodge complex
- Cottages
- View from Cottage
Our first day of exploration started with a Kiwi discovery walk. Laura our naturalist guide took a group of guests into the woods to find a Kiwi, which is the national bird of NZ and an endangered species. To help preserve the Kiwi population a number of Kiwi sanctuaries have been established to increase the survival rate of young birds. Cape Kidnappers Farm is one of the sanctuaries and Laura used a radio direction finder to locate one of the chicks that had a radio tag. We got a briefing on the Kiwi and saw the humongous egg of this species. The full-grown Kiwi is about the size of a chicken and does not fly. Kiwi’s are nocturnal feeders so the Kiwi was awakened from his sleep so we could observe it. Laura weighed the bird, checked its health then placed it back in a burrow with some food. It was an interesting and educational experience and helped us work up an appetite for lunch.
- Laura shows us a Kiwi egg
- Laura uses the radio direction finder
- A young Kiwi
- Back in a burrow
After lunch, it was time for a Can-Am (All-Terrain Vehicle) tour of the property. This included a visit to the furthermost reaches of the farm through old creek beds, across expansive farmland and down to the ocean. We also visited the rookery of the Gannet, the chicks first flight is eight-day non-stop to Australia. This is the largest rookery and it is estimated that these birds consume eleven tons of fish per day. We observed the parents feeding the chicks.
- Angus our driver/guide
- Down to the beach
- Gil and Joyce
- Coastal formations
- The Cape
- Part of the Rookery
- Hungry Chick
- Parent Feeds Chick
On Wednesday we played the Cape Kidnapper golf course. This is a stunning setting and the designer Tom Doak took advantage of the seaside cliffs and rugged terrain to produce a visually spectacular and difficult test of golf. We enjoyed our round and had a “small world” experience on the 16th. hole. A single caught up with us so we let him play through and low and behold it was Will Mayhall a fellow member at Chechessee Creek Club.
- Cape Kidnappers
- Cape Kidnappers
- Cape Kidnappers
- Cape Kidnappers
- Cape Kidnapper Cliffs
- Chechessee Creek Member plays though
Another nice evening enjoying the great dining experience and service, then pack. Tomorrow after breakfast we leave for the South Island.
Blanket Bay Lodge South Island NZ
by Gil on Mar.07, 2020, under Happenings
On Thursday, February 27 we flew from Hawks Bay on the North Island to Auckland and then to Queenstown on the south end of the South Island. We traveled by car an hour to the south end of Lake Lake Wakatipu to the Blanket Bay Lodge. The lodge is a very impressive stone and wood structure overlooking the lake and the Livingston Mountains. Our suite was at the south end of the hotel and had a patio and windows that gave us spectacular great views.
- Blanket Bay Lodge
- Lodge view to South
- Lodge view to West
- Lodge View to the East
The weather changed our plans for Friday so we moved the day’s activities to Sunday and enjoyed a day of relaxing at the lodge and a visit to the little town of Glenorchy for some shopping and sightseeing in the drizzle. Saturday the weather cooperated so we embarked on our Dart River Jet Boat Wilderness excursion. This included a mini-bus ride through the countryside leading to the rivers entering the south end of the lake, then a hike through the forest and finally a Jet Boat ride up then back down the Dart River. The Jet Boats are fast and bouncy able to travel with only 8 inches draft over the rocky river rapids. We had ponchos but we still got a little wet but the incredible scenery and exciting ride made it worth it.
- River Approach
- Forest
- Forest Hikers
- Joyce on Movie Prop
- Forest
- Boarding Jet Boat
- Jet Boat
- Going Up-river
Sunday was our last day of touring and it was also Joyce’s Birthday. We were picked up in front of the lodge after breakfast by our helicopter for the morning. We lifted off headed across the lake and climbed over the Livingston Mountains, through valleys, over glaciers, traversed the valley to the next range, the Franklin Mountains, and descended into Milford Sound to the beach on the Tasmanian sea. A recent “rain event” washed a large amount of driftwood and a number of boulders onto the beach which made for an interesting walk. We landed on a glacier and the beach for a hike as well as on the side of the mountain overlooking Lake Wakatipu and had a champagne birthday toast. The sites were spectacular, our pilot Rene was great and when we were done we landed back on the east side of the lake at Moonlight lodge the headquarters of a 33000 acre “Sheep Station” (Ranch). One interesting observation was that the glaciers had a red hue, which was caused by ash from the recent fires in Australia. The three-hour helicopter exploration of the South Island mountains was one of the highlights of our trip.
- Our Helicopter arrives
- River entering the Lake
- Through valleys
- Approach to glacier landing
- Glacier fed lake
- Valley between Mountain ranges
- Glacier
- Milford Sound
- Shore of Tasmanian Sea
- Driftwood
- Joyce on the beach
- Rocky Point
- Joyce and Gil
- Rene Opens Champagne
- Toast to Joyce
We were met by Paddy our driver/guide at Moonlight lodge and were introduced to John Foster the owner of the sheep station. We then took a tour via a Can-Am ATV (All-Terrain Vehicle). We drove up and down over lots of rugged terrains which is where John raises his sheep. The area is grazing land, native beech forest, lakes, rivers, mining huts, and tracks from the gold mining era. Before lunch, we explored primarily sheep grazing land with panoramic views of the mountains. We then enjoyed a picnic lunch with John and Ginny Foster and his son and grandson as well as Paddy in front of Moonlight lodge which is also John and Ginnys home. In keeping with our entire New Zealand experience, we were welcomed and treated like family in the typical open comfortable sincere style of the people of this beautiful country. We learned a lot about the business of producing fine merino wool, mainly that it includes a lot of hard work and the market for wool is uncertain. After lunch, we reluctantly said our goodbyes to continue our tour. Paddy then took us down the canyon which was a major gold-producing area, with remanents of past mining activity and beautiful clear streams to ford. We swapped vehicles and then toured what was the gold rush town of Arrowtown that is now mostly shops and restaurants for tourist. We then headed back to the Blanket Bay lodge for our last dinner in New Zealand.
- Lake Wakatipu
- Landing at Moonlight Lodge
- ATV ready
- Sheep country
- Paddy and Joyce
- Joyce and Gil
- Lunch with the Fosters
- Gold Country
- Fording the river
- Arrowtown
In honor of the birthday, the lodge poured champagne for cocktails and since it was a beautiful evening we dined outdoors on the deck with the incredible view we have enjoyed so much. It was another exquisite dinner with another excellent New Zealand wine finished with a birthday cake to cap off a wonderful stay.
- Dinner at Blanket Bay
- Happy Birthday Joyce
We had a leisurely morning Monday packing and one last great breakfast served by the outstanding Blanket Bay staff. Our driver picked us up and we were driven back to Queenstown for our flight back to the U.S. through Auckland. This was the fifth trip organized by Tony Huffman for us and again it was another incredible experience. Tony and his associates as well as his partners, in this case, Seasonz in New Zealand, made the trip effortless, absolutely first class with every detail attended to. Our New Zealand experience was one of the best ever, Thanks, Tony.