NZ - DAY 8-14....

DAY 8 - Franz Josef Glacier - The early Maori knew Franz Joseph as Ka Roimata o Hine Hukatere  (Tears of the Avalanche Girl).  Legend tells of a girl losing her lover who fell from the local peaks, and her flood of tears freezing into the glacier.

DAY 9 - Lake Matheson - It is an hour's walk around the lake, and on a clear day you get great views of Mt. Tasman and Mt. Cook reflected in the water.  Unfortunately it rained this day.  We will just have to come back on a clear day!  It is beautiful.

The Blue Mushroom......

Wanaka for St Patrick's Day..... If you drink four beers you get a hat.....what more can I say!!!!!!

Queenstown - This is the adventure capital.  There is bungy jumping, skydiving, white water rafting, jet boating,skiing, biking, tramping,wineries, etc etc etc. 

"Ferg" Burgers....the best hamburger in Queenstown!

 Queenstown is famous for bungy jumping. It became the world's first commercial bungy site in 1988 and allows you to leap 43meters!  This is not Joe!!!!!

 Mt. Iron....

Along the road......

The Cardrona Hotel first opened its doors in 1863.  It has a pub and great restaurant.

DAY 11.......MILFORD SOUND - First sight of Milford Sound is stunning: still, dark water out of which rise sheer rocky cliffs.  Mitre Peak, 1692 meters high is incredible.  We cruised aboard the Milford Wanderer Nature cruise.  It rained at Milford Sound this day but it was beautiful in the rain.

DAY 12.....Arrowtown....sprang up in the 1860s following the discovery of gold in the Arrow River.  Today the town retains 60+ of its original wooden and stone buildings.  It has fun galleries, restaurants and shopping!

 Chard Farm Winery......

 DAY 13.....Lake Tekapo....Lonely Planet states that the Astro Cafe atop Mt. John is one of the best locations for a cafe on the planet!  It was by far our favorite cafe.  We hiked around the summit.  The Mount John observatory is great for star gazing at night.  Dave T, you would like it here!

Church of the Good Shepherd......

                                            Dinner with new friends.......

Joe is playing golf at the Milford Resort.  The New Zealand Open was held here last week.  We splurged and spent one great night here.

DAY 14......Our last night we stayed in ChristChurch.  We walked around the city that was damaged in the earthquake.   Cathedral Square is the center of town and the Christ Church Cathedral was destroyed. A memorial of 157 white chairs marked remembrance for the people who died.  Slowly they are building back the city.  A shopping mall created from shipping cartons has sprung up.  

   We toured the Botanic Gardens.  The Rose Garden had a jillion beautiful roses and I wish I had pictures of every one.

   Dating from 1882, the green and white Antigua BoatSheds are the starting point for "Punting on the Avon....very romantic!

   We loved everyday in New Zealand and just wish it was not so far from upstate New York.  It was 14 days of "Incredibleness"!