Napier
12-15 January 2007Napier is a beautiful art deco town. It got rebuilt within just 2 years after it got destroyed in the big Hawke's Bay earthquake in 1931. I did the "art deco walk" as well as a visit to the NANZ (National Aquarium of New Zealand). I drove to Hastings and Havelock North (this tiny little village has the highest number of millionaires per capita but was otherwise a bit disappointing).
Hawke's Bay is New Zealand's second largest wine region (after Marlborough on the northern end of the south island). It has some of the oldest vineyards ... I discovered this vine region with a twilight wine tour. We started in a brewery to taste beer and then had our first dish, a gourmet platter with different wines to match the food at one of the well-known vineyards in the region. Then we went up on the peak of Te Mata which is according Maori legends a rock-eating giant which died on kind of contest and is since lying there. Even tough the weather was not that good (slight rain) we've seen a lovely sunset ... Next we had our main dish in the vineyard with the oldest vineyard-restaurant and ended the tour at New Zealand's oldest winery Mission Estate with the most beautiful desert! :)
All together, interesting and excellent tour!!! :))
I stayed in Napier right downtown at Wally's Backpackers, the Mercedes under the backpackers ;) Very comfy beds, big rooms with few people, excellent kitchen, free internet, ...
This morning I drove all the way down to Wellington (ca. 320km and 4.5 hours - very winding roads, lots of villages & awesome scenery) ... will stay here the last 3 days of this trip! Looking forward to explore the "windy city"...
Ciao
B.
posted by Birgit im Abenteuerland @ 1:11 pm
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