Today began in Akaroa with the fine and fair weather back again after a rainy and cool windy night.
We packed and moved out of the B&B, walked downtown and rented a couple of bikes.
Our destination was the Maori village of Ōnuku Marae.
The road went up and down both ways, but the ride was enjoyable.
The Maori village now has about 200 inhabitants and sports a big and impressive Whare Tīpuna (ancestral house). Access to the Whare is by invitation only, so we just looked from the outside.
A tiny wooden church built in 1876 is next to the Whare and still in use for special occasions.
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| A clergyman' view of the world outside. |
After a picnic in Onuku we biked back to Akaroa, checked out the local lighthouse ...
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| Pohutukawa (Metrosideros excelsa) |
... saw some beautiful blooming trees
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| Rosy Silk Tree (Albizia julibrissin rosea) |
... and ended the afternoon in an organic café ...
... from where we spotted a local Irish wedding ...
... and some true words on a Kiwi license plate.
. . .
Late afternoon we waved goodbye to Akaroa and bussed to Christchurch. We are presently in a hotel, and have met our new fellow travellers in the tour that will begin tomorrow morning and take us all around on the South Island for the next week.
Stay tuned ...
