ramblings of a Seattle travel, food and photography hound
ANZAC Day is observed in New Zealand and Australia to commemorate the troops who lost their lives at Gallipoli during World War I. ANZAC stands for Australia New Zealand Army Corps. One story is that the families sent the troops these biscuits (known in the U.S. as cookies) that resisted spoilage because of their lack... Continue Reading →
Water in New Zealand is plentiful. The snow on the mountain ranges that slice through the country northeast-to-southwest ensure a year-round supply. On our travel through the South Island, we saw countless snow-covered mountains. I wondered if it were ever possible to suffer a drought here. Christchurch’s water supply is fed by aquifers under the... Continue Reading →
At a viewing area along State Highway 80, where the tour bus made a temporary stop, there was a breathtaking vista of a portion of the Southern Alps. Without a doubt, the snow cover made for a most dramatic effect. The tallest peak is Mount Cook (Aoraki, in Maori), the highest in all of New... Continue Reading →
From Queenstown, it took the bus tour four hours to get to Milford Sound, reputedly the most visited tourist spot in all of New Zealand. The boat cruise, once we got there, lasted almost two hours, by which time we got a closer look at the majestic fjords that can tower out of the water... Continue Reading →
From Franz Josef, we hopped on another all-day bus ride to Lake Wanaka, a resort area that serves as the gateway to Mt Aspiring National Park. With an afternoon arrival, it was all we could do to check in to our hotel (Oakridge Resort Grand Mercure) and walk into town before sunset. It was the... Continue Reading →
Salty foods are a rarity in New Zealand. It is almost certain that anything served here will not be salty. In fact, to an average American, the food could quite possibly seem under-seasoned. It’s more likely that a dish will be slightly sweet, as this was our impression of many dishes. A meat lasagne, for... Continue Reading →
If you're not a diehard adventurer into extreme sports, one of the most extraordinarily exciting guided trips you can take is to Franz Josef Glacier along the west coast of the South Island. Available in half-day and full-day packages, the hike takes you onto the glacier itself, past crevasses and rivers of melting water pure... Continue Reading →
At first, I thought it was my imagination. I first noticed it in the local Christchurch supermarkets. Then, I noticed it even in small restaurants and bakeries ... and then on our vacation in the Southern Alps. Gluten-free. Everywhere you go, menus offer gluten-free alternatives. Public awareness is obviously much higher here than in the... Continue Reading →
Ever since we discovered NZ sauvignon blanc (SV), which was a few years ago, we were immediately drawn to its distinctive lime, grapefruit and tropical fruit flavors, backed by a crisp acidity. And, to make matters even better, they (along with Gewurtztraminer) pair well with seasoned, even spicy Asian food, of which we are very... Continue Reading →
For the most part, there were no problems getting along linguistically with New Zealanders. After all, we do share the same tongue. Since the first European settlers came from Merrie Olde England only recently (in the nineteenth century), it stands to reason that the Kiwi tongue will be very much English in the pronunciation of... Continue Reading →
zoomeboshi 