2018 New Zealand - Day 10-15 more Wairoa
This is a collection blog entry for a week in and around Wairoa including Christmas Day.
And I'll write this one in reverse order...
Sue did have to go into work for a few hours later that afternoon. I headed out for a walk on another gorgeous sunny (but a tad hot and humid) day in Wairoa (unexpected surprise as the forecast had called for thunderstorms). Over the course of the day I was able to call Mom and all my brothers (for their Christmas Eve) and friends in Hong Kong. We finished the day with Megan's home made French Onion Soup and a few parlor games.
We also visited The Limery - a family new business opened in Wairoa bye friends of Sue and Megan (Paul and Dee) to grow their own limes and lemons and then bottle the juice (no concentrates, sugars, chemicals, etc...) and ship all over. Check them out at: http://www.thelimery.co.nz. They also bring in horticultural students to learn and to assist in the operations.
(I only have one of a tiny corner of the orchard and none of the very modern and pristine juicing building and operation).
And I'll write this one in reverse order...
Christmas Day
Agreed that we would get up for 8:00am - not hard for me as that's around my time. The ladies like their sleep in time (and why not) ... but up we all were. With coffees/tea in hand we gathered in the family room to open presents. First up were all the stockings hung on the mantle.
Christmas Lunch
Christmas roast chicken with oven roasted stuffing, potatoes and vegetables (including a freshly picked cucumber from Sue's garden) along with pickles and cranberry sauce for lunch. Perfectly accompanied by Christmas crackers and a 7% sparkling muscat (from Hawke's Bay: Milton Estate - lovely and creamy), and followed by Megan's gorgeous pavlova.
Day-1: Christmas Eve: Gisborne Wine Tasting
A day that started with drizzling rain and the rain continued pretty much throughout. Perfect to visit the wineries of Gisborne. We visited 3 that were open: Milton Estate, Matawhero and Bridge Estate. Milton was by far my favorite (and one I've visited on previous trips to the area). Bridge Estate is just establishing itself so were doing pours of the wines of other vineyards that were not open for tasting (all Stonebridge with one Spade Oak - which I wished were the other way around). Lunch in town was a "kebab" - which for us Canadians is not a skewer but meat and vegetables wrapped in a flat bread (pita like) - that we would call a donair.
Days prior: walks and hanging out...
On a series of lovely days I continued my daily walks along the Wairoa river as far out as the surf casting (with competition coming up in February) fishermen along the rocky driftwood covered shore.
Finally some flora and fauna photos...
