New Zealand :: living things

Here they are -- the last of the New Zealand pictures. I've saved my favourites for last; not, as you might misinterpret, because flowers are more important to me than the precious people I spent time with in New Zealand. No, it's simply because leaves and trees and fruit and blossoms are there, complete on their own, and somehow pictures capture that. There are no words necessary. A flower is its own story.

New Zealand :: sustenance

New Zealand is good at many things, not the least of which is its food. Exhibit one: enormous double-scoop icecreams for UNDER TWO BUCKS.

Exhibit two: iced coffees which never fail to be served with a whopping long bar of New Zealand's own Whitaker's chocolate.

Exhibit three: an affogato, the sheer caffeinated strength of which almost burnt a whole in my mouth.

Exhibit four: amazingly delicious (oh, and guilt-free, for once) organic apple and blackcurrant juice. Mmm.

New Zealand :: landscapes

The incredibly breathtaking Mt. Taranaki, which watches over the city in majestic incongruity.

One of the Sugar Loaf islands

(near the lookout where Lauren and James got engaged)

The foreshore at New Plymouth.

Doesn't the water even look Southern?

The lake at Pukekura Park, where the water reflects the overhanging blossoms and ducks hover hungrily in hope of crumbs.

Mt. Taranaki, shrouded in snow and cloud.

Downtown New Plymouth.

And this little footbridge, nestled away among the ferns,

is one I feel sure would inspire Monet.

New Zealand :: precious people

I got to meet in real life one of my loved-but-previously-unmet friends, Holly, her husband Bryan, and their cute babies. That was an extra treat.

I took walks with my family along an amazing grey-and-green windswept coastline.

My little brother showed he hasn't lost his sense of cool (bike helmet for the win!).

We squished...

And ate good things.

We squished some more...

And enjoyed the togetherness.

We looked at excellent stuff (toy museum!)...

And met new friends.

Finally we had to say goodbye --

but we said it with smiles.

Down under down under

I've just spent twelve days on the north island of glorious New Zealand, where...

I hung out with these people a lot:

I was awed and amazed by this incredible mountain:
And these people got engaged:

It doesn't get much cooler than that.

[I took lots more pictures -- coming soon!]