Dunedin - a city for all tastes

Another foggy morning, but by 9:30 am the sun is burning it off.  We are high on a hill with the Catholic Church directly opposite- funny about that - the Mick's always seemed to manage to snaffle the best high spots in towns - perhaps 'nearer my god to thee?!!

First stop of the day - Cadbury World!  Our guide for the morning is Christie who is definitely on some kind of upper.  For the sixteen of us she is hyped and happy and high on chocolate.  Everything she says and does has a bubbly 'high five' feel about it.  She leads us through the process of turning cacao to cocoa and then to chocolate including filling our goody bags with all things chocolate. We go through the 'breakfast room' where we can help ourselves to liquid chocolate, adding such things as pretzels, coconut, sprinkles, popcorn and oreo bits. Not really my idea of breakfast but for some of them - wow!

We climb halfway up one of the storage silos (the purple one) and watch one tonne of liquid chocolate fall from a height further up down to the base of the silo!


Near the end of the tour we learn that the factory in Dunedin will close in three months.  I wonder whether this will be her downer?  But no, she is very philosophical about it.

After finishing our visit to the Chocolate caverns with a coffee, we set out to find some of the amazing Street Art that Dunedin is known for.  

We find the first dozen or so pieces and then realise that we are within a cooee of the Chinese Garden and take a detour from the hot summer sun into the serene coolness of the garden.  This is a sanctuary in the city - a green space in the concrete and brick and bitumen!

As we move through the gardens with the wind moving through the willow trees, we spy the Tea House and sit down for a Rose tea (Michael) and a peppermint tea for me.  Coupled them with a selection of buns and dumplings - just a very light snack.  The teas were just what we needed!

From here we head over to the stunning Dunedin Railway Station that everyone had told us to make sure we checked out. This building is a homage to a bygone era of grace and beauty.  

The entire main entrance is tiled, from the small mosaic tiles on the floor to amazing vitreous ceramic tiles on the walls.  There are 3D tile surrounds to the ticket windows and across the top of the ground floor under the mezzanine floor with its cast iron balustrade and stunning stained glass windows.  

Designed by George Troup and opened in 1906, it demonstrates a commitment to quality and pride in workmanship - stunningly beautiful, there are no other words to use.

We visit the Art exhibition upstairs where we have missed out on buying a Green Man art piece (but I have a contact for the artist) and buy a stunning had painted silk scarf for half the price of any other one we have seen in NZ!  Winner!

As the day is closing fast, we head to Toitu - Otago Settlers Museum.  Sited between the railway and the Chinese Garden in a re-purposed warehouse with a stunning new entry building added.  

The people of NZ know how to do a museum.  The layout, the connections and the collections are stunning with enough hands on and interactive displays that mean that the non-touch displays are easily protected. We end up with only about 90 minutes to explore a space that you could spend a day in.  

There are lots of story-telling from the Maori, white settlers and the Chinese perspectives.  The displays take you from the arrival of the Polynesians right through to the new technologies of today and everything in between.

After the Museum closes at 5 pm, we hit the streets to find some more examples of the street art before we stop for some early dinner at a pub chain CBK where I was offered a Plum Cider by Stuart - wasn't too sure I would like it, so he gave me a tot to taste.  Man - move over apple - this Plum Cider by Good George Brewing has plenty of tart and plenty of flavour and none of the over-sweetness of many of the new fruit ciders.

 Michael has a Seafood Chowder and I settle in with Steamed Bao Buns - one each with smoked beef, fish and spicy chicken. Delish.  And Stuart has given us the premium address to view Dunedin from on high for a great view day and night - we'll check it out tomorrow.

And as we arrive back at our accommodation, something wicked this way comes - another sea fog is creeping very quickly, very silently in from the coast. 

The Fog

As we slept, a dense sea fog crept in over the land casting a shadow so that in the early morning, it still felt like night. It was reluctant to lift, and as we left at 7:30 to head

back to the Cathedral Cave, it still blanketed the ground as though to encourage everyone to stay put under the covers. Despite the damp, the air is warm and balmy.

And still the Long White Cloud can be seen - out in competition with that stubborn fog!

There is quite a bit of traffic as we leave - some local and others obviously tourists in their campervans and Jucy vans. The locals drive like race drivers around winding corners as I watch with my heart in my throat and think of the terrible job that Steve Webb has to do with the Forensic Crash Unit back home (and after reading about another terrible crash back home).

The drive down to the Cathedral Caves is uneventful and takes about an hour.  We had checked the opening times as we came back to Balclutha yesterday after being told that they access is only open for a total of 3 - 4 hours.  The caves are accessed through private Maori land along a 2 km road that is slick from the night's moisture. There are a few cars ahead of us in the carpark when we arrive, but there is still plenty of parking. The attendant on duty is chatty and full of news and good advice.  The path down to the Caves is through wet forest and steep.  Part way down, Michael goes back to get the walking posts - don't know why we didn't think of them at the start.  It is steep and I am about 3/4 of the way down when it the path gets much steeper, thicker with leaves and wetter with both sea-spray and the moisture from the forest.  Knowing that a fall here would be dramatic, I opt not to continue and turn to head up the path.  Michael continues to the beach and the Caves. He tells me later that although I could see the beach, there was still quite a distance until he reached it and about another 300 m to the Caves which were also very wet and muddy.

The Caves began as separate and later the force of the
waves broke through the final soft barrier between them to create one V shaped cave. The Cathedral Caves are in the 30 largest beach caves in the world. Because the force of the water lessens as the cave deepens, they do not grow much beyond what is found here at the Cathedral Caves at just under 200 m.  They look truly amazing!

We finish at the Caves, seeing more people still arriving after 10 am (access to the Caves closes at 10:30 and the road gate is locked at 11:30 am) You would need to be mighty fit to get down and back in that timeframe!

Following our morning jaunt, we head 5 minutes down the road back to the Whistling Frog for breakfast - bacon and eggs for Michael and Pancakes, berries and spiced marscapone for me - yummo!

Yesterday we struck the sheep on the road.  Today it is a horse ride. There were 30 riders and we came across them just as we came over a single lane bridge.  There would have been quite a wait had they reached the bridge before us!

All in all, an interesting morning.  And still the fog persists!!

En-route to Dunedin we stopped at the historic rail tunnel constructed for the former Catlins River Branch.  Much shorter than the Boolboonda Tunnel back home, but this one constructed in the 1890's was hand dug and then lined with sandstone blocks - back breaking work I imagine.

Then we drove the last 90 kms to Dunedin without stop. The landscape continues to be a mix of rolling hills, farmed foothills and floodplains and estuaries that meander across the flats.  Our first view of Dunedin demonstrates what we already know - it is a city that lies in the hills.  We have two days here and we know that won't be enough, but our time is running short!  

Staying at 'The Brothers', which has a history as a Christian Brothers Order residence for up to 13 brothers.  The stately residence was built in the early 1920's in the area known as the 'Vatican' district.  The rooms are smallish, but no doubt far more comfortable than those of their day!  (PS the rooms featured on their website must be special ones - they ain't ours!)  We have one of the brother's cells!


Dunedin is known for many things - its street art is one - and Cadburys where we will start our day tomorrow!  Others we will talk about tomorrow.


















Tonight we dine like Persian Kings at Paasha Turkish Restaurant.  When we got there at 7:40 pm, there was literally just enough room for us left.  Busy and loud and very eastern.  By 9 pm when we left there was just one other table of 3 recently arrived.  We complimented the staff on the cooking and service which were both wonderful. Took away leftover Kofta Shish, some pita breads and a tub of one of the best hummus I have ever tasted!  Of course we ate a Meze plate for starters, a Shared Platter and then Baklava and coffee.  Now I am soooo full!

Finally, today is a day to be reminded of friends from home!

Tomorrow is another day . . . 

You take the high road, we're travelling the coast road . . .

The unit is warm and the bed warmer.  Michael is never a morning person and now on holidays, is happy to lie in.  Tomorrow will be a different story though - we need to be gone from here by 7 am to get to the Cathedral Cave in low tide - more about that later.

We head in to have a look around Balclutha and get fuel before we strike out to the west along the Southern Scenic Route.  This is a town of some 4,000 souls that swells to many more in the summer months.  It is known for its concrete span bridge that was built in the 1930's after the previous timber one washed away in a flood - kind of familiar story to someone from Maryborough! The Clutha River is the largest river in New Zealand by volume of water and the country's second longest.  The town is the main service centre for the surrounding pastoral lands.

Yesterday, we travelled in to Balclutha on the more northern national highway as the coastal road is longer, and we knew that we did not have time to make the most of it. So today we turn back from whence we came, albeit on a totally different road. And a bit like many of the coastal roads in Australia, they do not always hug the coast, and there are times when we must travel 9-22 kms down to the coastal car parks to access more fragile areas before returning the same way to re-join the scenic route. That long white cloud is evident again

today, bringing with it rain.


We travel through towns with alluring names such as Owaka (with it's Teapot Home), Caberfeidh, MacLennan,  Papatowai and Chaslands where we stop for lunch at the highly recommended Whistling Frog Cafe which is an icon in the Caitlins area of 'outstanding natural beauty'before heading through Niagara and Waikawa to Curio Bay. Our meals were delicious - Michael had the Beefsteak and Cheese Pie while I had the Chicken Caesar Sandwich.

We make stops at Pūrākaunui Falls, getting caught on the road up behind a farmer moving his sheep. The four sheep dogs kept running back to his window for instruction!

Matai Falls, the Florence Hill Lookout, pass Lake Wilkie and the Tautuku estuary and drive through Chaslands and Waikawa taking photos all the way before we arrive at Curio Bay.  

This is the home to the Tumu Toka CurioScape, to Hector's dolphins/papakanua, Yellow-eyed penguins/hoioho and fur seals and sea lions.  But today it is windy and drizzling in to rain and none are to be seen.  A hedgehog, introduced to control garden slugs and now considered a threat to the native fauna, was the only animal venturing out!  The ranger told Michael that it is very unusual to see them during the day.

The Tumu Toka CurioScape is excellent and explains the geological and geographical changes that have occurred over the millenia, to the backdrop of the Maori legends and stories.  After watching it, Michael takes a walk in the rain down to the petrified forest bed - the only place in the world where a petrified forest is found next to a living one!

The rain is continuing and getting heavier, so we decide to head back east to our accommodation. But before we head in fr the night there is a final spot to visit.  Nugget Point is the site of a lighthouse that guards ships in the region from meeting their doom at The Nuggets which are right in front of it.  Rugged and beautiful, this is also treacherous with the local Department of Conservation warning sign including the sage words "keep children safe".  All it would take on this route would be one inquisitive little one under a barrier, and a slip would see them swimming with the dolphins in the waters far below.

And our last stop for the night is at The Point Cafe and Bar at Kaka Point for dinner.
Again, highly recommended by Karla, the food is fabulous even if we do have a very noisy and base group of four behind us. When one tells another to shush, the petulant reply is"Knew we shoulda gone to the pub!"

Nevertheless, the food was sublime  my Seafood Chowder starter was thick and creamy with a generous helping of seafoods - some of which I left for Michael whose Salt and Pepper Calamari looked nice.  Michael enjoyed his Moroccan Chicken and I again chose Blue Cod - this time pan-fried with vegetables.  Delicious.

 Tomorrow we move on to Dunedin.

Is this really summer - a cracker of a day!

At the Victoria Railway Hotel we awake to a 7⁰ morning.  With the forecast high of 21⁰ we are hoping for nice weather.
There is no street parking at the hotel so last night we park in the Council multi-store car park next to the hotel.  Only about 6 cars in there overnight. And when we checked out this morning before 9, there were probably less than 20. Seems strange as it is within a block of the start of the CBD.


We head off to take a few shots of the town area - and maybe our Mary would like this piece of public art that is adjacent to the Courthouse.
There are lots of memorial statues and the parks are stunning, but the commercial side of Invercargill is very depressed. 

Quite a bit of street art which we suspect is mirrored by body art given the number of tattoo parlours.  That and jewellery shops - go figure.

We head over to Invercargill's Queens Park which houses the Southland Museum. 
We kick start the morning with a light brunch in the Cafe.  The museumis another amazing collection of historic and contemporary displays including two that we spend quite a bit of time in - the Southlands War - WWI through the memories and memorabilia of local families; and Beyond the Roaring 40's which celebrates those stoic people who explored the subantarctic islands. There are so many amazing artefacts on display including a snow sled that is intact. This display is balanced with another that celebrates the region's maritime history.

I am amazed at the top third of the lighthouse that sits on Dog Island. The precision and beauty is stunning.  Made of brass and prismatic glass that is in parts more than an inch think, and in other areas fine enough that you would think a sneeze would shatter it!

It is these exhibits that really capture our interest and we spend a good few hours exploring and marvelling at the ingenuity and tenacity of the early explorers of this southern land.  

With a quick visit to see 'Henry' the 120+ year old Tuatara. Facing extinction, the Museum's successful breeding program is ensuring the very survival of this rather unique reptile.  They do not mature to reproductive age until they are about 70.  Just think about that - a 120 year old horny male!!!  You can read more of Henry at their website.

It is after midday when we leave and that was reluctantly.  We head over to the Bill Richard's Transport Museum.  This is another goldmine for Michael to explore and as we want to get to Bluff and have lunch, I give him a one-hour deadline.  I'll let him tell you about what he saw:

This museum and the one I saw at Wanaka are as different as chalk and cheese. The Bill Richard's Transport Museum is indeed a sight to behold, apart from being housed under one massive roof the exhibits are in pristine condition and most are in running order.

The first section of the museum is dedicated to Ford automobiles, which is a chronological history starting from Henry Ford's first vehicle through to the Ford racing stable. Every conceivable Ford motor car is on display and gleaming. It can be likened to admiring the exhibits in a dealers floor plan. The floors are of highly polished concrete which virtually mirror the exhibits.

Moving into the next section is an array of heavy vehicles. Trucks of different types are represented, and not only Ford. Single chassis trucks, buses and prime movers including Leyland, Albion, Packard, Le France and a rare 1911 Stewart, just to name a few. I was thrilled to find examples which my late father had driven in the 60's and 70's. These being Leyland 'Octo' and 'Mantador', and a Thames 'Trader' all looking resplendent in their respective liveries.

Moving on as time was getting away, I entered another section dedicated to agriculture, firefighting and earthmoving. Unfortunately, my time here had expired whereby I didn't get the opportunity to view the recreational and general sedans,wagons and saloons. Ce la vie! However,should you visit New Zealand, head to Invercargill and this magnificent museum.

So just after 1 pm we head south to Stirling Point. A quick dash up Bluff Hill gives us amazing views over the Forveaux Strait, the township of Bluff with its fishing port and long jetty - probably as long as the Urangan Pier usually was.  There is also a famous lands end signpost that mirrors the one in the northernmost part of Scotland!

There is a really well known restaurant here - the Oyster Cove - famous for Oysters (der) and we are headed here for lunch.  Even though it has gone after 2 pm, there are still a number of people having lunch, and more continue to arrive as we eat.


Michael started with the Oysters - not Bluff Oysters unfortunately as the season doesn't open until - wait for it - tomorrow! So he has to settle for Pacific Oysters.  Still ever so fresh.  Served with natural Malt vinegar salt, watercress butter, toasted bread.  I had the home baked Thyme & Sea Salt Loaf Spiced red onion-beetroot jam, watercress butter, sweet pepper pesto. HUGE.  Enough for probably four! Hot, buttery and delicious.

AND we had ordered a main!  We both chose Classic Blue Cod - Crisp lager battered Blue Cod, kiwi slaw, game chip basket, house made tartare, malt vinegar emulsion.  At this point we determine

that this is lunch and dinner.  The food was amazing. The Blue Cod so fresh, white and clear in taste.

Finally done with lunch after 3:30 pm we head down for a selfie at the signpost and then leave to head to Blaclutha for the night.  We are basing ourselves here for the next couple of days while we explore the amazing coastal area known as The Caitlins.

We are staying in a unit on the property called Blair Atholl - yes more links with Scotland, and owned by Jared and Karla McPhee.  Karla is an advisor employed by the local Council and delivery services to small businesses for the state government -really small world isn't

it!!  we are still full from lunch and about 9:30 pm just have a little of the orchard stonefruit we bought in Arrowtown and some cheese and crackers.

All in all, a cracker of a day. Looking forward to tomorrow.