Dunedin June 15th to the 17th

We return to the site of our first trip on the South Island, Dunedin.  The Otago Museum is a wonderful and very large museum.  It is part history, part natural science museum, part play land, with a tropical rainforest/butterfly garden.  The kids (and the parents) had a blast.

Gabe makes an impression.

Brody checks out a huge moth in the tropical rainforest.

Tara posses in front of a giant albatross.

Gabe and Brody cross the bride in the rainforest.

Brody holds a cool black butterfly.

The butterflies liked Gabe's yellow shirt.

Butterfly release time!

We also returned to Cadbury World!  Free chocolate samples can’t be wrong?  We were able to learn about the history of chocolate making in the world and in NZ while glimpsing the factory and how it is made.

Brody checks out the animatronics.

Gabe and Tara in front of a different one.

The old Cadbury milk trucks.

The entrance to Cadbury World.

Baldwin Street, the worlds steepest street!  We had another go at this very vertiginous street.

Brody at the top of Baldwin Street!

Gabe windmills to keep his balance.

The amazingly stately Dunedin Railway Station!

The peaceful Chinese Gardens.  As I mentioned before it is the only one in the Southern Hemisphere and one of a handful outside of China.  It was assembled in Shanghai and then disassembled and shipped to Dunedin to be put together again.  They used a technique that required no nails!  We were impressed and enjoyed the serenity.

Wonderful gate at entrance (I believe they call it the Paifang or Pailou Gate?)

Tara in the peaceful gardens!

Gabe on the bridge.

Seeing double!

Emperor and Empress.

Another reflection we thought was cool.

Want to check out our first visit to the gardens and our train ride in Dunedin?  Check below:

http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8939029972117709818#editor/target=post;postID=709261717851025258

Snow falling, this also provides a shot out our backyard

towards the kids school (that is Winton School in the background).

Gabe makes a snowman!

So far their "winter" has been more like our autumn,

this was the most snow they have had in fifty years!

It quickly melted and we are back into more comfortable highs in the 

high 40's to mid 50's.

The kids say a tearful goodbye to the Toy Librarian!

What a wonderful invention that the kids really enjoyed.

June 9th and 10th The Big Totara!

June 9th and 10th The Big Totara!

This weekend was pretty rainy but had enough sun for us to get out on an awesome walk through an old totara tree grove.  It was really amazing.  The kids got to go swimming at Splash Palace, a really cool swimming pool area.  Here in NZ they talk learning to swim seriously!  The kids are really enjoying it.  On Sunday, Brody was able to run the computer at St. Thomas church.  Here is this little town in rural NZ with a cute little country church and yet they have two flat screen TV’s and a powerpoint presentation to display responses, songs, etc.  

The kids are still enjoying school, we are thrown off by having it be winter here, it feels like Christmas should be coming and we keep saying January instead of June!  We are loving the toy library as well, it has been such a blessing and is such a great idea.

OK, this was from a few weeks ago, when we went to Riverton.  This

is part of their museum.  They are the second oldest city in NZ.

Tara in her costume from the Toy Library after a Birthday

Party for one of her school friends where the mom painted her face.

Clifden Suspension Bridge!

A cabbage tree, crops, and mountains.

The Big Totara Walk.

Lots of green.

The kids pose in front of a totara.

Mom and Tara.

The down under Emerald Isle!

This bridge is over a marshy part.

The boys, causing trouble.

Princess Birthday and Queen's Jubilee!

Queen’s and Princess’ Birthday!  Weekend of June 2nd-June 4th

June 4th is Queen Elizabeth IIs Diamond Jubilee (60 years as ruler)!  The good news for us is no school or work on Monday the 4th in honor of the Queen’s Birthday!  The more important holiday for us was the princesses birthday.  Tara turned 7 on Sunday the 3rd!!!  

On Saturday morning we headed north.  Our first stop was Queenstown.  The boys really wanted to do luge one last time.  That was our first stop!!!  The kids had a blast!  We were able to go for a really fun walk through a conifer forest.  After a fun time there we headed over to the Manata Lodge (it is in the middle of no where).  This isolated lodge looks out at the Remarkable Mountains as well as several others.

The kids in front of Lake Wakatipu.

Brody and luge!

Dad and Tara.

Tara and mom on the ski lift going back to the top 

of the mountain for more luge.

Tara on a hike!

The boys trek on.

Dad and the kids take a break.

Manata Lodge!

On Sunday, after church, we walked around the Shotover River and historic bridge before heading back to Queenstown.  We had an awesome walk around Lake Wakitupu and the kids spent a lot of time skipping rocks and playing at a nice little playground.  Tara was able to choose what we did and she wanted to swim so we headed to the Aquatic Centre in Frankton.  

The Shotover River.

View of the historic Shotover Bridge from the riverbed.

Lake Wakatipu near Queenstown.

Downtown Queenstown.

The kids in front of a giant kiwi!

The kids take a break from our walk around Lake Wakatipu.

Tara enjoys the view from up in a tree!

Brody does the Titanic (no, he has never seen the movie).

Brody finds the perfect skipping stone.

Early morning at the Lodge.

Despite the nice weather on Sat. and Sun, Monday was very chilly and we woke up to a lot of frost-we have been forced to concede it is winter here!  Although, winter here is more like a brisk Autumn day for us!  After breakfast we headed to Arrowtown and strolled through the wonderful museum there.  We then braved the cold to the old Chinese village dating back to the gold rush days of NZ when there was an influx of immigrants from China who came to search for gold.  The kids were quite surprised by the spartan conditions.  We then went on a lovely walk before lunch and then heading home!

The Arrowtown Museum.

Moari!

Downtown Arrowtown.

The frosty walk, it was still beautiful.

Dad and the kids.

Mom and the kids.