taking only photographs - leaving only footprints
Wellington International Airport is the third busiest airport in New Zealand. Strange in some ways considering it is the capital city. It has a reputation for having rough and turbulent lands due to the channelling effect of the Cook Strait (the sea between the two islands) creating strong and gusty winds. This photograph was taken from Mount Victoria looking south towards the seemly short runway. On the left is Evans Bay and on the far side is Fitzroy Bay and on to the Cook Strait.
This sculpture, entitled Icon, is by Paul Dibble. Commissioned by Aspiring Arts and Culture Trust in 2009. It stands near the north entrance to the Queenstown Gardens. The silver fern is a popular motif associated with New Zealand. Not only is it on the one dollar coin, but also used by a number of national sports teams such as the Cricket team and of course the All Blacks rugby team.
Taupo's McDonald's must be one of the most unique of their 34,000 locations around the world. This Douglas DC3 aircraft sits in the car park. Personally I am not a fan of McDonald's and so didn't explore inside the plane itself but I have been reliably informed that the cockpit is still intact, although the aircraft is decommissioned. Not only does the line for the drive through go around the back of the plane. But there are seats inside the plane for customers. Only in New Zealand!
Bodies of water, be it ponds, lakes or pools, tend to be reflective. With sunny weather, little wind and still water it can almost appear like a mirror. This is certainly the case here at the Waiotapu geothermal area of New Zealand. Fortunately there were a few clouds in the sky to add some texture to the reflection. The temperature of the water is maintained at 73 degrees C.
Punakaiki is a very small community on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island. It is home to the Panckae Rocks which are heavily eroded limestone. In this photograph the rocks appear to have formed into faces. The rocks are eaten away by the wind, rain and sea over hundreds, if not thousands of years. I think the most obvious shape is on the right, what appears to be the head of a rat or mouse. You may be able to see many more faces or shapes.
Ko Hoturoa is an ancient Maori carving. He was the commander of the Tainui canoe and the ancestor of the Tainui people. They include Ngāti Maniapoto as well as the tribes of Waikato, Hauraki and Ngāti Raukawa. This photograph was taken in the Te Parapara Garden, part of the amazing Hamilton Gardens. It demonstrates traditional Maori horticulture, with particular reference to Waikato.
