A New Zealand Northland Christmas - Post #10

Into Haruru Falls

A New Zealand Northland Christmas - Post #9

Along the Way - Part 2  (Fun Stuff)

I want to know the people who live in this house.  I bet they are artistic and fun people, and maybe a little bit quirky!

The famous jandal fence.  People here call flipflops, jandals, and everybody wears them.  We decided the reason everyone wears them is because no one can afford shoes (VERY expensive here)!

They really cater to tourists here in many ways.  Almost every little town or village has an 'i-site' where you can pick up brochures about all the local attractions, accommodations.  There are helpful people that will answer questions, plan activities or make reservations.

Another very convenient thing is that every small town (or large town for that matter), and every beach we have been to, has clean, public restrooms that are very easily found.  In fact some are very unique, elaborate and fun.  Here is one that was actually designed by a famous architect.  

  Lovely and fun wall painting.

We found this sign outside a city building.  I think it is the most accurate weather predictor the Kiwis have! Here in NZ the weather is VERY unpredictable.  People often say that one can experience all four seasons within a matter of minutes.  We have large windows in our office and it is fascinating to watch how fast the clouds move by.  One minute there is bright sunshine and it is warm, the next minute there are dark clouds, the wind is howling and it is pouring, then within another few minutes the sun is shinning again.   

A New Zealand Northland Christmas - Post #8

Along the Way - Part 1

Along the way we stopped at a museum....of sorts.  A retired sheep farmer had collected not only cars, but a variety of other junk stuff, from old farm equipment to pianos to sewing machines, telephones, tools, dentist chairs, typewriters, etc. etc. If you are a  pack rat, (hoarder??),  you can legitimize your affliction by building a big warehouse out on the 'lower forty' and sell tickets to gullible interested tourists to see it all. Then you can call yourself a businessman.  When Jeff saw that he had cars, of course, we had to stop, and even though none of the cars were the type he is interested in, he was still in heaven talking to another old vintage man about old vintage cars.  I didn't realize how much of a car withdrawal he has been in since coming to NZ until I saw him with this guy, chatting away just as if they were long, lost buddies (or mates as they would say here.....right Diane?).  I could hardly drag him away!! Check out a few more impressive (?) collectables...........

O.K., I'll stop, I know I'm boring you to death!

A New Zealand Northland Christmas - Post #7

Christmas Day - Part 2

It seemed that around every other bend in the road we discovered yet another beautiful vista composed of deep blue sky, crystal clear turquoise water, and blooming pahutokowa trees.

Close to the northern most part of NZ we came to 90 mile beach, long, flat, green waters and sand that never stops.  Some vacationers were sun tanning, or playing in the water, others were driving their cars and four wheelers VERY fast along the edge of the water and yet others were sand surfing on the dunes.  There was a vast and seemingly endless view in all directions.

We finally arrived at the northern tip of New Zealand, Cape Reinga.  To see my favorite shot and read about the Maori tradition of this sacred spot, click HERE.

A New Zealand Northland Christmas - Post #6

Christmas Day - 2011

Who is that lady with her arm around Jeff?  Oh, it's me!  Not too often do I appear in front of the camera.  If you want to read a fun story about who is taking this photo, click HERE.

Moving on, Christmas morning was beautiful.  Since it was Sunday, we found a church to attend in the next little town.  It was a tiny congregation and all were either Maori or Polynesian. 

After a lovely service celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we said our 'goodbyes' and headed down the road to the next little village.....

I

.....and found ourselves in a quirky little hamlet called Rawene.  Of course it was not pronounced 
Raw we' knee, like I would guess.  
It is Rrrrrrrrrrrah' wha knee, with a definite roll of the 'r' and emphasis on the first syllable.  It is a sleepy little place with a few quaint and colorful seaside stores, and a mixture of local fishermen, shop owners and traveling tourists.

The road ended here in Rawene.   We had to take a short ferry ride to continue our trip north.  As you can see, our beautiful, sunny morning was starting to cloud over, turning dark and transforming the beautiful turquoise/green water to a dull gray/green.  


When shooting travel photography or landscape photography, it really doesn't do any good to be disappointed because conditions aren't what you hoped for.  If you are, then you'll spend a good amount of time being disappointed.  Either the weather will be wrong, the time of day will be wrong, you didn't have time to look for the perfect composition, interesting people turn their backs to your camera, etc. etc.  I'm trying hard, (and not always succeeding), to look at the situation I'm given, and try to find and isolate something interesting to shoot, even if it's not what I really wanted originally.  Here,  I tried to shoot in the direction of the clouds, because they were more interesting that the water.  And as I looked around the little town, my eye caught the single rose that stood out from the backdrop of weathered old building and dead branches.  This was my artistic shot and I edited it using PW Action Old West.  
(I love this action, and if you are not familiar with it let me know and I'll tell you where you can download it for free.)

(Part 2 of Christmas Day to be posted tomorrow)

A New Zealand Northland Christmas - Post #5

The Boat in the Bay

Whenever we are traveling and staying in a place even remotely photogenic, I always set the alarm to be up at dawn to see if there is a photo op to be had.  Usually there isn't and I go back to bed, but once in awhile I'm rewarded for my efforts.  Our motel was right on the shoreline, so I was up and out in just a few seconds.  

If you want to improve your photography, they say to pick a subject and see how many different and interesting compositions you can find.  Here is a lonely boat anchored in the bay and several of my compositions of it.  As you can see, it is still quite dark so lots of blues and muted colors.  (I wish I had had my tripod with me.)

By the time I walked up the beach a ways, there was a hint of color in the clouds and water, and reflected light on the pahutukawa tree.

 The first light was golden, not pink, and here is a third composition with boat.  Love the clouds in this one.

And finally, after many photos in between the one above and this one, the sun came up, the clouds are almost gone, leaving streaky reminders of what was once a beautiful dawn and a lovely beginning to the day.   Now it was time to wake up Jeff and be on our way.

A New Zealand Northland Christmas - Post #4

We stopped for the first night in a little town called Omapere.  You can see our motel in the distance on the left side of the photo.  After getting settled in we explored this beautiful peninsula at the end of the bay.

Looking in the opposite direction and across the bay was this sand dune.  The variety of landscapes here in NZ never ceases to amaze me!

We sat on a bench to watch the sun set on Christmas eve.  I used my telephoto to capture the peachy glow on the sand and clouds, and the mist as the waves rolled into shore.  This was just before the sun set,  with the sun out of the frame on the left.

After sunset we waited in hopes that the color show would continue, and we were not disappointed.

A New Zealand Northland Christmas - Post #3

Waipoua Forest
 Four Sisters

This beautiful forest is where the largest and oldest Kauri trees are located, (see below).  To see a previous post about the Kauri trees of NZ look here.

 Te Matua Ngahere

Father of the Forest

Second known largest living Kauri - Girth: 13.77m, Height: 17.68m

 Estimated age is over 2000 years old.

 Tane Mahuta

God of the Forest 

Largest known living Kauri - Girth: 13.77m, Height: 17.68m 
Estimated age is over 2000 years old. 

We took a lovely hike in this forest.  (Actually, Kiwis would say they took a lovely tramp through the bush.)  Anyway, these kauri trees are truly remarkable.  

 

A New Zealand Northland Christmas - Post #2

New Zealand Bush Scenes

These are typical views of NZ bush areas where the vegetation is lush and green.  It is amazing to us that there are very few mosquitoes, no snakes or any other poisonous or dangerous animals or bugs in anywhere in NZ.

A New Zealand Northland Christmas - Post #1

As I mentioned in the second to last post, we spent four lovely days driving up to the very northernmost part of NZ on Christmas weekend. As I was weeding out and editing over 1200 photos I took in 4 days I realized what a variety of things we saw, so for the next 8-10 posts I am going to start at the beginning of the trip and take you with us.

Unique Formation

Traveling up the west coast on Highway 12, we saw beautiful rolling green hills and pasture lands, intermixed with pine forests and bush, or sub tropical forests.  We often see ancient volcano cones and other strange formations.  I made Jeff pull over to the side of the road to take this shot.

Time Keeps on Slippin' Slippin' Into the Future.......

Well, here we are at the end of another year!  It might be just me, but it sure seems like the older I get, the faster the years go by!!  I echo the line of the Steve Miller Band classic that says, "Time keeps on slippin', slippin', slippin', into the future"..... or is it into the past?  Either way, it is gone forever.

When life is good, time seems to fly by, when we are down, time seems to drag, and on those rare moments of critical life events, time seems to stand still.  But in reality, time is a great equalizer of men (and women).  We may have less money than our neighbor, more prestige,  a smaller house, more friends, but we have exactly the same amount of time each year as every one else has. 

So now is the time to decide if we will use the 365 days of 2012 wisely and purposefully, or will we allow those days to quickly and quietly slip away unnoticed.     

Christmas Day at Cape Reinga

Cape Reinga - A Sacred Place

Kupe left Hawaiki to follow the stars, the cloud and weather patterns, and the migration of birds, and he discovered a beautiful land of the long white cloud.  He named the very northern most tip Te Rerenga Kairua.  This became a most sacred place for the Maori people because they believed that when they die, their spirits would leave their bodies from this very place to join their ancestors. 

It is a unique and magical place in that the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean come together here.  One can see different shades of blue and turquoise, and waves and currents traveling from opposite directions toward each other, defining the two bodies of water.  The line or 'meeting place' is fluid and ever moving.  Even though it was a dark and gray day when we were there, you can see the 'meeting place' on the left side of the lighthouse. 

Since the office was closed on Monday and Tuesday, we had a four day weekend.  Even though we average traveling once a month, we feel we need to take every opportunity we can to see this beautiful country.  We traveled up the west coast (Tasman Sea side), out to the tip of Cape Reinga (Tasman Sea and Pacific Ocean), then down the east coast (Pacific Ocean).  Although overcast most of the time (not great photo weather), it was beautiful, as is everywhere in NZ we have been thus far.  Although we missed being with our family, this will certainly be a Christmas to remember, as we opened our few Christmas gifts, (thank you family), at Cape Reinga.

Merry Christmas to my photog friends!

Merry Christmas
from
Elder and Sister Larsen
New Zealand 2011

“Jesus, who is called Christ, is the firstborn of the Father in the spirit and the Only Begotten of the Father in the flesh.  He is Jehovah, and was foreordained to his great calling in the Grand Councils before the world was.  He was born of Mary at Bethlehem, lived a sinless life, and wrought out a perfect atonement for all mankind by the shedding of his blood and his death on the cross.  He rose from the grave and brought to pass the bodily resurrection of every living thing and the salvation and exaltation of the faithful.  He is the greatest Being to be born on this earth – the perfect example – and all religious things should be done in his name.  He is Lord of lords, King of kings, the Creator, the Savior, the God of the whole earth, the Captain of our salvation, the Bright and Morning Star.  He is in all things, above all things, through all things, and round about all things; he is Alpha and Omega, the first and the last; his name is above every name, and is the only name under heaven by which we can be saved.  He will come again in power and glory to dwell on the earth, and will stand as Judge of all mankind at the last day.”  (Bible Dictionary, Christ, pg. 633)

May we all focus on our Savior this Christmas and on our blessings of eternal families and friends.  Let our gifts be service to others, and a light to those in need.  We love and pray for you daily.

Love,
Elder & Sister Larsen

(Jeff & Karen)

Hamilton New Zealand Temple at Christmas

Christmas 2011

The Hamilton Temple sits atop a hill and overlooks beautiful green pastures and country scenes.  At Christmas time the grounds are adorned with 150,000 lights.  A trip to the temple grounds is a Christmas tradition for members of all faiths.  An Indian man not of our faith, brings his family to see the lights and feel the spirit of the season each year.  When asked why he does this he said, "Because this is the most sacred place in New Zealand."

The Hangi - Traditional Maori Cooking

 Hangi is a traditional process of steam cooking with hot stones in an earthen oven.  This is how a hangi might look in a village

 This is a modern hangi cooked meal on a large scale

The food was flavorful and the meat was tender and moist