With so much time in Rome, Melissa was getting a little stir crazy. So we hopped a train out to Tivoli (east) to explore Villa Gregoriana. The main draw is a fairly long waterfall in the midst of a park. A path takes you from road level down into the gorge and then back out on the other side. While the waterfall was...
The Quartiere Coppedè is a small section of Rome whose architecture was created by Gino Coppedè. The structures were built between 1915 and 1927. This page captures some of the highlights we visited. Entrance Arch The entrance arch welcomes you to the area with a glimpse of what awaits you within the quarter. Fairy...
We finally made it to Hobbiton! What a great place. Of course it rained pretty hard while we were there. But we had some breaks in the weather and it was totally worth it. You have to go by tour - no free range roaming. You meet up at the Shire Rest Cafe and take the tour bus to Hobbiton. The cafe has some LOTR/Hobbit...
We got to go inside a hobbit house! This is a new thing. Hobbiton was high on our must-do list, but the house interiors weren't scheduled for completion until December 2023 (and were already booking up). As this is summer break time for kids down under, we decided to wait until February to visit Hobbiton. As you can...
Last stop in our Hobbiton tour, the Green Dragon Inn. I'll bore you with a few scenic pics along the trail because New Zealand is just so beautiful. Soon enough we arrived at the Millhouse. Cross the bridge and arrive at our destination. The roof was being rethatched. Yes, Melissa managed to capture the one 4-legged...
Sculpture by the Sea Bondi to Tanarama Beach, Australia November 1, 2023 India Collins, *Journey* An appropriate place for our photo! From a melted ice cream truck to a sleek shell with human legs, a spectacular collection of public artworks populated the coastal walk from Bondi to Tanarama beaches on Australia’s coast...
We visited the WETA Workshop in Auckland on our return since we enjoyed the one in Wellington so much. The Auckland Workshop is much more "experience-oriented" with more hands-on interaction and a wider breadth than LOTR/Hobbit themes. We were a bit worried it would be geared towards children, but it's fun for all...
The International Antarctic Center 38 Orchard Road Christchurch, 8052 NZ October 9, 2023 'See it. Love it. Save it.' Quoting directly from the International Antarctic Centre website: Christchurch is one of five cities in the world known as a ‘gateway to Antarctica.’ This is far more than an empty title. The garden city...
Baldwin Street in Dunedin, NZ has the distinction of being the steepest street in the world (look it up). They're pretty proud of it. The street is a bit over 1000 feet long and rises around 230 feet. It starts out gradually, but at it's steepest point achieves 19 degrees or a 35% grade. The reason it's so steep is...
Zealandia Te Māra a Tāne….Takahe to Me Baby! Karori, Wellington, New Zealand September 8, 2023 Did you know… Prior to the arrival of humans, Aotearoa (New Zealand) was isolated and unique. Without any mammalian predators, this ecosystem was home to some of the most remarkable flora and fauna that had ever evolved. Many...