NEW ZEALAND-THE WORLD'S MOST PEACEFUL NATION (Ranked #2)

*MILFORD SOUND

       New Zealand . . . a place where we've never been. It's a small, isolated country, similar in size to Great Britain or Japan, but with a population of only 4.5 million compared to Great Britain (67 million) and Japan (127 million). It's consists of two major islands, the North and the South. Its known for it's rugged mountains, spectacular glaciers, picturesque fiords, rolling hillsides, miles of rugged coastline, and peaceful sandy beaches. About a fifth of the North Island and two-thirds of the South Island are mountainous. The “Kiwis” are known for their friendliness and laid-back life style.

*MOUNT ASPIRING

     Nine months ago, we heard about a promotional airfare that Air Tahiti Nui was offering from Los Angeles to Auckland, and decided to take advantage of it. Our children and granddaughter will be joining us—making it all the more exciting. New Zealand is one of those places we've always wanted to visit and this seemed like a good opportunity. I booked it for 30 days, the maximum number of days that the fare allowed, and chose the month of November which is spring in New Zealand.

     Our itinerary is mainly around the South Island because it is has the most spectacular scenery. One of the difficult things about planning this trip was deciding what to do and what not to do. Everything looks so fascinating. We also had to make sure that we allowed enough time to savor the places we did visit. I scanned travel brochures to see what the experts included in their tours. I also talked with travel agents, researched travel books and websites, and found a good touring map. Next, I put together a tentative itinerary and requested feedback from everyone. This was followed by another itinerary to review.

     Another thing I did right away was to book lodging while there was still availability and reasonable rates. I used booking.com to reserve two-bedroom apartments—all of which were cancelable. I did need to make some changes. However, booking early provided far better choices and the comfort level that I needed.

     A capsule version of our itinerary looks like this:

                                 Auckland - 3- 7 nights (different arrival dates)

                                 Queenstown - 4 nights

                                 Te Anau - 4 nights

                                 Twizel - 1 night

                                 Christchurch - 2 nights

                                 Greymouth - 1 night

                                 Nelson - 3 nights

                                 Wellington - 4 nights

                                 Auckland - 2 nights

     Another challenge was how best to navigate New Zealand, and that was probably the most difficult of all. Ron and I travel in Europe by train and bus—it works great for us and we wouldn't do it any other way. Trains are scarce in New Zealand and buses are the alternative. Most tourists prefer to rent a car, van, or camper. Our son and son-in-law had a preference for driving. We will be trying a little bit of everything: a flight to Queenstown from Auckland; a large van for one week; a car for four days; two scenic trains from Christchurch to Greymouth, and Wellington to Auckland; ferry boat rides; and a lot of walking.

     

*MacKensie Basin

*Photos courtesy of Tourism New Zealand

SEAPORT VILLAGE - FROM VINTAGE TO WORLD-CLASS

     Seaport Village opened in 1980 with quaint wooden buildings in a setting that resembles a small fishing town. With its more than 70 shops, galleries, and eateries, it became one of the most popular tourist destinations in San Diego. The one-and two-story buildings are surrounded by towering fig trees, meandering walkways, plazas with colorful mosaic tiles and sitting areas. This is anchored by an 1895-vintage carousel that replaced the original carousel in 2004. The plaza is designed so that concerts and entertainment can be held there. Many of the restaurants offer spectacular views of San Diego Bay and the Coronado Bridge.

     The village is built on the original site of the San Diego—Coronado car ferry landing that was demolished when the Coronado Bridge opened in 1969. In the late 70s, there were only two developers bidding on the Seaport Village project that was to cover 17 acres. For the most part Seaport Village still resembles the original plan with the same buildings and even some of the original businesses. The Village Hat Shop, Harbor House, Greek Islands Cafe, and Pier Cafe are still going strong.

    

     I recall coming to Seaport Village for the first time in 1987. Our children enjoyed the carousel and the small pond with ducks. It was the beginning of December and there was a large decorated Christmas tree. Carolers walked around making the crisp December day even more special. It was always a favorite place to visit whenever we were in San Diego.

    

Seaport Village is part of the 70 acres that the Port commissioners consider the most valuable land on the waterfront—it is about to be transformed into a world-class destination. Protea Waterfront Development has already been chosen from a competitive field of six developers. Their $1.2 billion proposal encompasses 70 acres of land and water between the USS Midway Museum and the Manchester Grand Hyatt. Envisioned in the plans are three hotels, retail shops and restaurants, office space, a 480-foot observation tower, a sea aquarium, charter school, and much more.

    The changes are significant, and it will be interesting to see what the future brings. However, if it was totally left up to this vintage lady, I would leave it just the way it is.

      If Seaport San Diego's master plan is approved by the California Coastal Commission in 2018, construction will begin in 2019, and the redevelopment will be completed in 2021.

                                               * * *

--September 30, 2017

    

   Just recently I decided to walk around Seaport Village. I was thinking about the future and all of the changes in the air including the destruction of these quaint little wooden buildings that currently house the shops and restaurants. Suddenly I heard sirens and noticed black billowing smoke floating across the bay. Someone said that a fishing vessel was on fire, so I headed over to get a first hand view of a burning 120-foot fishing and research vessel.

     I had walked by the fishing boat about 10 minutes before, and now it was the sight of a major fire. The Norton Sound, built in 1944, had been docked at the Tuna Harbor Pier (598 W. Harbor Drive) for the past few months. Investigation is still underway. Fortunately, the ship did not appear to be occupied at the time of the fire. There were at least 20 fire and rescue trucks in the area and about a 100 firefighters and service personnel. After careful inspection, the decision was made to let it burn and spray the exterior with water to cool the hull. It was still burning 24 hours later.

NORTON SOUND FISHING VESSEL FIRE

Wall Painting - Seaport Village