The second day we went on the vanished world track. It was vanished so we couldn't find it. Noop we had a map with locations of all sorts of rock formations and fossil places etc. It was like a treasure hunt.
The Elephant Rocks are made of limestone. 24 million years ago there was limey sand on the seafloor. This got buried and slowly turned into rock. It got lifted and shaped by wind and weather. The rocks were used as a setting in the movie Narnia. The rocks you see with all the holes in it are not far from this place. At this place there is a site with whale bone fossils.
The top right rocks were part of rock formation along the beach. We did that part in the afternoon. After we had a great lunch at a Dutch bakery. He said he moved to Christchurch and had his eye on a particular side he wanted to buy. If he doesn't succeed he goes to Dunedin as he didn't want to sell from our garage.
On our treasure hunt along the beach we came along some whitebait fishers. Whitebait are the tiny young of small freshwater fish. I've eaten it once in a pie. Was good It is rather an expensive treat.
The last day we decided to go land inwards to Omarama and from there to Lake tekapo and back to Christchurch. It was a lot of extra km but we had a marvellous day and with some snow still on the mountains
it all looked amazing
The first Dam along the Waitaki river were we stopped was the Waitaki Dam
Next we stopped at the Benmore Dam, a large hydro power station. Years ago when I was a scouting leader we went with a group inside the dam. It is enormous. Sorry that's all I remember.
The next stop was yep for lunch at lake Pukaki, a glacier lake. From this lake you can see Mount Cook. But not on this picture. The beautiful blue colour comes from the glacier silt in the water.
A client at work told me that there was a road going uphill to the observatories, just before Tekapo. It is steep but on the top is a cafe and from here you can oversee Lake Tekapo and the whole surrounding area. I was gobs mucked. It was so beautiful
The town Tekapo
One of the observatory on the top from where you can gaze at the Southern stars at night.
Church of the Good Shepperd in Tekapo at the same named lake
Stunning. I have a pic on mine, of the fantastic stars over Tekapo. Wonderful country.
ReplyDeleteThe blue skies and water in these photos are amazing. There is a purity here that suggests a land unspoiled. Beautiful, Marja
ReplyDeleteThose are simply awesome shots. One day I will make it down to do some extensive photo-taking in your back yard!
ReplyDeleteThe place looks heavenly..great photos!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the wonderful trip! Lovely to see all those beautiful places!
ReplyDeleteAwesome pictures, I am envious of the beauty.
ReplyDeleteI about choked on my coffee here at work when I saw the upper left-hand picture in the first group. That actually, to me, looks like two elephants, what they are doing I will not say.
I love that church. To me it is one of the most beautiful in the world. As you know, there is a window at the altar with the most beautiful view of God's creation - that is just a great altar.
ReplyDeleteIt's not called the Vanishing Track for no reason, hehe! Beautiful pics Marja!
ReplyDeleteWonderful photos of some beautiful sites!
ReplyDeleteKia ora Marja,
ReplyDeleteGreat trip and some stuning photos. We live in a wonderful place. Volatile but oh so beautiful. Kia kaha.
Aroha,
Robb
Do you watch the masterchef Australia? I got stuck at your white "netty" stones . They look like the fatty netting they use. My aunt and sis in law use them for spring rolls.
ReplyDeletePity my mum didn't and I never learn to use it.
Stunning photo´s,Marja!I wish I could live there too!That´s NZ!Fantastic landscapes!Lucky you,Marja!
ReplyDeleteGroetjes,Steffi