Napier, My Love. Oh and 1st encounter with a real Kiwi!

Today - yeah I know it's getting boring, but what can I do if one superlative catches up with the other – was such a fantastic day, in so many ways.

We actually had our first real lie-in since we arrived in Aotearoa and didn't get up until about 11 to hit the town centre of Napier, the „Art Deco Capital of the World“. We parked at the Marine Parade and first had a flat white coffee (this is going to be tough in Germany, we got SO addicted to this NZ staple!) before having a long stroll around the city.

I have read a lot about Napier before we got to NZ, but again the reality tops everything. I just bloody L-O-V-E-D it. The art deco houses that give you the feeling of being in a polished dollhouse, the cute little shops everywhere,the takeaways, the coffee houses, the looooong marine parade along the extensive beach............ if it wasn't for Russell, I guess this would be my favorite. I just couldn't get enough of the sight. It's almost unbelievable what people were able to accomplish rebuilding this place after the devastating earthquake of 1931. Did I mention yet that I LOVE it?

Visiting the National Aquarium of New Zealand after our city walk was another highlight of the day (I take it you all have realized meanwhile that every single day here consists of highlights, nicely lined up), because it actually features a Kiwi enclosure – kind of a dark room with a natural Kiwi environment, and after our eyes had gotten used to the darkness, Rob spotted the furry beaky little cutiepie, and took tons of pictures which will probably all have to be manually brightened,but hey - it's a KIWI! This might have been the once in a lifetime experience to see one of these fellows live.

We ended this dream of a perfect day with a great takeaway from Noodle Canteen, and later had some pints of TUI Ale in the sports bar at our hotel, watching the rugby match between Wellington and Christchurch – and OH I am SO gonna become a Rugby fan! Forget about football and all these poofs running about screaming after a fly has hit them: Rugby is REAL sport for REAL men! Of course all those beautiful strong Maori guys aren't hurting anyone's eye either :o

Right people, we're now enjoying a glass of Hawkes Bay Chardonnay before we hit the pillows, because tomorrow means getting up at 8 am to drive down to Wellington in order to check in sometime in the afternoon to make the most out of the 1,5 days we will have there. First stop will probably be Wagamama before hitting the famous „Te Papa“ museum for all things Kiwi