It was a short drive from Taupo to Napier. We made a quick stop Waipunga Falls to stretch our legs. We are glad we stopped to see the two-waterfalls drop more than 40 meters.
We missed the Art Deco Festival in Napier by a day. Although disappointed, the positive was the town was quiet and not crowded. Napier is a coastal town known for its wine production and Art Deco architecture. The city was rebuilt in two years after a devastating earthquake in 1931.
The Kaldeen Lodge was an oasis ten minutes outside of the city center. The hosts were friendly and loved good food and wine. The lodge was set on a working farm with sheep, llama and fruit trees. Our room had a hot tub that we used morning, noon and night.
There are more than 70 wineries in Hawke’s Bay. We visited a few but the Mission Winery was our favorite. It was established in 1851 and is considered the “birthplace of New Zealand wine.” We ate dinner at their restaurant and returned the following day to purchase a bottle of their Jewelstone Chardonnay 2017!
Te Mata Peak has five walking tracks—we decided to follow Rongokako trail, aka the blue trail. This trails offered spectacular views as we hiked to the peak summit passing the Saddle Lookout and passing through the “Goat Track,” the millennium planting and a redwood forest. It was a georgous day.
The MTG Hawkes Bay Museum was a small and interesting museum. In addition to the permanent collection about the city of Napier, there was a thoughtful collection about plastic and its impact on the environment. Sunshine’s favorite part of the museum was the live piano echoing through the hallways.
The following day there was a free walking tour highlighting local art led by the curator at the MTG Museum. The docent spoke about current trends in the local art scene and the Art Deco heritage of the city.
We enjoyed a sunny afternoon riding bikes to the docks and then back along the Marine Parade. We stopped for a swim and the water was perfect. This may sound trivial but Sunshine stood up and pedaled on her bike.
