Napier and Hawk's Bay

The advantage of the time zone change is that we are up early. This could not have been more fortunate than in Napier, at the ocean. We naturally awoke at 5:30 local time and made our way to the beach to see the sun rise on the Pacific Ocean. We assumed the boys were still asleep in their room across the hallway from ours until Grady texted (thanks wifi) that he wanted to join us. The 3 of us walked the rocky beach (pebbles, no sand) and enjoyed the morning.

So it turns out the Easter holiday here is actually a 4 day weekend. Not only are the shops closed on Friday and Sunday, but many are closed on Monday. Sticking around in Napier for stores not going to open didn't make a lot of sense. But wine tasting in a region world-known for its Pinot and Sauv Blanc sure does. Opposum Emporium might not open at 9 AM, but Mission Estate Winery did.

Mission Estate was originally a housing facility to Marist priests. They started growing grapes and making wine on this spot in 1888. And they haven't stopped since. The estate is a sprawling hillside covered in vines with the white original mission house perched atop the hillside. The views were stunning and the outdoor area magical. Colby and Grady played cards outside while we sampled some of the wine. Steve particularly liked the Syrah that is the most peppery I have ever tasted. I preferred the Richardson which surprised me (I hate Chardonnay but this one was crisp, clean and pale like pinot gris). Yvonne was a colorful server behind the bar and she entertained us with several stories about the estate and life in general as a Kiwi.

We then headed north to Esk Winery, on the road out of town and also one recommended to me somewhere. This winery is right across the water, terraced by bulldozers in the 1930s. The winery itself has been operating since 1988 and has won awards for its Pinot Gris. We sampled 4 wines from the efficient server, Sue, and bought some for the road. Evidently Chateau St Michelle sells or distributes Esk wine so if you see it on the shelf, that's the one!

Leaving the winery we headed north for the 2 hour treck to Rotorua. This trip again included a pass although not as windy and reminiscent of Oregon. Lots of logged areas, replanted areas, etc; but timber ruled the land for most of the trip. Our first stop was the Geothermal Area to explore their pools and geysers.