One Does Not Simply Walk Into Mordor

The volcano Mt. Ngauruhoe starred in The Lord of the Rings as Mount Doom (aka Oroduin or Amon Amarth), and its summit crater is the goal of any fit Ringwaif. It lies just off the Tongariro Northern Circuit Track, New Zealand's most popular Great Walk, and the Department of Conservation (aka Te Papa Atawhai) wants you to know that one does not simply walk into Tongariro...

On To Taupo And Beyond

Our visit to Napier was not without a little excitement. Vicki found a beautiful Art Nuvo pitcher, in great condition, and was interested enough to do a little internet research...which revealed it to be a known reproduction, for which the store was asking $1200. Seriously. No sale. I, on the other hand, fell for a $12 Art Deco bottle opener from Paris, which I promptly bought, if for no other reason than literary foreshadowing...

Thus; nice relief of the Little Corporal on the other side

Anyhow, we drove back WNW toward the center of the island, Lake Taupo,
and New Zealand volcano country; above are Waipunga Falls

We tented that night at a place called Reid Farm, which a local farmer had willed
to the city council on the condition that it be a "freedom" camp; above is the
chute of the Waikato River leading to the famous falls

The famous falls, Huka Falls, themselves; not terribly scenic, but lots of water,
moving fast

As we approach Lake Taupo, Mt. Doom, 30 miles away, rises, um, ominously,
above the clouds; perhaps I should explain that Lake Taupo is the caldera of a
supervolcano that has blown up quite a few times in the past many millennia,
most recently in 181 AD or so, when the skies over both China and Rome went
red; earlier eruptions are conjectured to have triggered some of the previous Ice
Ages; anyhow, we are in volcano country now, many of them active

Taupo is a nice town, touristy indeed, but tasteful touristy
(don't ask me to explain); alas, we spent more time in the
shoppes and stimulating the local economy than in taking
pix of the town (except for a few to make it to the Out-
Takes); so pretty much all I have to show for Taupo is this
image of a local rubbish bin (for my forthcoming Trash Bins
of the World study)

Above Lake Taupo, heading west; the lake is some 238 square miles; little
volcanoes dotting the horizon

Further along, approaching the slopes of Mt. Tongariro, where a bit of a side-vent
eruption has been going since 2012

Thus

And thus; Mt. Doom, aka Mt. Ngauruhoe, is Tongariro's next door neighbor;
technically, merely another side-vent of Tongariro (so I've read)

Still More Napier

A few more pix from a town we really liked...

A self-regarding place

Depiction of how the 1931 earthquake changed the
landscape; almost within minutes

Main street sculpture

More beautiful buildings

And thoughts

Old theatre

And thought

Over in the harbor area, the old National Tobacco Co.

Entry

Interior

Detail

Additional detail

More Napier

More Art Deco, and more, from Napier...

All around the old town, many great old
historical signs

More great thoughts

Napier's other beach, on Hawke's Bay, a wild surf

Thus

The Art Deco Centre offers film showings, walking and bus
tours, and all manner of Art Deco literature, furniture, clothing,
accoutrements, etc.

Thus

Period cars hanging around; Napier holds an annual Art Deco
festival--we missed it by a couple weeks this year--a giant
adult dress-up that attracts an international audience;
imagine thousands of Gatbys and flappers walking around...

More great old buildings

Ditto

Ditto

Ditto again

On To Napier

In view of our interest in Art Deco, the next stop was Napier, up on the east coast, which bills itself as the Art Deco capital of the world. In 1931, a 7.8 earthquake killed 200, leveled the town, and the ensuing fire finished off anything that was not already destroyed. In a matter of seconds, the wetlands below the town rose 2 meters, the harbor drained, and it was all a changed place. The people of Napier vowed to rebuild, and, with national assistance, there was a completely new Napier by 1933, very much of it built in the prevailing Art Deco style. Napier's fortunes waned over the next decades, and there was never enough money nor interest to tear down the old Depression-era structures. Lucky for us! But there was far more to like about Napier than just its well-preserved architecture.

On the way out of Welly, on the west coast, Kapiti Island

Along the way, in Woodville, more Art Deco, and more
interesting collectibles shops

In Napier, another place that adorns its
boulevards with Norfolk Island Pines

Napier has two big beaches, this one, beyond the port,
swimmable; the other, the long sweep of Hawkes Bay,
definitely not for swimming (later post)

Next morning, we're exploring Napier's downtown streets

The old buildings now are prized and very well cared-for

Central square; we visited the Saturday farmers' market
adjoining it

The whole place reminded us of old Miami, specifically
Miracle Mile in Coral Gables, before the high-rises...

Every now and then, you look up, and there is a memorable
quote on the wall of some building

The streets are named after authors

And Art Deco is everywhere

Thus