Today was our first day on land after setting off from Sydney on Sunday. Our port, Dunedin (doon e din) is Gaelic for Edinburgh, Scotland.
Originally a Maoris settlement, Dunedin was first discovered by whalers in the early 1800’s. By 1848 a group of Scots (hence the reference to Edinburgh) settled here escaping religious persecution in their homeland. With the discovery of gold came thousands and the town doubled in size. Around the turn of the century Dunedin was soon recognized as presumably the best persevered Victorian city in the world.
As we rode the shuttle bus from Port Chalmers the 7 miles to Dunedin I couldn’t help but reflect on the sheer beauty of what I was looking at. Believe me not all the cities or ports I have been lucky enough to visit have captured me like what I have seen on this trip. What Australia and New Zealand lacks in the thousand year old monuments you would see in Paris, or Stonehenge in the UK, or the Coliseum of Rome, or the Acropolis of Athens you find absolute beauty and serenity in landscape and people.
After visiting the town of Dunedin we went back and watched on the big screen Movies under the Stars Lord of the Rings. How appropriate was that? Then a local Maori came and taught us some Maoriese and traditions of his tribe and his wife’s tribe.
This is really some of the most beautiful scenery and landscape we have ever seen. I hope the pictures do it justice. I guess I just realized that Jim didn't take as many pictures of the city that I thought he would. Sorry.
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| A view of Port Chalmers and their church |
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| Robert Burns and the St. Paul Anglican Church |
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| A major timber operation going on |
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