Journal: Pages 55-56
an impression of imposing, almost surreal grandeur atop a volcanic plateau, amid the rain and snow.
After
a snack of instant noodles in my room, where I sat sequestered by the howling
wind and downpour, I was quite eager for my reserved dinner at the Chateau
restaurant, the Ruapehu Room. The recommended house wine was subtle and mellow,
and the service was quite delightful (they didn’t mind my bringing my iBook as
my dining companion).
My
selections a la carte were as follows: sauteed duck livers, smoky and delicate;
sumptuous Beef Béarnaise with vegetables; and soup, cream of corn with leek and
lemon, ordered instead of dessert as a savoury and less-fattening alternative to
end the fine meal. I thoroughly enjoyed the pastiche of a bygone era,
accentuated by the looped soundtrack of classical jazz (soon replaced by a live
balladeer at the grand piano) and the presence of only one other party (a
pensioner couple) in the dining room. It’s not pretentiousness, just a quaint,
fond echo.
Saturday
29 May 2004
BBC World had only one phrase for the weather in New Zealand: blustering rain throughout. While it was mostly true, the winds that were carring the rainborne clouds moved so quickly that the clouds over the lakes and the coast did give way, yielding fantastic rainbows and a golden autumnal glow.
Photo
stops:
Craters
of the Moon - volcanic craters and geothermic blowholes
Wairaikei
Terraces at Wairaikei - A Maori complex of landscaped geothermal terraces and
pools, and a ÒvillageÓ with built-for-show huts and a menagerie of tamed elk
and emu
Wai-O-Tapu
Volcanic Wonderland - Iconic North Island scenery of emerald and turquoise pools
Rotorua
- Oldest resort town of New Zealand, a must-stop to complete any tour of North
Island
Meals:
Freshly
made chicken quiche, steak-and-mushroom pie and sausage roll at the Turangi
Bakery and Cafe at 7:30 am
Fish-and-Chips
at Rotorua, 5:00 pm
Fish-and-Vegetables
(the fish is still fried in that insipid beer batter) back at Turangi
Sunday
30 May 2004
Itinerary:
Photo
Stop: