Day 13 - We Dunedin

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Well the bucket was still under the light when we went down for breakfast. Yes I know it is the fast of Tevet but I don't fast. The fast will go out at 10:04 tonight. About half the group were fasting.

Don and I together with Marcia and Norman got off the ship which had berthed in Port Chalmers. We hailed a taxi or rather Don hailed the taxi in his inimical fashion of launching himself in front of it. The poor driver had little option but to stop.

The taxi driver and his brother own a farm of about 200 acres. He asked us if we wanted a tour of the scenic route and we said yes. The landscape from above the town is spectacular. He also showed us the steepest road in the world (and when we say steep we mean STEEP) and Otago University which has one of the oldest buildings in the town. We passed Cadbury's World and decided not to take the tour, as we've eaten too much on holiday already, chocolate and otherwise.

He dropped us off at the station which was built in the late 1800s. The tessalated floor is made up of tiles made by Royal Doulton. From the station we walked past the old law courts and the old prison. The prison was still used until about seven years ago. Then into the newly refurbished Settlers Museum.

The settlers were from Scotland and they named this town the Celtic name for Edinburgh - Dunedin. It is easy to see why. The terrain is hilly and the town is surrounded by green mountains and the glacial inlet resembles a Scottish loch. The centre of the town is known as The Octagon. The settlers built the town to resemble Edinburgh. We sat briefly in the park at the middle of The Octagon near the statue of Robert Burns, and found a friendly native Dunedinian to take our group photograph. She also gave perspective the citizens and life around there.

We were quite surprised that this being the last Sunday before Xmas more people were not out shopping. But being the summer many people are away.

Then we took a taxi back to the ship.

After lunch Don and I went into the spa for a hot water treatment. Then we sat out and in between sleeping through my daf yomi podcast I watched the dock sail away into the sunset. Or perhaps it was the ship. Once we left the port the scenery was amazing.

This evening was the same - dinner, emails and bed.

Oh and great progress has been made on the light - they took the bulb out so now we have reduced Exit lighting and a bucket. I just hope it isn't me who goes flying ...

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Photos

Scenic route to Dunedin
Dramatic & beautiful landscape between Port Chalmers and Dunedin on the New Zealand south island.

4 in the Octagon
Marcia & Norman, Don & Lesley enjoy the sunshine in the centre of Dunedin.

Burns Bird
An art critic in Dunedin awaiting the next festival?