At long last the pictures I have been promising. For my birthday, I asked my parents if we could go sightseeing outside of Christchurch. Mount Hood, where they filmed Edoras in Lord of the Rings, was close enough that we could visit in a day, so we went.
The drive up was amazing. The mountains were already snow capped. Just from the car, they were so majestic.
Mount Hood is actually located in a kind of bowl. This is looking over the valley before going in:
As you approach, the road actually stops and you continue on a gravel path.....which will make your car slip and slide. But the truly astounding part about being out here is the completely silence. Nothing, not a single sound. Not a bird, not an animal hiding in the low bushes, nothing. Just silence. As majestic as the mountains and snow and scenery was, the silence was just as awe inspiring.
And then our first glimpse of Edoras. We approached from behind and on the opposite side than they do in the movie, but still it was unmistakable. And breathtaking.
We tried hiking to the mountain, but there was a stream which we weren't prepared for. We plan to go back when it's warmer and we can wade in it. Personally I think a costume will be called for. ;-)
So that was our little excursion, made even more fun by the promise of a Part 2. :)
Now for something a little different:
I've been wanting to do a Kiwi giveaway on my blog for a few months now, but haven't been able to figure out what to do. Then I was inspired. It works like this......I will post a quiz about New Zealand here. Leave your answers in the comments section and on the first day of October (USA Eastern Time) I will randomly draw a name from those who answered correctly. What does the winner get? A container of Pavlova Magic delivered right to your door! (Sorry, but I'm going to make this giveaway only open to Non-Kiwis. :) )
If you are wondering what Pavlova is, my sister,
Shannon, posted a wonderful description of it on her blog. It is a Kiwi dessert extraordinaire. The Pavolva Magic has everything you need including the correct measurements.
So here are your questions:
1) If you really like something you say:
a) "Say yes"
b) "That's magic"
c) "Good as"
d) "Not bad"
2) What is the name of the New Zealand basketball team?
a) Tall Blacks
b) All Blacks
c) All Whites
d) White Jumpers
3) How many earthquakes/aftershocks has New Zealand felt since Sept 4, 2010?
a) over 2,000
b) over 3,000
c) over 4,000
d) over 5,000
4) What are the two symbols are on the New Zealand flag?
a) the union jack and the little dipper
b) the southern cross and stars and stripes
c) the union jack and the southern cross
d) the big dipper and the southern cross
5) If you play housie, what are you going to do?
a) play bingo
b) bet on the races
c) play field hockey
d) play scrabble
6) What is a popular home show in New Zealand?
a) Mary Kay
b) Rubbermaid
c) Discovery Toys
d) Tupperware
7) What word do you use if you are talking about a lot of something?
a) megas
b) heaps
c) loads
d) batches
8) After greeting your guests for an afternoon tea, what is the first thing you tell them?
a) where the restroom is
b) where they can hang their coats
c) where the tea kettle is
d) where the strongest doorway in your house is
9) When you turn on a light and it doesn't work, what is the first thing you check?
a) the outlet switch is on
b) the lightbulb is not burnt out
c) the electrical wiring is still good
d) the breaker out in the garage is still on
10) What is the morning break at school called?
a) morning recess
b) morning tea
c) morning rest
d) morning halt
So there you have it. Ten questions, ten answers. Leave your answers in the comments section. Your time starts now!
Tiffany
