Author: tjiskavw

Peter Jackson discovered the pastures of the shire when he flew over the Alexander family sheep farm in Matamata. While the original plan called for burning the village down after…

The attention to detail is so great here that at any moment you expect Bilbo to open the door and say "We are plain quiet folk and have no use…

It is not a bad thing to celebrate a simple life. J.R.R. Tolkien

In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry,…

There is nothing like looking if you want to find something. You certainly usually find something, if you look, but it is not always quite the something you were after.…

A 7.8 earthquake leveled the town and during 1931 - 1933 160 new buildings were re-constructed in the architectural trend at the time, Art Deco. Due to the preservation efforts…

these beautiful pastel colored buildings line the streets of charming Napier - the art deco trust provides a tour to educate you on what the various symbols of art deco…

Napier's Marine Parade is a walk way along the Pacific Ocean which includes lovely murals like this one or fresh fish restaurants like Hunger Monger with a menu that boasts…

In addition to this town's great vibe and personality, its got Hawke's Bay, a really terrific NZ wine region, right next door. I was unable to visit because a few…

This community has its act together - not only did they preserve the character of the town by establishing the Art Deco Trust, they provide a special street light that…