Hokitika and Franz Josef

What a mixture of names we see everyday! Maori names and words, a few English ones and then the glacier named for the emperor of Austria. 

We stopped in Hokitika for lunch, and to stock up at a grocery store. It's a tourist town that features NZ greenstone. We'd call it jade, they call it Pounamu which means green stone or treasure. These stones are found in the river beds almost always in areas owned by the Maori, as this stone was sacred to them. Saw some beautifully carved and polished jewelry pieces, but all quite expensive. 

Wendy's lunch in Hokitika.  We decided it looked big for chicken nuggets and fries but it was hiding the fact there was only 4 nuggets in with a lot of fries for $10.

We then continued driving south to the Franz Josef glacier, and walked in as close to the toe as the trail allowed. The glacier is receding, so there are lateral moraines on either side of the rushing silt-filled river leading away from it. A very pleasant walk, but it bucketed rain on return to bus, so we were all very wet in just that short 30 min. We hope this won't be the case on the Milford Track.

A look at the glacier between the 2 mountains. 

Lots of waterfalls in this valley. 

Getting closer - we can see the bluish color of the compressed ice of the glacier. 

Marion, Wendy and Judy at end of the trail. 

Walking back from viewpoint.

The mist over the river.

We stayed at a hotel very near the glacier and enjoyed the dinner there.  

My dinner was salmon with asparagus. Then dessert was pavlova again. You might have noticed I am doing a taste comparison of this dessert whenever it is presented. So far the first one I had in Auckland was the best. I have now been told that New Zealand invented this dessert not Australia.  So not sure who to believe but "when in Rome"!!

Kia ora!