Fotoeins Fotografie

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Aotearoa Landscapes

Featured: Aotearoa: “land of the long white cloud.” Marlborough Region from Cook Strait: photo by Krzysztof Golik, Wiki CC.

  • Landscape (noun), definition: visible features of an area of land, often considered in terms of aesthetic appeal.
  • Māori: “mano whenua“, heartland or interior of the country
  • Chinese: 景色
  • German: die Landschaft
  • Spanish: el paisaje

As part of my year-long around-the-world journey in 2012, I spent most of July in New Zealand (Aotearoa). The following 12 landscape images provide another perspective about how I feel about non-urban settings. I’ve had some say about urban cityscapes, but I’ll be the person to stop every few kilometres for every possible vista. The following images from the North Island (Te Ika a Māui) and South Island (Te Waipounamu) are reminders of my desire to return to Aotearoa.

New Zealand’s national day, Waitangi Day, is observed annually on 6 February.

Mostly South Island

  1. Te Whanganui a Tara (Wellington Harbour)
  2. Te Moana Raukawa (Cook Strait)
  3. Hapuku (near Kaikōura)
  4. Akaroa Harbour
  5. Arthur’s Pass Township
  6. Kā Roimata o Hine Hukatere (Franz Josef Glacier)
  7. Te Moeka o Tuawe (Fox Glacier)
  8. Te Ara Kairaumati (Lake Matheson)
  9. Kā Tiritiri o te Moana (Southern Alps)
  10. Aoraki, Horokoau (Mount Cook, Mount Tasman)
  11. Tāhuna (Queenstown)
  12. Piopiotahi (Milford Sound)

Te Whanganui a Tara

Wellington Harbour

8am Bluebridge ferry to Picton, Mount Victoria, Wellington, New Zealand - 12 July 2012

From Mount Victoria at sunrise, Bluebridge ferry leaving Wellington to Picton; see more here.

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Te Moana Raukawa

Cook Strait

East Head, entering Tory Channel: on board "Kaitaki" Interislander ferry from Wellington to Picton, New Zealand, fotoeins.com

From the Interislander Ferry at East Head, entering Tory Channel and the waters of the South Island; see more here.

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Hapuku

South Island’s east coast

Seaward Kaikoura mountain range, on KiwiRail Coastal Pacific train, Picton to Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand, fotoeins.com

Near Hapuku, just north of Kaikōura, facing the Seaward Kaikōura mountains with snow-capped Uwerau (2213 m/7260 ft) at upper-left; see more here.

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Akaroa Harbour

Entrance from the Pacific Ocean

Akaroa harbour, Canterbury, South Island, New Zealand

Pacific Ocean entrance, facing west to Timutimu Head at foreground-right; see more here.

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Arthur’s Pass Township

adjacent to Canterbury region 7875

Waimakariri River, from TranzAlpine train from Christchurch to Greymouth, fotoeins.com

Next to the Waimakariri River between Douglas Stream and Waimakariri River Railway Bridge (#42), facing southwest; see more here. The two mountains at right, respectively, are Mount Bruce (elevation 1630 metres / 5348 feet) and Mid Hill (1831 m / 6007 ft).

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Kā Roimata o Hine Hukatere

Franz Josef Glacier

Franz Josef Glacier, Westland National Park, South Island, New Zealand

I am standing where many metres of ice once sat high on the valley floor. With the glacier’s retreat, the valley floor is now littered with glacial debris; see more here.

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Te Moeka o Tuawe

Fox Glacier

Fox Glacier, Westland National Park, West Coast, South Island, New Zealand

Despite midday in July, the winter sun casts long shadows at the foot of the glacier; see more here.

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Te Ara Kairaumati

Lake Matheson

Lake Matheson, Westland National Park, West Coast, South Island, New Zealand, fotoeins.com

The view 40 minutes before winter sunset in July with sacred peaks Horokoau and Aoraki at right; see more here.

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Kā Tiritiri o Te Moana

Southern Alps

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Aoraki, Horokoau

Mount Cook, Mount Tasman

Air Safaris, Southern Alps, Westland National Park, Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, South Island, New Zealand, fotoeins.com, myRTW

In the air facing south to Aoraki and Horokoau, 1st and 2nd highest mountains in the country, respectively; see more here.

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Tāhuna

Queenstown

The Remarkables, Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown, Otago, South Island, Te Waipounamu, Aotearoa, New Zealand, fotoeins.com

The Remarkables mountain range over Lake Wakatipu.

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Piopiotahi

Milford Sound

Milford Sound, Fiordland National Park, Southland, South Island, New Zealand - 25 July 2012

Facing west from Harrison Cove to Mitre Peak at upper right; see more here.

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Except for the top/featured photo from Wikipedia (CC4), I made all remaining pictures above in July 2012 with a Canon EOS 450D (Rebel XSi) camera. This post appears on Fotoeins Fotografie at fotoeins DOT com as https://wp.me/p1BIdT-dcf.

21 Responses to “Aotearoa Landscapes”

  1. pattimoed's avatar
    pattimoed

    Beautiful gallery of images. We haven’t been to NZ yet. So many places to go! I think my favorite image is Lake Matheson. The light is gorgeous.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • HL fotoeins's avatar
      fotoeins

      Thanks, Patti! I’ve spent more time on the South Island, and I think the entire place essentially sparkles in any decent light. I’d like to spend more time on the North Island, as well as more time “across the ditch” in Australia.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
        • HL fotoeins's avatar
          fotoeins

          I agree, Patti: that particular expression about the Tasman Sea has stayed with me for a long time. I don’t remember exactly where I heard it the first time, though my best guess is Sydney for the amount of time I’d spent there. Do you have a(nother) favourite expression?

          Like

    • HL fotoeins's avatar
      fotoeins

      Hi and thanks, Tina. New Zealand’s South Island was entirely like a beautiful dream. As a visitor, I don’t think there’s ever enough time to fully absorb every minute detail (because I want to) of the landscape and of her people.

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      Reply

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