08/02/2018 - Four days in Dunedin

On the drive from Moeraki to Dunedin, we made several stops. On February 5th, we visited the Moeraki Boulders again. But this time, we didn't visit them at low tide. The tide was just receding, so some of the round boulders were still partially covered and surrounded by water. We took this opportunity for some long exposure shots.
On the way, we passed a sea lion colony at "Shag Point". Once again, we were treated to a spectacle on site. Either the sea lions playfully fought with each other or pushed each other into the water. It is nice to see how free and independent the animals can live here. :)
Before Dunedin, we discovered an abandoned sandy beach. Besides another lady who was walking her dogs, we only encountered a sleeping sea lion, a cormorant, and a small seagull colony. We strolled along the beach at "Doctor's Point" and reached a small cave. Here, a motorcyclist took his last rounds and disappeared shortly afterwards. Now we were all alone. We explored the rugged end of the beach before retreating into the small cave. It seemed perfect for a little photo shoot. So we set up our tripod and let our creative ideas flow. We took a few original photos - besides jumping pictures, it also got slightly acrobatic. But when the drizzle started, we packed up and drove into Dunedin. We arrived at the campsite at 3:00 PM, which will be our new base for the next four nights, and watched the second half of the Super Bowl.

Dunedin is the seventh largest city in New Zealand. Because of early Scottish settlers who arrived in Dunedin in 1884, the city has a Scottish charm. Besides the many pubs, you occasionally encounter a tourist guide in Scottish attire.

The city has the most beautiful train station we have seen so far. It was opened in 1906. At that time, there was much more going on. But with the decline in passengers and the discontinuation of various railway lines, the station lost more and more importance. What remains is a historic building made of dark and light basalt (limestone). It is no wonder that the train station is one of the most photographed buildings in New Zealand. But it is relatively difficult to photograph the building without a tourist bus in the foreground. However, if you have brought some time and patience with you, you have the opportunity to see the train station in its full glory. We also sat down in front of it for an apple break and were able to admire it without a tour bus in the foreground for a few minutes. Of course, we immediately took out the camera and took pictures of it.
Nowadays, several museum trains still arrive at the train station every day. The last railway track is used for tourist round trips. For example, the "Taieri Gorge Railway" is one of the most beautiful railway routes in the world. We thought long and hard about whether to take the ride, but we decided not to and instead visited the interiors of the historic building. They are used as a restaurant, art gallery, and for other exhibitions. Thus, the venerable train station acquired a new meaning.

Not far from the train station is the "Otago Settlers Museum". The modern building begins with stories about Maori history. Then you get an insight into the lives of the first settlers - we were particularly impressed by a room where all four walls were covered with portraits of former residents of the city. Countless eyes were watching us. Thanks to an interactive touchpad, you can learn more about the respective individuals - their history and backgrounds. In the next room, an impressive exhibition describes life on the ship. It vividly illustrates how the settlers' journey into the unknown went. Towards the end, there is a larger vintage car exhibition, a fashion show of earlier clothes, and a depiction of what Dunedin could look like in the future. Detailed bridges and innovative building complexes are intended to adorn the waterfront promenade.

Another "highlight" of the city is a production facility of "Cadbury". The English confectionery manufacturer offers tours behind the scenes. But even without a guided tour, you have the chance to stock up on the delicious treats. But be warned - it could be quite crowded. Despite that, a visit to Cadbury World is worthwhile. Our chocolate supply was also replenished abundantly. (Although we are not big chocolate eaters at all?!)

During our stay in Dunedin, we visited the steepest street in the world. "Baldwin Street" is listed in the Guinness Book of Records with a gradient of 35.8%. It is not made of asphalt, but of concrete slabs!
We witnessed the daily spectacle: many tourists, brave drivers, and a crazy cyclist. While most tourists walk up the hill, some car drivers test the performance of their vehicles. On the other hand, a resident got on his bike and rode down the steep slope daringly, without a helmet or any other protection. He shouted loudly, "Get away!" and probably reached 60 km/h on the speedometer at the end of the road. These New Zealanders are crazy.
We fought our way up the slope on foot. It got steeper and steeper, but fortunately, one side of the sidewalk consists of steps that definitely make it easier to climb up. The last part, before reaching the top, is the steepest. The houses on both sides of the road have adapted to the slope - it is quite a strange sight. When we reached the top, we sat on some rocks and had to take a deep breath. As the air slowly returned, we watched another driver struggling up the hill before we went back down.

In addition to steep streets, we occasionally discovered street art paintings on various walls in the city. Thanks to a downloaded map from the Internet, our walk took us through the entire city center. We saw more than 20 projects, some of which we liked more than others. Besides painted transformer boxes, high-rise walls were also used. It is impressive how the different artists create their paintings on the walls - especially how they consider the dimensions. Great respect for this talent!

We didn't have to walk far for another facility of the city. Only ten minutes' walk from our campsite was the "Dunedin Ice Stadium". We old ice hockey fans couldn't resist visiting the ice rink.
At the time of our stay, the "Master Games" were taking place. Different disciplines of the sports event were being completed throughout the city. We took the opportunity and watched several ice hockey games of various amateur teams. Our hearts were beating faster, as we miss going to ice hockey at home so much. Even though the playing quality of the senior teams was not even close to that of the German ice hockey league, it was still nice and very entertaining to watch a few games. Because the old pros still had it. ;)

We used our last evening in Dunedin to visit the "Tunnel Beach", which is about ten kilometers from the city center. When we arrived at the parking lot, we prepared for the short hike. Right from the beginning, it went steeply downhill. We regularly slipped on the rough stones. But we arrived, albeit slowly, safely at the Tunnel Beach. So why is the beach called that? Can it only be reached through a tunnel? Absolutely. Only during low tide, you can reach this small stretch of beach through a tunnel. The tunnel was dug in 1870, is approximately 100m long, and leads you down small steps. Once you have passed this passage, you will be faced with many large and small stones and can climb onto a large rock. However, admittedly, this was not the biggest highlight at the entire beach. So shortly afterwards, we went back up.
From above, you have an amazing view of the expansive ocean, the cliffs, and the small Tunnel Beach. The entire stretch of coast is very different from other beaches. The land does not slope down flatly, but ends abruptly. But that's what makes this place so special. The power and force of the waves become very clear here. With great force and power, they collide with the stone walls and splash up meters high. The sound and silence surrounding you is fascinating. We watched in awe for a long time. Meanwhile, the sun was slowly setting, and the bright blue sky made the moment perfect. It was very difficult for me to leave this place because, for the first time, I was captivated and could have watched the scenario forever. But the many hours of sun today took their toll and I had a headache. So we went back to the campsite and went to bed early. Because tomorrow, our journey continues to the "Otago Peninsula", which still belongs to Dunedin.