Von Whangarei bis Paihia - Gardens, Battlefield, and Hundertwasser (New Zealand Part 9)

After spending the night in Whangarei, we drove to the "Quarry Gardens" there in the morning, a tip from yesterday's Christmas dinner.

An opulent garden with a lake and waterfalls was created in a former quarry, which is still maintained by many volunteers today.

Some ruins of the former industry have been integrated into the garden area, where native and tropical plants grow.

Then we visited a historically significant place: Ruapekapeka Pa. This is where the last battle of the war in the north between the English and the Maori took place in 1845-46.

In 1840, with the Treaty of Waitangi, it seemed like a peaceful agreement between settlers and Maori. The Maori transferred their sovereignty to Queen Victoria and in return received the rights of British citizens. However, the English tried to claim as much land as possible, which ultimately led to disagreements and the first war.

We made a stopover in Kawakawa to visit the Hundertwasser Building with the toilets designed by Friedensreich Hundertwasser. Since 1975 he had settled nearby. He lived on a farm until his death in 2000, where he was also buried.

In Paihia we found a parking space. The small coastal town was full of holidaymakers due to the summer holidays, and today the weather finally turned summery again.

We walked along the coast to Waitangi, the next town where the aforementioned treaty was signed.

Along the way, there was "Fun with Flags": On the floor, twenty different flags were painted at some distance, which we tried to assign to the countries.