Picky Piggies

Season of visit: 

Activities:

Queenstown

From Queenstown CBD the Gondola takes visitors to the top of the Skyline where astonishing views await. From there you will feel the entire Queenstown is beneath your feet. 


Website: https://www.skyline.co.nz/en/queenstown
Address: Brecon St, Queenstown 9300, New Zealand



Cookie Time - New Zealand's national cookie - is a treat that every kiwi must have had when growing up as a child. The shop was loaded with cute cookie time mascots and lots of people! We came during holiday season, so the line was a little long, but still bearable. 



There's a wide selection of flavours to choose from freshly baked ones as well as prepackaged ones. Of course we were not leaving empty handed!


Website: http://cookietime.co.nz/
Address: 18 Camp St, Queenstown 9300, New Zealand

Roys Peak Track

Russell Lupin/Perennial Lupin

While in Queenstown, it's hard to resist its untouched wilderness. So we hit the road to.... indulge ourselves in the beauty of nature.  Soon we were rewarded with lupins blooming away by the roadside. In New Zealand these vibrant flowers are considered as pests as the seeds spread quickly and therefore pose a risk to the native ecosystem. However, these stunning flowers are remembered by many visitors when thinking of New Zealand. The blooming period is from November to December.

Lake Wanaka

Along the way we drove past another tourist attraction which was the Cardrona Bra Fence. Initially the fence began with only four bras (around 1999), the reason why they were there is unknown, but since then the bras have been growing in numbers.

Mt Cook

The King Salmon here is raised in pure glacial water rich in minerals. At the shop you can purchase hot/cold smoked salmon and fresh salmon, as well as other merchandise. Unfortunately, when we visited on Boxing Day they didn't have any sashimi due to it being holiday season. As a result we got a pack of hot smoked salmon to try instead. We loved how the salmon was soft and had a intense smoky taste. Their salmon is also sold at major supermarkets throughout New Zealand. 


Website: http://alpinesalmon.co.nz/
Address: 4856, Tekapo-Twizel Rd, Twizel 7901, New Zealand



Another pleasant roadside encounter on our trip was Alpine Lavender. There was a small souvenir shop and a mini cafe. We got the lavender ice cream, it was creamy and had a good amount of floral taste. 


Website: http://www.nzalpinelavender.com/
Address: 397 Mount Cook Highway, Pukaki 7999, New Zealand
Mr Piggy and I had planned to go glacial boating, but due to bad weather, our boating experience was cancelled. Apparently this is very common at Mt Cook as the weather can be quite unpredictable, so you can never know until you are there at the site. We took some (plenty) selfies though to make our walk worth while😂



Website: http://glacierexplorers.com/index.html
Address: Bowen Dr, Mount Cook National Park 7999, New Zealand
Church of the Good Shepherd is one of New Zealand's iconic churches that sits by Lake Tekapo with breathtaking views of the shimmering blue lake and snow-capped mountains in the background. It is also a popular spot for star gazing and adoring the Milky Way.


Website: https://www.churchofthegoodshepherd.org.nz/
Address: Pioneer Dr, Lake Tekapo 7999, New Zealand

Christchurch

Pohatu Marine Reserve is a small coastal bay nearby Banks Peninsula. There are day and evening tour options, we got the "Scenic 4WD to Pohatu" which was $75pp/$55 for child under 15yrs. This package included pick-up at Akaroa, an hour and half drive from Christchurch. 
The drive to the reserve came with remarkable views of the coastline. The milky-blue colour of the water is a reflection of the rich minerals below.


However, enjoying the beautiful views requires great guts...as the drive to the reserve was like a roller coaster ride. The steep, wavy and unfenced single lane track was so narrow that it barely fit the van. A slight wrong turn and the whole van could fall into the sea... We felt very lucky to have made it back in one piece😱😱😱  

White-Flippered Penguin

At the reserve there are injured and sick penguins, and also those that come to shore to breed using the nesting boxes.


This little fellow is a baby so the staff had to force-feed it as it hasn't learnt to eat on its own. This is how a mother penguin would do it in the wild too.


This baby penguin is losing it's brown fur, and the bright blue feather underneath is a sign of moving into adulthood. 


This is an adult penguin that was extremely malnourished (it is smaller than the babies). During annual moulting, instead of the normal bright blue colour, it can turn into a pale brown colour just like this one in the picture.


To examine the penguins' health condition, their poo is checked regularly. 

Here is "Scratchy" scratching again🙈

Stout (a Penguin predator)

This nesting box has two young chicks, they were still in their baby fur.


This whole experience was eye-opening and something that will stay with us for a very long time. 

Website: https://www.pohatu.co.nz/
Address: Wildside Booking Office, 8/2 Rue Balguerie, Akaroa
Akaroa 7520 New Zealand


During the 2011 earthquake many buildings were destroyed, Christchurch Cathedral was also a victim of that. Part of the church is still remaining and reconstruction is in progress.



                     
Website: http://cardboardcathedral.org.nz/
Address: Christchurch Central, Christchurch 8011, New Zealand


Plenty more adventures await us in the South Island, we'll be back!

Craving for something sweet? Well look no further than OKO, nested in Auckland's CBD. OKO is guaranteed to impress with cakes that are beautiful to look at and offer a variety of interesting flavours to choose from. 



With tiled walls, hanging ceiling lights, and soft booth seating, OKO is the kind place where you can sit back and enjoy a cup of coffee together with a piece of delicious treat. There is also an ice cream bar that sells Movenpick ice cream with over 20 different flavours, but we decided to stick with the cakes.

We were tempted to give all the cakes a try, but keeping in mind that we just had lunch we behaved ourselves and got a cake each. 

Malibu Coco NZ$9.5

If you like coconut then you will probably like this cake. From the coconut malibu to the coconut dacquoise, everything was carefully incorporated. The passionfruit mousse and passionfruit jelly brought a refreshing and fruity element. 

Matchamisu NZ$9.5

When seeing matcha on the menu, I always find it hard to resist and no exception this time either. The matcha white chocolate bavarois wasn't overly sweet, and the matcha added a bitter note to the cake's richness. The lady fingers had soaked up a nice amount of tea flavour and were super moist. The roasted sesame added a nice crunch and nutty tone.

Tiramisu NZ$9.5

Comparing to the traditional tiramisu where espresso is used, this one had none. Rather than soaking the ladyfingers in espresso, they were soaked in Marsala, which gave it a more unique taste. The mascarpone mousse was soft and creamy, there were also bits of crispy feuilletine.

Mont Blanc NZ$9.5

Mont Blanc is a classic French dessert that you can find in most Pâtisserie in France. From the look of this cake, it was hard to find that it resembled the real thing, but in terms of taste it was impressive. The Chestnut mousse was smooth and nutty, you can really taste the chestnut, and the mango jelly had a jam-like texture. To finish this masterpiece, the layers were composed on top of a soft bed of sponge cake.

OKO Signature Hot Chocolate 54% Dark Chocolate NZ$7.5

I love how the hot chocolate was presented - pouring milk from this milk carton shaped jug, it's too adorable!  

Food: 8.5/10
Service: 6.5/10
Atmosphere: 7/10

Highlight:

• Since there are so many flavours available there's always an excuse for coming back 

Lowlight:

• Our tummies will stay OKO-sick until we are back next time

Website: http://okodessertkitchen.co.nz/
Address: Aotea Square 291-297 Queen St, CBD, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
Hours: Mon-Sun 10am-late
Phone: +64 09 365 2668

When we think of Chinese restaurants, the first thing that comes to mind is the busy environment filled with diners chatting away. Like many of those restaurants, Benson let's you sample a variety of  traditional Chinese dishes cooked in the wok, and everything comes in generous portions so don't worry about going home hungry. 

Spicy Pork NZ$23

In Chinese this dish has a different name called "twice cooked pork". The pork is first boiled and then sliced thinly to stir-fry. The spicy pork belly, sweet capsicum and onion were a perfect combination that went well with a nice bowl of steamed rice. 

Vermicelli Salad NZ$9 (s)

These noodles are actually made from sweet potato instead of rice. It's got a rather chewy texture. The dressing was super nutty from the peanuts and sesame, and the shredded veggies added some crunchiness. 

Steamed Beef w Chili NZ$28

Don't be turned off by the colour, you might be thinking this is a suicide dish, but let me reassure you it's really not that hot - I would say it's medium. With each bite, you can feel the burning sensation on the tongue from the chili and the peppercorn. The beef however wasn't as tender as I had hoped, but overall the flavour was on point. 

Eggplant w Chili Sauce On Rice NZ$14

"Fish fragrant eggplant" is the name in Chinese, but don't be mistaken, there is no fish at all. Through the magic of different seasoning you might fall into the illusion that you are eating fish because it's so tasty. There is little chewing effort needed, the eggplant easily melts away in your mouth. 

Food: 7/10
Service: 5/10
Atmosphere: 5/10

Highlight: 

• Authentic Chinese Food

Lowlight:

• Don't expect the best service or environment

Website: http://www.bensonrestaurant.co.nz/site/
Address: 113 Riccarton Rd, Riccarton, Christchurch 8041, New Zealand
Hours: Mon-Sun 11:30am-3:00pm, 4:15-10:00pm
Phone: +64 3-341 8633

Beef Brisket & Carrots Dumplings NZ$8

                 

Sea Bass, Scallops, Calamari & Black Tiger Prawns NZ$8

               

Shumai NZ$8

Unlike the other dumplings, this shumai hit the ball out of the park! The pork and prawn combination worked well and most importantly the texture was nice and juicy.

Twice Cooked Pork w Pepper & Chili Sichuan Style NZ$28

Twice cooked pork is a classic Sichuan dish, and the secret is using the local specialty soybean paste. The pork belly was coated in the sauce that was quite flavourful.

Nasi Goreng NZ$18

Inspired by Indonesian flavours, this fried rice had the right seasoning, and we couldn't fault it. 

Food: 5.5/10
Service: 6/10
Atmosphere: 6.5/10

Highlight:

• Shumai
• Good value

Lowlight:

• Beef and seafood dumplings

Website: http://www.taorestaurant.co.nz/
Address: 5 Athol St, Queenstown, 9300, New Zealand
Hours: Mon Closed
             Tue-Sun 11am - Late
Phone: +64 3-442 8287