Day 21 Napier to Waipukurau 71km. Mark strolled round the national aquarium for close encounters with kiwis & sharks.
Sunday, so another farmers market. This one was in Hastings, a chic town 20km south of Napier. It was an upmarket affair, things were twice the price of the one at Ohope last week. Still, we had some cherries that were close to perfection, got ourselves a gourmet supper and sat on the grass in the sun singing along (in my case) to "Brown Eyed Girl".
We then headed for a winery. We went to Vidal, the oldest in the area, now owned by Villa Maria. We tasted a few, and as far as I remember it was like this.
We both loved the 2009 Reisling (light, fruity but with depth). Mark liked the Chardonnay 2009 Reserve (peaches, cherries, oaky)and the new trendy one beginning with v (floral with tones of guava, tasted like elderflower cordial to me). I liked the Seve(Sauvignon Blanc, melon, apple, crisp and light). Anyway we enjoyed it enough to decide to detour via Martinborough for another go.
Lovely lunch in the winery cafe followed and we really are on holiday.
Then back on our bike and out into farmland. Pitched in Waipukurau, shower, supper, book.....