Earlier this year hubby and I visited the Marlborough region in the South Island of New Zealand. I took the opportunity to drag hubby to the Omaka Aviation Heritage Center. Sir Peter Jackson donated his collection of WW1 planes and memorabilia to the center and they’re displayed in dioramas, which make the exhibits come alive. I loved this museum, and we spent a couple of hours wandering through and taking photos. I believe Weta Workshops made the models, and they’ve done a wonderful job.
This is a selection of photos from the museum. I wasn’t clever enough to take notes of which plane was which, but the scenes looked so real, right down to the mud, snow and tire marks.
After visiting the museum, we drove to Havelock. Hubby has always wanted to dine at The Mussel Pot Cafe and we made a point of having lunch there. The green lip mussels are world renowned and very healthy. I’m not a fan but hubby always enjoys eating a mussel pot.
The scenery was gorgeous as we drove along the coast and back to Picton, the town at the very top of the South Island.
I love visiting the South Island. Álthough I live in the North Island, the South has a special place in my heart.
Don’t forget to enter the draw to win a copy of The Spurned Viscountess
Do you have a favorite place to visit?
Those are great pictures. I like smoked mussels but never had them that way. Are they just steamed?
Yes, you can either steam them, boil them in a pot or cook them on the BBQ until the shells open. Our mussels are much bigger than most you would purchase in the US, and they’re meant to be good for you. I don’t like them but hubby is a big fan.
I love museum dioramas. It’s like walking into history.
It does. It makes times past come alive and you can imagine exactly how it must have been. It’s much better than looking at static displays.
My dad would have loved this museum. Beautiful photo at bottom of your post.
Hubby and I loved it. We spent ages wandering around.