Editor’s note: I just love Hedy Maessen’s viewpoint on travel and the world. Her way of meeting people everywhere she goes is incredible, and I can speak to that firsthand, being one of the random people she met and befriended along her way when we were both participants in a cocktail making class in Curacao.…
Editor’s note: I’ve barely scratched the surface of Oceania, and the Cook Islands aren’t even on my radar. Until now. I mean, just read Hedy’s descriptions of the beauty and culture, and you’ll want to go, too. For more of Hedy’s writing, click here to visit her index page. Until a year ago, I didn’t…
Today, we are strong enough and honest enough to... admit that the Treaty has been imperfectly observed. I look upon it as a legacy of promise. It can be a guide to... all those whose collective sense of justice, fairness and tolerance will shape the future. In 1990, Queen Elizabeth II visited Waitangi and admitted…
[We] acknowledge New Zealand as a Sovereign and independent State... the admission of their rights... is binding on the faith of the British Crown. The Queen... disclaims... every pretention to... govern the Islands of New Zealand... unless the free and intelligent consent of the Natives... shall first be obtained. This excerpt from the instructions of…
The Waitangi Treaty Grounds is quiet first thing in the morning, though that will soon change as the cruise ship passengers arrive for their tours. The cafe is equally quiet when Ngati Kawa Taituha, Chairman of the Waitangi Marae, comes in to join me. Together, Maori New Zealander and Jewish American, we sit down to…
The journey from Auckland to Paihia at the famous Bay of Islands in the Northland of New Zealand takes about four hours by bus, and is a destination in itself, as Highway 1 winds up the beautiful coast and drops into lovely valleys. But once there, Bay of Islands truly offers activities for everyone, no…
To visit Auckland and not get on a ferry would be a shame, and a crime. The city is built around the waters of Hauraki Gulf, and its many islands and peninsulas beckon. For those seeking a short boat ride and to avoid either the crowds of Waiheke Island or the strenuous hiking of Rangitoto,…
Auckland reminds me a lot of Seattle, which is probably not a lot of help to those of you who have never been to Seattle. It is built around the water, with an iconic skyline up a slight hill, and ferries running to various islands and peninsulas. Seafood is abundant, and cute shopping districts, museums,…