The dazzling Lake Takepo – A káprázatos Takepo-tó

The unreal turquoise color of Lake Tekapo with the snow-covered peaks of the Southern Alps in the background, and adding to it the flowering colorful lupines along the shore – all this creates one of the most beautiful landscapes in the world. This was the setting for today.

Day 76, Wednesday, November 20: Lake Takepo

We gave ourselves time to enjoy a slow morning before we went to see Lake Wanaka (as we promised each other the night before).

No, this time it wasn’t windy. We saw (even though not from close up) the willow tree that grows alone in the lake. It’s a popular destination for many. Some say it’s one of the most photographed trees in New Zealand.

We were on the road by 10 am. As we drove, at some point, we noticed a field of lupines, so we pulled aside to marvel at the colorful field. Of course, we took many photos.

We dove through Lindis Pass again, like we did four days earlier when we were heading from Oamaru to Queenstown. But there was no snow on the mountains, so we didn’t stop for a possible snowball fight.

The next short stop was Lake Pukaki, a deep blue lake, which is towered over by Mount Cook, the tallest peak in New Zealand. We were not even surprised to see that the mountain was behind clouds. After all, it had been our luck with mountain peaks on this entire trip. Nonetheless, the sight was impressive.

Shortly after 2 pm, we reached Lake Tekapo. We checked into our hotel, the Peppers Bluewater Resort, and were quite surprised how incredibly small our expensive room was. This was a last-minute booking from our travel agency’s New Zealand field office, but still. It was good, that we were not planning to spend too much time in this room anyway. We came to enjoy the lake.

We quickly went for a walk around the lake. It was mesmerizing. It was stunning. All those lupines around it this time of the year were amazing! (November is Spring in New Zealand.)

I think, in the end, I was very happy that we saw this lake. My friend, Kerry, told me about it (she and her husband also visited in November). Initially, when it wasn’t on our agenda, I said, well, it’s almost impossible to see everything that a country can offer during one trip, so I was at peace with not coming to this lake. But, things worked out differently – and I was pleased.

The spectacle of fields of lupines on the shore gave so many photo opportunities that I was totally overwhelmed. So, forgive me for dumping all of these flower photos here. I cannot get enough of them!

We walked through the pedestrian bridge to the Church of the Good Shepard. Various denominations use this small Anglican church, and is photographed by many tourists.

Close to it stood the sheepdog memorial, a statue of a border collie. When in the 19th century Scottish farmers farmed the eastern South Island, these dogs were a great help to them.

On our walk, on the main street we came across a lovely independent bookstore, Petronella’s Gallery and Bookstore. It was a pleasure to wander through the beautifully presented store. We browsed through many interesting books. I even saw a new book about one of my all time favorite scientists, Marie Curie, which definitely will be on my Christmas wish list this year. I liked that in her store, besides books, the owner also sold boutique stationery, jigsaw puzzles, housewares, and a variety of gifts.

We finished the day with a wonderful early dinner at the T.L.V. Restaurant & Bar, overlooking the lake and the mountains. It didn’t disappoint. (Thanks for the recommendation, Claudio!)