The Tongariro Alpine Crossing

With only two more days to go before we were due to be in Wellington to pick up Megan, we hit our final stop before the long stretch south.  Tongariro National Park is only an hour and a half from Taupo, and on a good day you can see the mountains towering over the southern shores of the lake.  It's claim to fame is its being a filming location for one of the most iconic landscapes in Lord of the Rings - Mount Doom.  Named Mt Ngauruhoe (Mt Doom is such a better name), it is the perfect volcanic cone reaching into the heavens, and the summit is often shrouded in a veil of clouds.  It is also the home of what is touted as "the best day walk in all of New Zealand" - The Tongariro Alpine Crossing.  This is what we came for.  

As Velma huffed and puffed up and up to the edge of the National Park, the air temperature dropped drastically.  For the first time since our road trip began, we were in the high mountains, and it was damned cold.  Time to dig through those boxes for some winter clothes.  We had planned on doing The Crossing the following morning, but when the day broke the weather wasn't looking ideal for the trek.  The mountains have notoriously fickle weather, and a beautiful bright and clear morning can turn into a gusty rainstorm with no visibility at a moment's notice.  This morning was overcast and cold, and learning that there was a possibility of hail and gusting winds at the summit in the late afternoon, I decided it would better to wait until the following day, when the weather was predicted to be nothing but sun.  That turned out to be a fantastic decision.

The next day we woke up to glorious sun and cloudless skies.  At 8am we shuttled to the trail head along with hundreds of other tourists to begin the 7 hour, 19.4 kilometer tramp up to and across the ridge of Mt Tongariro before descending down the other side of the mountain.  The hike started out fairly easy, with a board walked path leading through a narrowing volcanic valley towards Soda Springs just before the first steep ascent of the hike.  We reached Soda Springs in just over an hour and took the opportunity to use the bathroom since there weren't any until the last leg of the trail, and the terrain offers no shelter in case of emergencies.  Then the climb began.  

The first steep section of the track climbed a staircase until we reached the Southern Crater area of the mountain.  We had some lunch and enjoyed the views.  The weather was so good you could even see the ever elusive Mount Taranaki and its snow capped peak poking out all the way from the west coast of the North Island!  After the brief rest we crossed the Southern Crater area, which provided excellent views to the summit of Mt Doom.  We began the second and final steep ascent of the trail, and this one was a bit rougher.  There was no staircase, only a loose field of volcanic rock that shifted beneath your every step.  We trudged on, finally reaching the top.

The view west from our lunch stop - That's Mt Taranaki off in the distance

It looks like Mars!

We had arrived at the Red Crater, and this was the halfway point of the hike. From here we were treated to a view of the North Island of New Zealand that almost stretched from coast to coast.  Directly below was the Red Crater of Mt Tongariro, with steaming vents burping eggy smells that filled the air.  Across from valley below, the Blue Lake sparkled in the distance, and you could see the town of Taupo on the northern side of the giant lake.  On the far side of the ridge, shimmering in the sun like an alien jewel in the crown of the mountain, were the famous Emerald Lakes.  Words can't really describe the awesome color that danced from the surface of the water, and no pictures I took were able to do it justice (and Kayleigh can attest, I took many trying get it). It was simply surreal.  From the top of the ridge we laughed at the struggling hikers all around as they slipped and slid down the steep rocky surface as we skied right on by using our walking poles for balance.  They may not be stylish, but damn it they come in handy.

Looking down into the Red Crater. (Umm, does that volcanic vent look like a…err…nevermind)

The Blue Lake from the highest point in the hike

The Emerald Lakes - this photo just doesn't compare to seeing them

As chance would have it, as we were descending the far side of the ridge, we happened to run into a Belgian couple that we had shared a campsite with in both Rotorua and Coromandel.  We exchanged phone numbers in order to meet up in Wellington in a few days and continued along our way.  We lunched at the shores of one of the Emerald Lakes and watched people interact with the lake and their environment.  Some kids threw rocks into the lake, some people took off their boots and put their feet in the water.  After our rest we started the latter half of the hike, across the final valley floor before a small climb back to the ridge of the Blue Lake.  We crested the ridge and before us lie the long snaking pathway descending to the bottom.

The Blue Lake up close

One of the Emerald Lakes up close

By this point I had to pee like a racehorse and we were trying to speed to the bathroom a little over a mile from the Blue Lake.  I made it to the restrooms just in time and we took a quick break before making the final push.  It was interesting to watch the landscape change as we crossed from the Alpine region into the Sub Alpine region and again back below the tree line.  By the time we reached the tree line both Kayleigh and I were hurting, and we were hoping beyond hope that this corner would be the last…Blast! Nothing but more trail.  Dogs barking. Shoulders sore from the backpack, arms from the walking sticks. Ankles, knees and hips worked to the point of fatigue.  When we finally emerged from the forest into the car lot we let out a sigh of relief and accomplishment before collapsing onto the ground in the shade of the trees.

Follow the yellow brick road…forever!

After ascending about 2400 feet and descending about 4000 feet over the course of 7 hours and 19.4 kilometers (roughly 12 miles), it is the longest trail either of us has ever completed in terms of both distance and time, as well as the largest ascent and descent.  That said…both Kayleigh and I agree - Pinnacles was harder.  

Taupo

Before we begin, I know I mentioned at the end of the last blog that we were headed to Rotorua, but seeing as how we didn't really experience much of what makes Rotorua special just yet, I decided to save the blog for after we return there with Megan to give it its fair shake.  So let's continue…

Taupo is one of New Zealand's premier domestic holiday destinations.  Located at the geographic center of the North Island, at an altitude of 2000 feet, it is the largest freshwater lake in the Australia/New Zealand region.  You'd never know it from the surface, but the lake is actually a crater lake sitting on top of one of the Earth's few super-volcanos.  Ironically, it is this foreboding character that makes Taupo such an attractive holiday destination.  It is blessed with numerous natural hot springs and geothermal activity, along with some beautiful rivers and man made wonders.  The town itself is much bigger than one would expect given the population of the city (about 30,000 give or take).  We were told by a local that the population swells by about 3 times during the peak season.   

One of the first things we checked out was the main attraction on the international tourist agenda - Huka Falls.  This man made falls along the Waikato River is impressive due to the sheer volume of water swelling through the small floodway.  Staring at it gives you a real sense of the overwhelming power of it.  Another special feature of Huka Falls is the milky blue color of the water. It's as if it the water has some source of power all its own generating an alien like inner glow.

The second big man made attraction is called Aratiatia Rapids.  After damming up a river, the kiwi engineers created a rocky chute just downstream from the dam.  A few times a day, the dam is opened up and a torrent of water quickly floods the upper stream and turns the rock chute into wild churning rapids of doom.  Very cool to watch the river transform from a babbling brook to a raging beast.

By far the coolest thing we did in the area, however, was getting out onto the lake in a kayak.  At this time of the year the lake is quite warm and, of course, completely translucent like all water in NZ seems to be.  Kayleigh may have found a new love for the sport, as the kayak we rented was fantastic and we were skiing across the water like those little bugs. 

Our guide told us as we went along about the Maori legends regarding the discovery of the lake, it's origins, and origins of the surrounding landscape as well.  The wind picked up about halfway and we had to fight the waves, but it all culminated when we reached our destination at the Maori rock carvings some 4km from where we began.

Created in the 1980's by a pair of Maori carvers, what makes them special is the medium.  Maoris are master carvers when it comes to working with wood, but stone is a whole different story.  She explained that in Maori culture, the final test for young apprentices to become master carvers is to create a masterpiece.  So these two set out to do just that, and once they found a suitable spot on the shores of Lake Taupo, they flew in a Scottish stone carver in order to get the Celtic expertise on just how to go about making their masterpiece in stone.  Four years later and voila! A beautiful masterpiece carved into the sheer cliff face to be enjoyed by all for generations and generations.

The Bay of Plenty

After the Pinnacles we headed to the bustling port town of Tauranga for a bit of R&R.  With a population of around 115,000, it's just big enough to offer a lively atmosphere, while also small enough to maintain its beachy feel.  In fact, it's quite similar to some of the smaller beach communities in California, and it reminded me quite a bit of a sort of working class Santa Barbara, complete with the hordes of retro bicycles and skateboard riding youth.  It had a surprisingly developed waterfront for New Zealand, with loads of sweet eateries and cafes to explore.  Just across the harbor from Tauranga, Mt Mangonui rises sharply at the end of a small peninsula sheltering the harbor from the sea.  This little strip of land is known lovingly as The Mount, and it's where the holiday magic happens.  

The Mount is where we stayed for two nights at a holiday park right across the road from a white sand beach. that stretches from the Mount itself, all the way to the East Cape of New Zealand, becoming "different" beaches along the way as it stretches from one town into the next.  After a lovely birthday meal cooked by the one and only Kay Fry, we walked along the beach for a few kilos until we reached Mt Mangonui and the town centre at the end of the line.  As we explored the town, I began to wonder if our NZ experience would have been more amazing if we had based ourselves in this little town.  It had never even occurred to me to try and work anyplace other than one of the main cities.  Maybe in Oz… After a good night's sleep we (ok, maybe it was more like I, much to K Fry's chagrin) decided to climb Mt Mangonui for the sweeping views of the city and surrounds from the summit.  It was yet another tough slog, but well worth it.  

On our way to the Bay of Plenty's biggest tourist hotspot, Rotorua, we made a quick pitstop at what turned out to be my favorite waterfall in NZ thus far: Rainbow Falls.  A short hike from the car park brings you down to this little piece of Eden for a spectacular view of the falls and a few places to leap into the deep pools below for the brave.  Despite the sun not yet reaching into the valley, I couldn't help myself.  I had to jump in! Yes, even with the brief time spent in only a few locations, the Bay of Plenty just might be my favorite region of New Zealand so far.

The Pinnacles

The first chapter of our road trip has come to an end, but there is so much more to explore! Luckily for you all, I'm in a sharing mood, so I will now indulge your curiosity without even making you beg!  As we left the Northlands and entered the Auckland region, I was struck with a very unexpected feeling.  I felt as though I'd just been on vacation, and now I was coming home.  Not home to the Bay, but home to Auckland!  I had missed Auckland in my time away!  The familiar sights, the familiar streets, the familiar places all called to my heart as though I was a child who had been found.  Yes, it was good to be back, even if only for a day.

We will picking up Kayleigh's sister, Megan at the airport in Wellington on Dec 21st and she will be traveling with us through Christmas and New Years, so the plan from here is to slowly make our way south towards Wellington, stopping off at various places along the way to have some fun.  First stop - the Coromandel Peninsula for the second big tramp of our trip.  The Kauaeranga Kauri Trail - AKA the hike to the Pinnacles.  This trail is infamous for it's unforgiving stairway featured in the Led Zepplin hit Stairway to Heaven (I kid, I kid, but if you've seen this stairway you'd understand).  The trail rises some 600m to the towering spires at the summit of the Coromandel Mountains known as the Pinnacles.  Anyone whom I've ever spoken of this trail does so in a sort of handshy way, so I've been looking forward to this hike with a bit of apprehension.  

We started around 9:30am along the 3 hour Webb Creek Trail to the Pinnacles Hut.  And guess what?! Neither Kayleigh or I found it to be as bad as its reputation made it out to be.  Long staircase, yes, but completely manageable.  With the help of our handy walking sticks we made it up to the DOC maintained Pinnacles Hut in 30 minutes less than prescribed!  Hooray for us!  We were feeling so good after arriving at the hut that we briefly considered doing the hike as a day hike, rather than staying in the hut for the night as we had originally planned.  So after a short rest in the hut, we continued the remaining 30 minutes or so to the top of the Pinnacles themselves.  The final 30 minutes is more like what I'd imagined the full three hour ascent to be like.  It was tough, and Kayleigh was feeling a little beat, but I feel like the Duke's Nose was much harder.  Once at the top the views were sweeping panoramas of the Cormandel Mountains, peninsula, and even the flatlands of Waikato to the south!

Almost there!

Finally!

On the way down from the Pinnacles we were feeling a little less smug and decided that it would be a good idea to stay in the hut overnight after all.  So we did what we could to kill the time (it was only about 2pm after all) until nightfall.  When we went in to check out the bunk room we realized we had made a grave oversight.  We hadn't brought any blankets or our sleeping bags to help stave off the cold.  "We'll be fine" we thought.  It had, after all, been a pretty warm day.  If worst came to worst, we did have our jackets and a towel that we could drape over ourselves.  Stupid stupid stupid.  The night was cold and the bed was small.  We huddled together for warmth, with no room to turn over even if we had wanted to.  We got through the night with some sparse pockets of sleep in between shivering and cramping muscles.  

6:30 am, the sun was coming up and we were awake, as we had been much of the night.  There was fog covering the tops of the mountains today, and we decided to just get up and head for the car instead of wasting more time in the cold trying to sleep.  On the way back we chose to go the alternative route back down to the road in order to try and catch a glimpse of the viewpoint from the top of Billgoat Falls.  This was another bad decision, as it added an additional hour onto our return route, and somehow added a significant climb to our return to the valley floor, saving all the downhill for the last hour or so of the trial.  Add to the fact that we had only a granola bar and an apple each left to eat for breakfast that morning and it turned to be quite a challenging endeavor.  The Pinnacles reputation turned out to be true after all.  

The Far North

After all the hiking we had done the day before, we needed some time to recoup.  Enter Maitai Bay.  At the end of the remote Karikari Peninsula, a sacred Maori headland divides two bays.  The northern of the two is Maitai Bay, and it just so happens that the DOC operates a highly revered campsite just beyond it's shores.  Short of providing actual Maitais, the site provided everything we needed to recharge our batteries.  You could hear the waves crashing on the beach from our campsite!  To wrap up the day, we dined at the "World Famous Mangonui Fish Shop" which supposedly does the best fish and chips in all of New Zealand.  While our experience is limited, it was surely the best we've had.  After I awoke the next morning it became apparent that I'd had a run in with the infamous New Zealand sandflies while lying on the beach (and maybe a few mosquitos too).  Guess no place is perfect.  

Maitai Bay

Fish and Chips

and bug bites!

At this point, our time in the Northlands was coming to an end, with the northern most part of the Northlands, and indeed New Zealand a two hour drive from the campsite.  We arrived in Cape Reinga mid afternoon and took a stroll to the lighthouse where they had one of those tacky-but-fun signs that showed the distance to various cities around the globe  (10,479 km to Los Angleles!).  Cape Reinga is one of the most important spiritual sites for the Maori people, as it is believed that when they die, their spirit leaves NZ for the ancestral homeland of Hawaiki by way of the beach at Cape Reinga.  Another interesting geographical phenomenon is that Cape Reinga is where the Tasman Sea meets the Pacific Ocean, and the clashing currents of the two waters actually creates whirlpools that you can see from the shore!

The lighthouse at Cape Reinga 

The whirlpools formed by the currents of the Tasman Sea meeting with the currents from the Pacific Ocean

Lands End, the departure point of souls to Hawaiki.

At last it was time to turn back and head south, our time in the Northlands had turned it's corner.  But there was one more stop to make near the northern tip of NZ.  On the northern edge of 90 Mile Beach there exists giant sand dunes the likes of which no man has ever seen before…Ok, maybe I got a little carried away with that.  But they are pretty awesome!

We stumbled through a wormhole and ended up in Saudi Arabia!

Luckily for us, there was a van in the carpark renting boogie boards and after struggling to climb up, we boogied and boarded our way down the massive dunes at breakneck speeds.  Sweet as!  

Tons o fun!

Two Summits, One Day

We hit the road early the following day as there was a bit of distance that needed to be covered if we were to hit our next campsite for the night.  The road we were taking is known as million dollar view road, so of course we made a few obligatory stopovers at some beautiful bays despite any sort of schedule we were trying to keep.  I'll let you sneak a few peaks at those beaches below, but today I'm here to talk to you about tramping.  You see, the million dollar view road ends in a largely undeveloped harbor called Whangaroa Harbor.  There is a (very) small town where deep sea fisherman come to try their luck with the marlin, but we weren't there to fish.  No, today we were going tramping.

Here are your photos of the bays: Matauri Bay

and…Tauranga Bay? They're getting hard to keep track of. 

The first trail we did was a warm up for the second.  Named St Paul's Rock, and commanding 360 degree views of the harbor and it's surrounds, after Velma got us to the trailhead (and admittedly did half of the work for us) we were on the summit the rocky hill in less than 30 minutes taking in those views.

The second trail was longer, more challenging and more rewarding.  It is one of the only walking trails that snake's its way into the heart of the Whangaroa Harbor.  I had been looking forward to this trail ever since I'd seen the photos in our travel book NZ Frenzy.  This was to be  the first serious tramp since leaving Auckland.  After finding the trailhead, we geared up and headed out.  The trail first climbs up to a ridge by means of an old unused dirt road before descending through dense coastal lowland forests on other side.  The trail then emerges onto a flat river valley and follows the stream to it's mouth at Lane Cove where it climbs steeply to the top of a rocky outcropping called the Duke's Nose.

We were admittedly a bit tired from the St Paul's hike, so the initial ascent of the ridge was something of a thorn in our side (or was that a cramp?).  When we got to the first river crossing at the end of the descent things started getting good.  Along the bank of the river are thick mangroves, and beyond those grassy meadows before the hills carpeted with forest climb steeply to the base of the towering black rock walls the border the valley.  As we proceeded through the valley, we even managed to see an airy waterfall coming over the side of one of the walls.  It reminded me of Yosemite, if only on a smaller scale.

The valley

Do you see the waterfall?

Once we reached Lane Cove, all that remained between us and a spectacular view was the 20 minute trail that scales the Duke's Nose.  Those final 20 minutes made both the ridge ascent and St Paul's rock feel like the rolling plains of Kansas.  We huffed and puffed grabbed onto every tree root we could to crawl up the near vertical hill before reaching the rock itself.  From there, chains were graciously provided to pull yourself up the remaining hundred feet or so.  Then we got to the top.  Whoa! 

Lane Cove

Couldn't you see this landscape being in the next Avatar?

All is worth it

Unfortunately we didn't get to spend much time with the view, since sunset was rapidly approaching and we had a two hour hike back to the car.  I get the feeling that even if we had had hours to pass at the top of the Duke's Nose, the view is so spectacular that regardless how long you stare it would still be heartbreaking to peel yourself away from it.  Best hike in New Zealand yet.  

The Cream Trip

With the second day on the Bay of Islands full of sunshine, we thought it time to do what we came here to - the Cream Trip.  If you hadn't noticed by the name, the Bay of Islands is a bay full of islands (144 if I'm not mistaken).  The special thing about these islands is that these days they are largely undeveloped and publicly owned with a few exceptions.  This wasn't always the case, and thus the Cream Trip was created. The Cream Trip is an old boating route launched launched in 1886 with the purpose of delivering coal products to the inhabitants of the islands and transporting cream from the islands farms.  In the 1920's Fuller acquired this route and with rise of the Bay of Islands as a tourism destination in the 1980's, they began selling tickets to the public to allow tourists the access the beauty of the greater bay and it's islands.  Of course, now a days they include things like island stopovers, swimming with dolphins, and going through the Hole in the Rock to the trip and they are delivering mail instead of coal supplies.  

We boarded the boat and set sail around 9:15 am, and after making a quick stop at Russell to pick up a few more passenger the trip official began as we made our way towards the Moturoa Island for the first delivery.  The tour was accompanied by the captains narrative, which filled us in on the historic significance of various sights we visited as well as pointing out the natural features and creatures inhabiting the areas.  It was via this commentary that we learned Moturoa Island is one of only two islands in the bay that is privately owned.  It is owned by some 120 lucky (and probably exceedingly wealthy) shareholders, many of whom have built holiday baches on the island.  

After the first delivery and a brief tour of the area surrounding the island, we hit the open water for the chance to spot some dolphins.  It wasn't long before we happened upon a large pod of 30-40 dolphins frolicking about, although we were informed that since this pod contained baby dolphins we wouldn't be able to snorkel with them.  Either way, watching the playful dolphins peruse around the boat, showing off their tricks and poking around curiously was highly entertaining.  The captain mentioned many interesting facts about the animals, such as that they are the only animals in the animal kingdom besides humans who have sex not solely for means of reproduction (an activity which, he added, they were gratuitously indulging in as he spoke).  He also mentioned that New Zealand keeps no dolphins in captivity, as the life expectancy for caged dolphins drops considerably.  Right on New Zealand!

The next three islands were the cream of the trip (see what I did there? :p).  We did a drive by of Moturua Island, not to be confused with the before mentioned MoturOa.  Gotta love those Maori names.  The island was an absolute beauty.  An Auckland millionaire had built a veritable complex on the only privately owned portion of the island, and the beach he fronted was arguably one of the most scenic in the world.  Luckily for the rest of the world, due to the New Zealand law that all beaches must be public access and therefore cannot be privately owned, anyone with a boat can mosey on up and enjoy it for themselves. 

Motuarohia island, which is the island neighboring Moturua Island to the west, was equally if not more stunning.  Sporting two lagoons on the single narrow sand spit connecting two larger forested hills, whoever owns the single modest bach on this island is truly one to be envious of.  It is most certainly another contender for most beautiful island/beach in the world.  

The last island that we got to check out was Urupukapuka Island.  This island is the largest in the bay and our experience with it was unique from the rest in that we actually got to dock and explore the island.  The island is completely owned by the New Zealand Department of Conservation and it runs several camp sites on the island, provided you can hire a water taxi or charter boat to get there.  We docked into Otehei Bay and were released from the ship to go about our whims for about an hour or so.  Otehei Bay is another drop dead gorgeous stunner.  The water is clear as glass and we saw several large fish swimming under the docks.  An American writer by the name of Zane Grey established a base in the bay for a time so that he could beat other deep sea fishers to the waters in the morning.  After a short swim I ran to the top of the tallest hill I could find for a wonderful panoramic of the whole island and it's many lovely bays.

The final stop for the day was the Hole in the Rock, which is exactly what it sounds like - a hole in a large rock just off the coast of Cape Brett.  Once the boat started moving towards the more open waters near the rock, the sea became pretty rough and numerous people on the ship had to rush for their little white bags.  Fortunately neither Kayleigh or I are prone to sea sickness, but due to the conditions of the sea, we were prevented from the privilege of sailing through the hole.  That didn't make the views any less amazing.

I know this has been a long post, but it was a day full of stories that need to be told, and the last thing I'd like to share with you is that on our return towards Russell, we were surprised by a pair of dolphins doing some tricks out in front of the boat.  It's apparently very rare to see only a pair of dolphins with no pod around, and many took the opportunity to jump into the water for a snorkel with the playful pair.  Kayleigh and I held back on this one, as it wasn't very long before other tourist boats in the area spotted our luck and came to get a piece of the action.  Before we knew it, there was over 5 boats unleashing a snorkel army onto the unsuspecting dolphins, who unsurprisingly turned and swam for the hills.  

The Cream Trip is a definite highlight of our time in the Northland.    

The Bay of Islands

After a long night of feral rain and howling wind, we woke up the next day in Russell to more steely grey sky and the promise of more rain.  Feeling a little disappointed, we hopped on a ferry on drove over to Paihia, the hub of the Bay of Islands.  We had planned on going to check out some waterfalls since the rain would be keeping us out of the water.  In a twist of luck however, the weather forecast turned out to be completely wrong and the sun was brilliantly shining by noon, drying all our soggy dreams of life on the beach.  

Since we were already en route, we decided to stick with the waterfall plan, and the first of the two was Haruru Falls.  Haruru Falls is a short drive out of Paihia and is short but wide fall in a horseshoe shape, and being so close to Paihia it's also the recipient of the lion's share of tourist traffic in the area.  It isn't a particularly breathtaking fall, but given that we viewed it right after so much rain the sheer volume of water coming over the falls was impressive.  

The second falls we visited was Rainbow Falls, located a little outside of the small rural town of Kerikeri.  This falls is pretty much off the tourist trail and we were hoping to have the chance to be able to get into the cave behind the falls, but once we arrived and seen the flood like conditions there was no way to get back there safely.  

No getting back there today!

After lunch we decided to head back over to Russell, since the weather didn't give us a fair chance to check it out.  I'm glad that we did.  Russell is a small town on the Bay of Islands across the water from Paihia that is full of character.  It was once infamously known as the "Hell Hole of the Pacific" as it was one of the first port towns in all of New Zealand and had a variety of colorful business catering primarily to the sailors as they came into port.  Rumor has it that the port town depicted in the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie was modeled after Russell.  These days however, it's a beautiful little old town with a few nice restaurants, bars and hotels situated right on the waterfront.  

The waterfront in Russell

The receptionist working when we checked into our campsite in Russell the night before had recommended to us to check out some of the view points around the city, so Tapeka Point is where we headed next.  The hike was an uphill slog in the sun, but the views…oh the views.  All the way along the trail you are treated to sweeping panoramas of the wonderfully blue bay and forested coastline.  The addition of some well placed bazillion dollar homes made it feel as though you were looking over the Mediterranean coast.  Enough talk…check out the photos!

From the top!