Lake Wanaka is a cold, clear lake in a valley surrounded by some nice mountains. The city by the same name is one of the main tourist areas on the South Island of New Zealand.

Lake visitors could sail, water ski, swim, or just enjoy a nice day on the few beaches on the lake’s perimeter.

Near the downtown Wanaka area, there was a quiet cove with a number of boats anchored. The entire week we were there, the wind was calm and the lake was enjoyed by a number of visitors. In winter, snow covers the mountains in the distance.

“Jonathan Livingston Seagull” posed for Bob on a rock in the lake.

This small Presbyterian Church caught our eye; one Sunday, we went to a very nice service there. It was after the Haiti earthquake and the lady pastor did a good job of talking about the mission of helping folks after a disaster like that.

One afternoon, while Judy rested, Bob visited a small brewery on the outskirts of Wanaka. No tours were available, so Bob had a beer and left.

The WANAKA BEERWORKS had “Cardrona Gold” and “Tall Black” on Tap. I tried the Cardrona— which was a little heady but not too bad.

The “Brewski” was the third microbrew made at the WANAKA BEERWORKS. Bob chatted for a few minutes with the bar tender, who also worked in the brewery.

A few miles east of Wanaka, the Waitaki Powerplant was harnessing power from the Waitaki River.

The Powerplant was large and had a huge substation not far from where the water rushed over the falls in the photo.