New Plymouth is on the North Island of New Zealand, on the west coast, facing the Tasman Sea. The town of nearly 100K citizens has a very busy port, exporting timber, so they offer a free shuttle into town and we took advantage of that. We decided to get off the ship early and grab breakfast at a nice seaside restaurant, Salt.

When we were here in 2024 on the World Cruise, they had a nice market in a local park, and we purchased a beautiful cutting board from a lovely young woodworker. She shared her technique with Marshall and we enjoyed visiting with her. That cutting board was gifted to our daughter Kathryn and Sharon has always wanted one for herself. We were excited to see that the market was still there and our woodworker was too, with her gorgeous boards, of which we purchased one to take home. Her boards involve beautiful woods and resin, which she creates a pattern that looks like ocean surf. We love her work!

Afterwards we walked around the town a bit and shopped in the local mall where we ran into a few crew members who had shore leave today. It was a pleasant day and the weather was perfect.

In the evening, back on the ship, we participated in the Frescobaldi dining experience in the specialty Italian restaurant, Sabatini’s. This is a 4-course dinner, featuring Frescobaldi wines, and with Ron and Lisa, we were joined by new friends John Powel and Leanne Butterworth from Australia, and Robert and Donna De Wit from LA. The Frescobaldi family is a Tuscany dynasty of winemakers, going back to the 1300s. In the 15th and 16th centuries, the wine house furnished wine to the Court of England and to the Papal Court in Rome, amongst others. Today, the Frescobaldi business is known for its use of ecologically sustainable farming techniques, compatible with the protection of the natural environment.

The meal and wines were excellent, the commentary by the sommeliers was informative, and the company very fun. Afterwards, the party continued into Crooners and we enjoyed the live music. 

Tomorrow: Sea Day