Day 12, Picton

It rained hard overnight and we awoke to heavy low clouds but with rain in the morning. We found a little café where I had muesli and fresh fruit and Mary had a large muffin and we both had the obligatory flat white coffee. We tumbled into the car and headed out onto Queen Charlotte drive that winds (and I mean winds) its way toward Havelock. The road never stops switching back and forth and there are times that you think that you can see the back of your own car. We climb up and then we go down to sea level again and again. The views of the inlets and bays in the Queen Charlotte sound are breathtaking. You come around a corner and you just gasp at the beauty and then you are plunged into dense native bush only to emerge in a few minutes to another small bay with a sailboat anchored quietly swinging in the breeze. We stopped in Havelock for lunch at a little café that specializes in green shell mussels. This area is famous for them and they are to die for. I had a bucket of mussels steamed in white wine and herbs with fresh crusty bread. OUTSTANDING! Mom had the smoked Cajun chicken salad and would not even venture toward even tasting one of my treats. After lunch we headed west toward Blenheim in the Wairua valley that has dozens of wineries and restaurants. We stopped into the Cloudy Bay winery tasting room and managed to sample few of their vintages and were very impressed with the Sauvignon Blanc that was served. Glynnis the lady behind the bar was a typical Kiwi in attitude and managed to keep us entertained with her questions and blunt questions about all things Canadian including taxes and medicare. We asked if she could recommend a local winery restaurant and she was quick to say that right next to Cloudy Bay was one named Gibbs that was outstanding. We said that worked for us and she picked up the phone and made reservations for us immediately. We went back to the hotel and Mary did a load of washing as the dirty clothes were piling up quickly. We changed into better clothes and headed out to Gibbs’s around 7:30 and found it at the end of a long private road that ran through their vineyard. Let me just say that the meal was the best that we have had since our arrival and we considered it an early valentine treat. Mt entree was one of the best I have ever had. Prociuotto ham with ripe figs drizzled with honey and shaved Parmesan cheese. To Die For! Mom broke with tradition and ordered the rack of lamb and was not disappointed. We washed all of this great food down with a tasty pinot noir and finished the meal off with you guessed it a flat white. Back to the hotel and early to bed as we are off the Hokitika tomorrow.