December 16, 2012
If you miss the turn to head north to Kerikeri from Paihia, you’ll find yourself going past Shippey’s (the fish and chips place) and over a small one-way bridge to Waitangi, the historic site where the treaty was made between Maori chiefs and the British Crown giving birth to the nation of New Zealand.
Waitangi is a low-key, quiet, pretty area with a golf course, hotel, and the historic Waitangi Treaty Grounds. Rich and I went to the Waikokopu Cafe, next to the grounds, but figured we’d wait until Waitangi Day (when there’s no charge to enter) to visit the grounds themselves. Come to find out, Waitangi Day is huge deal here, and the closest parking spot was over a mile away; so we didn’t go.
Maybe we’ll get there next year, but in the meantime we did enjoy the lovely Waikokopu Cafe. -Cyndi
