ear slaw

We knew that Thursday would be our only full weekday to enjoy Queenstown together. Jared's conference started early Friday morning. He would be walking and I would have the car, but we still wouldn't be together.

We started off early by taking a walk down to the lake and snapping some pictures. After coming back and getting ready, we headed into town.

While I was making 3 separate attempts to pay for our parking, Jared found our breakfast spot. It's called Les Alpes and its an authentic French restaurant right on the lakeside. It was decorated beautifully like an old farmhouse. I had the Millefeuille d'oeufs poches. Yes, I had to point at it. It's basically, poached eggs between two layers of puff pastry served with hollandaise sauce and ham. So...eggs benedict.

and Brennan had his first experience with soft boiled eggs and toast soldiers. 

It's a common breakfast food for kids here and it is GOOD. :) I only know because I shared some with him. Jared had a crazy assortment of French pastries.

 no...not all of these.

 and let just say....we made another run for those almond croissants later in the week.

Brennan decided that if you must eat at a French restaurant, you must have a French hairstyle.

 There will be a lot of talk about what we ate because it was so pretty and so good. Let me apologize in advance.

Jared had our day nice and planned so I was along for the ride. He took us up to Coronet ski field. Our rental car company had provided us with chains, but none were needed. The only place there was snow was on the actual ski field. We couldn't believe our luck with the warmer weather! It was awesome. This is where the fathead comes in! While attempting to get a selfie shot of 'The Remarkables' mountain range, I covered it up--with my head.

Here it is in all it's actual beauty. (The mountains, not my face)

 Brennan seemed to find 'The Remarkables' quite unremarkable.

The next stop was around lunchtime and we went to Arrowtown. Arrowtown was at the center of the New Zealand gold rush There is a Chinese settlement and a beautiful quaint little town.

It was recommended that we eat at a place called 'Provisions'. They are known and famous for their homemade sticky buns. Sitting outside in the garden, we experienced said sticky bun.

And to be honest, it was great but maybe not worth being known for.

Between breakfast and Coronet Peak, we had booked a trip on 'The Earnslaw' steamboat. Luckily, the booking agent didn't bat an eye when I misread and asked for tickets on the 'Earslaw'. This ship is coal fired and runs to the other side of Lake Wakatipu.

As you travel from shore to shore, they tell you interesting bits about the boat and the lake. They also point out mountains and talk about the history of the surrounding towns and sheep stations. They said that the name 'Wakatipu' means hollow of the sleeping giant. Apparently, the mountains look like a giant sleeping and the lake is in the middle. I am not sure how those who named it would have seen it from the air to know that but we'll pretend they did.

On this voyage is where I first had to dress my boy incognito.

Every single person on that boat that was visiting from Asia wanted to take a picture of him. A picture of him and a peace sign too. We were getting our picture made on the deck by the lady that tries to sell it to you...and there were Chinese tourists snapping our picture and trying to make Brennan laugh. I wish we had bought the picture so that you could have seen the quizzical look on his face. Now I am not being racist, I just think they thought he was the cutest thing they had ever seen. That is a fact that spans all cultures I guess. :)

I've written a book here, so I will save our mommy and boy adventures for another day!