February 28, 2016. Eating our way south

CAMPGROUND:  Donegal Irish Pub.  Parking lot next to pub.  No facilities, but can use pub's toilets.  $6/night.  3 stars

LOCATION:  Kaikoura, South Island, New Zealand.  North of Christchurch

WEATHER:  Beautiful. Highs around 70

We walked along the beach at the campground where we stayed last night, then headed south along the Pacific Ocean.  Beautiful drive.

We stopped at this little cafe with a crayfish on top.  The New Zealand  crayfish are more like lobsters. 

They are quite expensive.  These people shared a $100 one.

This area is famous for its paua (abalone).  We thought we should try one.

We tasted a paua patty and a bacon wrap with bacon the owner had smoked,  seasonied with a seaweed and chili rub. Wow!  

Our route followed the coast.  We stopped along the way, mesmerized watching the thousands of seals playing and sunbathing.  There were also several locals snorkeling for paua.  

Once in Kaikoura, we strolled along the beach-side avenue.  We shared an order of huge green-tipped mussels.

I had seen this Irish pub advertised as offering camping, and we thought it would be fun to spend the night here.  The owners have a family tree posted showing the descendants of the original Irish people who settled here during the Irish famine.

George had a Guinness in the pub, chatting up the waitress.  Then, we shared a roast chicken dinner with Yorkshire pudding.  Very tasty.