Milford Sound fiord. Crystal clear water, mountains dotted with snow caps, raging waterfalls

The indigenous inhabitants of the New Zealand islands, Maori, associated with this grand creation of nature an interesting story about the legendary hero Maui, who, accompanied by the pyopio bird, went to the gods to gain immortality from them for his people. The young man died in an unequal battle, and the bird flew inconsolably for a long time over the bay. The modern name was invented by the captain of the Welsh vessel and the seal hunter John Grono, who were moved by homesickness. An experienced sailor named him after his hometown Milford Haven.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of tourists flock to Milford Sound. From the mountain cliffs continuously dive down "kilometers of water." There are many waterfalls in Milford Sound. And in comparison with some of them, cruise ships seem to be ships sailing in a bathroom. The author of The Jungle Book, Rudyard Kipling, was so impressed with the beauty of the fjord that he called it "the eighth wonder of the world." UNESCO did not argue much and included Milford Sound in the lists of natural wonders.

Weather conditions differ significantly on the two islands of New Zealand. On the North Island the climate is subtropical, but on the South - temperate. The driest part of the country is in the eastern part of the South Island. There are mountain ranges that do not allow western winds to penetrate. The tropical climate prevails on small islands, since the warm East Australian Current is near.

New Zealand is surrounded by seas, but seafood is not very common in the diet. Residents consume fish or meat with fried potatoes. It is considered an exquisite dish - fried or baked Kumara potatoes, which are cooked according to a special recipe on an open fire, and sweet to the taste. The basis of all meat dishes is pork, beef and lamb. Also, New Zealand is famous for its "French-type" cheeses: Montana ble, brie, camembert and ble de bres.

The water in Milford Sound is unique not only with impressive saturated colors, but also with an interesting division into three layers, each of which has its own specific features. At the very bottom of this New Zealand fjord, the water is similar to the sea and serves as the abode for mussels and unique black corals. The middle layer is salt water mixed with fresh water, and numerous starfish and crustaceans live here. The upper layer of fjord water is almost fresh due to the flowing water of the brooks and the numerous waterfalls falling from the mountains.

New Zealanders joke that it rains here 300 days a year, and in the remaining 64 days water drips from the trees. In addition to the numerous waterfalls, the noisy waters of which you can admire here all year round, in the vicinity of Milford Sound after heavy rains many small temporary waterfalls appear, feeding on the rainwater accumulating in the mosses. Cruises on yachts - one of the best options for visiting Milford Sound in New Zealand, because you do not have to adapt to weather conditions. Although it is worth noting that admiring the colorful spectacle of the spectacular waterfalls of the New Zealand fjord is best in sunny weather, and in the rain, their enchanting beauty.

New Zealand is the treasure of the South Seas, and the dream of any traveler. Here you can see both snow-capped mountains and rainforests. An amazing country in which everyone will find something of their own. New Zealand is the world center of extreme sports, and will satisfy all your requests. Walking in the fresh air will bring you a lot of pleasure and vivid impressions.

New Zealand is a fabulous country in which there is a place to relax and what to see. You will be greeted by magnificent cities, magnificent parks and gardens, many theaters and galleries. You will get a lot of vivid impressions. The most popular regions and resorts are Wanaka, Wellington, Christchurch, Queenstown, Auckland, Rotorua.

Recently, the remains of the largest parrot in history have been discovered in New Zealand. Today in the world there are about 350 species of parrots. Most of them are small in size. They easily fit on a person's shoulder. However, there are real giants. For example, a cocoa parrot in length can reach 50 centimeters. Until recently, he was considered the largest parrot ever to live on Earth. However, New Zealand paleontologists discovered the ancient remains of a parrot, which during life was almost twice as large as cocoa and was its distant relative. Experts believe that they belonged to a giant ancient parrot that lived on Earth about 20 million years ago in the Miocene era. According to the surviving remains, scientists were able to presumably calculate its size. Researchers believe that during life, the growth of a parrot reached 1 meter, which is equivalent to half the height of an adult, and its weight is up to 7 kilograms. This makes it the largest known parrot.

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