Hobbiton

We awoke for Day 2 of our Trilogy adventure and our first stop was Hobbiton!  We got there around 8:30am, giving us half an hour to explore the grounds before our tour would depart.

The Alexander Family Sheep Farm (owners):

Tickets and map:

Cafe:

Aaron had a club sandwich and I had a roasted veggie frittata.  Yummy!!

Here's where we caught the bus for our tour:

Let's go to the Shire!!!

We took a 10 minute bus ride through part of the Alexander Family Farm.  These people are making a straight-up killing!  They charge about $80 a head and even at 9am, there were people everywhere!  I must say, I'm so glad we did our tour first thing in the morning because it was way less packed than when we finished, so we got lots of pictures with minimal human obstructions (lots of our pictures have no one in them!).  Not to mention, the sun was shining and it was perfect (later in the day it rained a bit).  Rub our heads then buy a Powerball ticket or something because we are lucking out left and right!

This is the field where Craft Services and all the trailers for makeup and costume were during filming:

We're here!  Thanks for the lift!

Get ready for lots of selfies!

Gandalf's Cutting (where he rides into town and Frodo hops on at the beginning of the very first LOTR):

OMG I see Shire!

Geeking out so hardcore right now!

Okay, we went a little crazy with the first few holes, I'll admit, but the attention to detail is amazing.  Each hole is completely unique, from the shape and size of the dwelling to the props in the front yard.  Don't even get me started on the gardens.  It really was like a complete little village.  It made you feel like Hobbits actually live here, how could they not?  Incredible.

Butterflies everywhere:

They distressed the wood with vinegar and then glued on lichen:

This guy was just walking around like he worked on a movie set.  You're a few years too late, buddy.

I don't think I've ever smiled so big:

I'll admit right now that I wasn't really listening to what the tour guide was saying (even though it was all great behind-the-scenes movie trivia).  I was so enamored with the Shire, I couldn't stand still.  I was constantly at one hole or the next, just admiring the details, while she was just flapping her gums left and right.  However, I remember her saying something like this tree is an apple tree, but in the book it was supposed to be a plum tree, so they had to pluck all the apples and wire on plums.  Okay, I'm getting the story wrong, but the point is that the attention to detail Peter Jackson had in his vision really brought this place to life.  I mean, who would've cared if the tree had apples or plums when the camera just pans by in the middle of a movie??  He was probably a real pain in the ass to work for.  Just sayin'.

More Shire!

Here I am, miles behind the group.  I just couldn't get it together.

Maybe it had something to do with me Skyping my bestie and giving her a personal tour of Hobbiton:

Man she looks way into it!

Hobbit pants!!!

We got to check out the inside of one of the holes and let me tell you, it wasn't what I expected:

Well, this kinda killed it for me.  The Alexander Farm is only an exterior filming location.  All interior shots were filmed in studios in Wellington (the bottom of North Island).  We're going to try to go to Weta Cave (one of the studios involved in LOTR) when we get to Wellington, but I think it's just a museum and you're not on the sets.  Ahh, well.  Some things just remain movie magic forever.

Welcome to our humble abode!

I don't think I even had to duck to fit into a hobbit hole.  Yay, I'm one of them!

What a view!

Now we're approaching the most famous hobbit hole:

Yup, you guessed it!  Bag End (Bilbo and Frodo's house, duh!).

The famous bench Bilbo is sitting on talking to Gandalf at the beginning of the first Hobbit movie (I think they sit here and smoke a pipe in LOTR I too):

The party sign!

We bought one in the gift shop for $20!  I know it's ridiculous, but we were way in the spirit.

Best selfie EVER!

Ahh!  I'm at Bag End people!  I can't even take it!

Neither can Jessica, by the look on her face:

Ahahahaha!!!!  I had to do it, Jess!

More hobbit holes!

Now we've reached the "Party Field," where Bilbo had his 111th birthday!

Party Tree:

We are now leaving The Shire and heading to The Green Dragon:

Sandyman's Mill:

We're here!

The Green Dragon:

I don't know why, but all my pictures of the inside came out fuzzy.  I think it was a combo of the lighting and me getting too excited to slow down.  Our guide gave us 20 minutes to grab a free drink (they had a stout, an amber ale, an apple cider (alcoholic) and a ginger beer (non-alcoholic) that are specially made for Hobbiton) and food, if we desired.  I had too much to see to eat, but we got our free drinks and they were yummy!  I got the cider and Aaron got the stout:

Let's tour The Green Dragon!

The bartender told us that this is actually a hobbit rendering of their actual boss and he hates it:

I would love a hobbit drawing of me!!

This green dragon was carved out of wood by a Maori man, who actually just died about 3 months ago.  It's beautiful:

We exited out the back:

They have this huge tent for private functions:

Perfect view of the party tree across the lake:

After our 20 minutes was up, it was time to leave Hobbiton.  I've never been more sad to leave a place I'd only inhabited for 2 hours.

I took a lot of farewell pictures:

I'm pretty sure I failed to mention before that all of the gardens and plants you see are completely real.  All the vegetable gardens and wildflowers are 100% legit.  Even the vegetables are real!  They have a full staff of gardeners who care for the plants every day.  The other strange thing is that even though there were gardens surrounding us the entire morning, Aaron didn't have a single allergy (which usually he would have).  There's a different aura around this place and it's just magic.

Goodbye Hobbiton!  We will love you forever!!!

We hit the gift shop on the way out:

They sell their beer:

We bought these maps:

I'll admit we went a little crazy in the Hobbit Shop, but we figured we're probably only in Hobbiton once, so we went for it.

Also, signed the guestbook:

Couldn't really think of any non-generic LOTR quotes on the spot (I know, lame).

Boy oh boy, this was a great tour and we are cheesing from ear to ear!  Thanks for the memories, Hobbiton!  We will never forget you!

Oh we're not done yet!  Up next: Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari and Te Puia.