Almost Hobbiton

 I say almost Hobbiton because we never actually made it to Hobbiton.  This was because the set was closed for FILMING!  That's right.  The set is being use right now to film scenes for "The Hobbit" that will come out in 2012.  So no tours available.  However, that didn't mean we couldn't get as close as possible.  Hobbiton is located in the charming little town of Matamata. This is the sign and statue of Gollum that sits in the middle of town in the middle of the busiest street. We arrived at the statue in time to swap picture taking with three other people.  What are LOTR fans if not helpful to one another, right?  Right across the street from this spot is the LOTR tour office where you can sign up for the two hour tour.  No one is allowed to tour without a tour guide.  The Shire's Rest cafe is still open and so I went in to ask for directions.  It was only 20 minutes away so off we went.

 First, I had to get a picture taken outside the tour office in this little hobbity-hole looking spot.

 When you picture the "Shire's Rest" cafe you probably picture a cute little cafe that features the theme of Hobbiton.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  It is just an old wood and tin sheep shearing shed that was converted over to the cafe.  There is nothing remarkable about it except for how much it doesn't resemble the Shire at all.  I tried to get a good shot of the cafe but there was a tour bus with loads of people all over the place and I couldn't stand where I wanted to and not be in someone else's way of the shot they were trying to get.  The cafe is situated right across the road from the entrance road to get to the shire. We had lunch there and the food was really good. The girl who took our order was an American who had gone to school in Minnesota (Kyle was wearing his Golden Gopher sweatshirt) and was just in New Zealand for awhile for the experience.

 Since I couldn't take a picture of the real thing this was the best I could do.  Just a picture of Bag End hanging on the wall over our table.

 The cafe is situated on a working sheep farm and part of the tour is being able to watch a sheep shearing demonstration and feeding baby lambs with a bottle.  There were lots of cows and sheep in the surrounding hills.

 These are some of the hills around the area.  They are so gorgeous and it is so easy to imagine yourself in Hobbiton, which is not very far away on the other side of the hills.  So close!

 This is the road you take to get to Hobbiton.  It is about 3 km away.  I could walk that, easy.

 Here are the set guards that won't let anyone in except "authorized personnel".  Several cars went in and out but mostly the windows were tinted so you couldn't see who was inside.  Sneaky.

 Hills of the Shire behind me.

As close as I could get.  The cafe was selling some souvenirs but nothing I really wanted to buy.  The prices were either really expensive or really cheap. Some of the key chains were actually coming apart on the rack. My own pictures are worth way more. The set is scheduled to open back up to tours on November 9 and with our needing to extend our trip waiting for our VISA we are now leaving the morning of November 9.  So, goodbye lovely Hobbiton.  The road goes ever on and on.....away from you.