Blustery Day in Rotorua

And do you know what's good on a blustery day in Rotorua?  Fish and Chips.  That's what.  In my case accompanied by some crisp New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc as I sit comfortably in my motel room listening to the wind and rain.
Pil, what's up with the motel?  We all know you refuse to drive in foreign lands--especially when they drive on the left.
Lotsa motels in New Zealand, and none of them require the guest to have a car.  This place happened to be convenient and to have the facilities, I needed.
Today was given over to exploring the town and spending money.  It's easy to spend money in Rotorua.  I saw few touristy stores in Hamilton and none in Wellington.  Well, here every third or fourth store on some streets is given over to souvenirs.
Whadja, buy, Pil?
My linen bag from Battle in Sussex (1066 and all that) is on it's last legs.  I thought I'd get a new bag in New Zealand, but I had requirements.  If you want a bag that says New Zealand on it, there are zillions of them.  They are for amateurs.  I wanted one with the Maori name--Aotearoa.  It translates to Land of the Long White Cloud and was supposedly the first words by the first human discoverers.  I found a nice bag today.  Snagged it.  I also bought some earrings with New Zealand shell, which people will be forced to admire.   I got, wrote, and mailed some postcards.  There were a few other odds and ends, one of which I will discuss in a bit, and, of course, the fish and chips.
The owner was a friendly chap--a Chinese immigrant--who asked me where I was from as my accent was easier for him to understand than those of New Zealanders.  While my fish and chips were being prepared, we chatted of this and that.  He asked me about pollution in Los Angeles, and I told him what the state had done to improve it.  He hesitatingly asked me about the political scene, and I assured him it was all right to discuss it with me.  People in other countries are Very Well Informed about what goes on in the United States.  Most of them do not hold this against us.
I got a lot of walking in before coming back to gorge on chips.  Rotorua is flat although its surroundings are not.  I walked down to the lake front where I saw sea planes being tossed on the waves.  I was looking for an atm for my bank's Southern Hemisphere partner.  I eventually found one once I figured out that group of stores was a giant shopping center or centre.
One big product in New Zealand is the famed Manuka Honey, which apparently is chock full of anti oxidants or probiotics or something healthful.  The stuff sold in the United States is probably fake or inferior given the prices for the stuff here.  I opted for some chocolates filled with the stuff.  Shall I try it?
Don't let us stop you!
Tasty enough, but the ratio of chocolate to honey is high, so I didn't get much sense of the honey.  If you know me in person and are nice to me, I might share when I get back.  Maybe.

Wellington to Rotorua

Rotorua smells--not unpleasantly--of sulfur.  As we turned into town I spotted a few hot plopping mud holes. The town is famous for them, and the region abounds in thermal springs.
I set out early to catch the 7:45 bus here.  It was worth it to me, as sorry as I was to leave Wellington, to have a direct bus without any dreaded transfers, and to arrive at a reasonable hour.  More people smoke on the streets in Wellington than Auckland, and another difference is Wellington folk cross against lights often and enthusiastically.  Sometimes I followed their example.
The trip was only a little over six hours this time.  Except around Auckland and Wellington, there are no multilane highways.  The main routes across the North Island are single lane in each direction.  We recrossed the desert.  Let's just say that it's not my favorite part of New Zealand.  We also got new views of glaciered Mt. Ruapehu as well as the ominous Mr. Volcano festooned with old lava flows.  We also passed through the usual gorgeous countryside and crossed numerous rushing rivers.
One of our stops was in a town called Bulls.  We went through it on the way to Wellington, too, and I thought who names a town Bulls.  Why?  It is clearly a place of great civic pride with bull models and images All over.  They must think their town is admirabull.
We passed my motel on the way to the bus station, so I knew where to come.  There's a grocery store pretty much right across the street.  The issue is that it's a major thoroughfare, and there are no lights or crosswalks or anything of that description.  My hostess told me to sprint.  This seemed to work.
Now you may have noticed a Major Omission on this trip, and it is one I have determined to correct this evening.  I am talking about cheese!  I got a selection of some nice grass fed New Zealand cheese.  Shall I taste them for you?
Why do you think you have to ask, Pil?
All these are cows milk cheeses. I going to start with something called Livingstone Gold, which is semi soft and colored with annatto so it's orange.  I have nice crackers to put all this stuff on.  Now for a bite.
Nice.  It doesn't taste like much at first but then a mild but complex flavor develops, and it's rather like very good Monterey Jack.
Now for something called Aged Airedale.  It's aged in red wax and is described on the package as sharp.  I don't find it so, but it has a very interesting and distinctive flavor.  I can't compare it to any other cheese, but I like it.
The next is a cheddar style cheese called Totara Tasty.  Here we go.  Mmm.  Good cheddar flavor!
Last we have Windsor Blue, a soft cheese described as "buttery."  The texture is nice and it has a sharp blue cheese taste.
Now I feel I have done my duty--but it was also a pleasure!

A Day Out in Middle Earth

Or at least that part of it on the North Island of New Zealand.  I sprang for the full day LOTR site tour that included pick up and drop off at my hotel, a Weta Workshop tour, and lunch.  It was a great day out, and I am very glad I did it because there was a lot of fascinating information about the filming and the sites were beautiful in themselves.
As we drove around Wellington picking folks up, our driver/guide pointed out historic spots and told us fun facts about the city.  Then we took off for Mount Victoria also known as "the outer Shire."  It's a heavy-wooded hillside with many trails, and it's where Peter Jackson began filming Fellowship of the Ring with the four Hobbits.  Our guide was very knowledgeable about the filming and throughout the day told us a lot of inside stories.  He also could tell us about the history and botany of the sites we visited.
I am not going to list all the places,  but although all the places are reachable by the public, they are not reachable by public transportation, and unless you knew what you were looking for you would not notice anything in particular no matter how familiar you are with the movies as there were a lot of special effects used to enhance the images.
We went to the river that stood in for the Anduin where the Fellowship paddled their canoes while being stalked by Orcs.  Oh.  Do you know why there are no Orcs in Wellington?  'Cause they're all in Orcland (Auckland).  Yuk yuk!  We also went to the site where Gandalf met Saruman at Orthanc and visited the national park where Peter Jackson and Co. built Rivendell.  As an added adventure, our own "Fellowship" crossed the swinging bridge--perfectly safe but exciting.  This park is covered in lush forests and streams and rivers abound.
Despite the heat of the day, we drove in air conditioned comfort and found plenty of green and shade.  There were plenty of chances to use the public toilets with which New Zealand is blessed.  I would recommend the tour highly.  You can book on line, and I encourage you to do it about a week in advance to get your preferred dates.
I am leaving Wellington tomorrow--early, and I'm sorry.  I wish I had scheduled more time here.  The truth is I think I like Wellington and the area more than Auckland, but let's just keep that between us.

A Day Out in Wellington with Friends

Ah.  Here I am sitting at my ease in my luxury flat with CNN on doing my laundry.  There are few things More Luxurious on a trip than clean clothes.  I have a full size washer and drier in my suite, and the lovely, good people at City Life left me some washing powder.  Also I discovered this morning that my suite had an Actual Teapot. I'd been getting along with improvisations, so a teapot in which to steep my breakfast tea was a real treat.
Presently I will pour myself a glass of some nice Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc--my white of choice.
This is a nice story.  During World War II my mother lived in San Francisco while my father was away in the Navy, and she connected with some folks from New Zealand.  One woman who returned to New Zealand after the war remained in touch with my mom.  In short they were pen pals.  When she died, her daughter Jan took up the pen, and she and my mom stayed in touch until my mother died.  Jan is also in touch with some of my other relatives, and my mother went to see her in New Zealand, and they came to see us in California.  My cousins hooked us up, and we arranged to meet today.
I did some chores before that.  I confirmed my tour tomorrow, and I booked my bus trip to Rotorua for Wednesday.  I'm glad I did because the seats available had dwindled, and I'm back in the fancy  seats, but I'll be able to go direct instead of having a nasty wait and transfer.
I also went to Te Papa--the Museum of New Zealand, which is a large modern facility near the waterfront.  I was after Maori and Pacific Island Art. Auckland has a better collection, but Te Papa has some incredible pieces created by contemporary Maori Artists and the exhibition is accompanied by haunting Maori melodies.
Also not to be missed is the justly popular exhibit on Gallipoli where so many soldiers from Australia and New Zealand died in World War I.  The story is told though eyewitness accounts and artifacts and recreations of the battle.  Weta Workshop contributed some giant models of featured soldiers.
Then I went to meet Jan and her husband John.  They took the train in from their home, and then we took the cable car up the hill to the Botanical Gardens and strolled down through them to the rose garden and the cafe where they took me to lunch.  It was so pleasant catching up with them.  After lunch we came back here for cooling drinks and more chat.  Then I saw them off at the train station.
It was a hot day, but it turned out well.

Hamilton to Wellington

My idea of a sound trip is to go from the airport to my apartment and  plunk myself and my bags down for the duration. This trip is not like that.  I'm fond of Hamilton, but I must move on.
I figured out a short cut to the bus station and tested it yesterday.  It's hilly but avoids the scary roundabouts.  I am sure New Zealand drivers are taught to watch out for pedestrians, but the roundabouts make me nervous anyway.
I got my bus ticket yesterday. The only seats left were the "Gold," i.e. fancy seats in front.  I'll feel like an idiot sitting there, and I don't know how to make a long bus ride interesting.
Here's some practical advice for when you walk out of the grocery store with a big container of ravioli and then suddenly realize all you have in the motel room is a microwave and not a burner.  You can microwave pasta.  I poured boiling water on it and then zapped it for four minutes.  I used some of the starchy pasta water to mix with the pesto I got, drained said pasta and added the sauce.  it works.
Yesterday I forgot to mention the birds.  As I was walking though the indigenous forest I came upon two tiny brown birds engaged in . . . something.  They looked like sparrows but then fanned out their tails and the tails had vertical brown and white stripes.  It looked like some kind of dominance display, but at any rate the birds were oblivious to my presence.
And here I am in Wellington after a ten hour bus ride.  Argle.  The driver was skilled and courteous, and there was an additional person to look after the passenger list and our luggage.  I was comfortable enough.  The bus was a double decker, and the fancy seats were upstairs.  We had ample bathroom and food stops.
The trip here was--well--long and tiring.  At first we passed lush farmland featuring not just the usual sheep and cattle, but alpacas and red deer.  Then we began to climb and went up and down heavily forested hills and deep valleys with rushing rivers.
We crossed something our driver referred to as the Desert Region.  It was a high plateau with scrubby plants.  Desert?  The Californian in me sniffed, "Amateurs."  And it was boring and Went On Forever.  As did the trip, but I did get to see a lot of the North Island including a glacier covered mountain and an obvious volcano.  A lot of it was beautiful, and I loved the green.
Whoa!  I got upgraded to a luxury suite.  I have so much space--it's almost as big as my condo.  And what am I going to do with two bathrooms?  Never mind I'll think of something, and I totally deserve it.

Glorious Hamilton Gardens

I'd been anticipating Hobbiton even before I started seriously planning the trip.  That's one kind of pleasure--the long awaited one.  Hamilton Gardens was another kind of pleasure--the unexpected marvelous experience that takes one by surprise.
There was a thunderstorm last night that did nothing to decrease the heat and humidity, so I knew I needed green, shade, and if possible flowing water or fountains.
I don't know why these gardens are not more famous.  They are a fifteen minute bus ride from the station.  I expected to be dropped off at the gates, but the bus stop is near the information center.  There's also a path beside the river that you could take to the gardens from the town center.  If it had been cooler I would have walked back.
First I explored the "Gardens of Paradise."  Oh My Goodness!  These are recreations of various styles of gardens from different cultures, and each is exquisite.  I saw the Nineteenth Century Romantic Garden, which was very pretty, but I'd seen such things before.  The same with the Italian Renaissance Garden, but the recreation of the villa and grotto was highly impressive. The Mughal Garden glowed with brilliantly colored flowers, and there was a fountain.  I adored the Chinese Scholar's Garden from the Sung Dynasty with its trees, pond, and small temple-like pavilion.  The Japanese Zen Garden invited rest and contemplation.  One side was combed sand, boulders and sparse plants.  The other a duck pond surrounded by beautiful plants.
That was just the beginning.  The herb garden was fragrant, and there are two vegetable gardens--one farm-like and the other a model for a productive and sustainable backyard.  One of the most fascinating was a recreation of a Maori garden.  Part of it was cultivated plants and part wild plants they gathered.  I won't list all the specialized gardens I saw, but they were all fun, and more are opening all the time.
I am going to pause here to have a refreshing sip of some Australian Rose since I've already had my water.  Ahhh.
Now where were we?  From these gardens I strolled through the Camellia Lawn and into the Rose Garden, which is extensive and has a lovely scent.  While I was walking though some of it, I thought, "This reminds me of Malmaison."  And indeed I came upon a sign explaining that that part of the garden was modeled on the Empress Josephine's.
One of the things I enjoyed most was the Valley Walk through native woodland.  So lush and beautiful, and the textures and varied shades of green lent it magnificence.  Those giant ferns are positively primordial.
So if you are in the neighborhood, don't miss Hamilton Gardens.  Entrance is free, and the cafe will feed you if need sustenance.
After I returned to town I did some errands.  I found a post box for my cards, and I have my ticket to Wellington.  Tomorrow I am facing a hideously long bus ride.

¡HOBBITON!

One does not simply walk into Hobbiton.  But it is a quest worth undertaking, nevertheless.  Getting there is a process.  For one thing the visitor should book ahead.  Now I thought I had blown it by not booking soon enough.  Nope. All the visitors traveling by bus, traveled as I did.  There is no less complicated way unless you want to book a Very Expensive private tour--and the trip is expensive enough without that.
You can go from Auckland, and many of my fellow travelers did, but they had to change buses in Hamilton. They had to get up early for a long bus ride. I spent the morning leisurely, and I explored the town before hopping aboard.  After about an hours ride through pretty, green countryside with rolling hills and farmland one arrives in Matamata.  The bus station itself is done up like a hobbit hole! It's so cute.
Then one transfers to the Hobbiton shuttle after receiving the tickets from the desk inside.  One reason the entrance fee is so steep is that there is a mandatory guided tour.  The visitor cannot just go wandering. Our tour guide was a cute Glaswegian named Michael.
It's a beautiful site and well-worth seeing.  A lot of people in our group had not in fact seen the movies or read the books!  For those of us who are real Tolkien geeks, the experience is magical.  This is Hobbiton.  You are in the Shire!  There are narrow clay paths winding around the site taking the group past a variety of Hobbit holes--all with their unique personality.  Photos are encouraged.  I took about a zillion of them.  Kind fellow tourees took a couple of me posing with a Hobbit hole.
There are ducks in the pond, and because of the vegetable and flower gardens, butterflies flit and bees hum.  It's just delightful.  But wear stout shoes when you come.
The commentary explains the history of the site and the construction and points out significant details. The details!  The people who designed and built these sets were obsessive!  They hoped their work would appear for a few seconds in the film and contribute to the sense of reality that Peter Jackson hoped to create.
The day was hot and muggy, but we all had fun on the tour which then finished up at the Green Dragon pub.  A drink is included in the price of admission--and most welcome it is by that time.  I honored my Anglo-Norman heritage and had some cool, refreshing cider.
The shop is a let down however.
Then we were bussed back to Matamata.  This is where things began to fall apart.  There was a long layover until the bus for Hamilton came, and Matamata is pleasant enough but on a muggy afternoon after one has walked down the main street and back again and strolled under some oak trees--well, that's it.  To make things worse there was an accident on the highway from Rotorua, and our bus was more than a half hour late.  Those poor saps needing to return to Auckland would miss their connection.   Because of the delay, I think the bus driver was stressed.  She was very unpleasant as a result.  The first New Zealander I've encountered who has been less than gracious.
So I got home late, wilted and hungry, but didn't Bilbo, Frodo, Merry, Pippin, and Sam suffer worse?

Greetings from Hamilton!

My trip here went without a hitch, but I'm inland, and its very hot and humid!  There are trains in New Zealand, but I think they run infrequently, so people get around by long distance busses if they don't have a car.   Since my stop was the end of the line, I didn't really mind taking one today.
New Zealand busses have classes!  If you want a fancier seat in the front of the bus it will cost you more, but the ordinary seats are nice enough.  It's just that the air conditioning was cranked up, so I had to wear my sweater.
The trip took a couple hours and took us through some lovely, green countryside.  New Zealand was formed by volcanos, so all of it is hilly.  Along some stretches of of the road the vegetation was definitely native plants.  There were trees and giant ferns the likes of which I'd not seen before.   Shades ranged from nearly black to the lightest yellow green and everything in between. Other bits of the countryside looked more European.
We passed a lot of farms with goats and cattle.  I saw lots of calves, but no sheep at all.  We crossed rivers and passed some lakes.
We pulled up to the Hamilton Bus Station. I gotten directions to my motel from google, but at first I could not find anything resembling the directions.  I guessed and started walking.  Good guess.  I soon came upon the proper streets.  The only issue was the roundabouts.  One must be very careful crossing because the cars are not stopping for pedestrians, they are stopping for on coming cars.
I got directions to a grocery store.  It was huge!  But I ran into a lovely woman giving out samples of wine, and we got into a conversation.  The people of New Zealand are most kind to foreigners and want to make sure our experiences are positive.  She offered me as many samples of wine as I wanted.  Ha!  No.  I needed to make it back here, but since her offerings were on special, I bought a couple of bots.  Right now I am sipping some of the famous Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, and very nice it is, too.  I feel less wilted.
Pil, I've heard of Auckland and Wellington, but not this place.  What are you doing there?
Two reasons.  One, I did not fancy the super long bus ride to Wellington in one go, but more importantly one can get to Hobbiton (the photo is from there) from Hamilton, and I have reservations for tomorrow!

Cool and Green in the Auckland Domain

Since it's high summer here, one can expect very hot days.  Today was one, and I knew I needed somewhere woodsy and shady.  I returned to the Auckland Domain this time with confidence because there is one bus route I have mastered.
But before that I went and got more cash and then went on to the bus station. I'm moving on tomorrow, so I'm back early to wash my hair and pack.  But at the station I got my ticket, so my spot is reserved, and I know where to get the bus to Hamilton.
Then down to pick up the Inner Link bus.  Ironically this bus called out the stops including one for the museum, but by now I did not need it.
I had a long, lovely stroll among the trees and flowers. The problem is that the Domain is on a steeply sloping hill, and that inviting path going down means an eventual climb up.  I found plenty of greenery and shade and felt cool under the trees. For a while I walked alongside a bubbling stream.  It was a world of ferns and lichen.  There was a spicy smell of plants, and the traffic noise faded away.  Experiences such as these are one big reason I travel.
But then it was time to get the bus back, and so I returned to glare and bustle and noise.  I'll report from Hamilton tomorrow.
I like Auckland, and I will be returning at the end of my trip.  It's a very manageable city, and I suspect full of fit healthy people since they have to go up and down hill all the time.
My blogging was interrupted by a phone call. It's a good thing I came back early!  I'd screwed up my reservation and was supposed to vacate today.  Uh no.  But the good folks here found me another--much smaller room, and I'll be fine for the night.

To Devonport by Ferry and Back Again

On these bright, sunny days as beautiful as they are, it does get humid in the afternoon, and I get wilty. But before that I had a very pleasant day out.
My first trip was to the grocery store.  All I have to do is explain to the kind staff that I'm a tourist and they do the self check out for me.  Nice.  Of course I have to feed the bills and coins in my own self.
Then I betook me down to the ferry port.  Since I was a bit early for the next crossing I did not have to wait in line for a ticket.  One can get a return.  I watched the waterfront until our vessel arrived.
As it happened I shared the ferry with a big group of local Morris Dancers, all beribboned with flowered hats and bells.  They jangled when they moved and seemed a jolly bunch.
The crossing is fairly short, but the views are nice on the way.  Then we pulled up at the ferry terminal in Devonport.  There are no "sights" there.  It's just a pretty place to walk around.  It actually reminded me of parts of Redondo Beach because of the charming bungalows and cute shops.
I walked up hill to Mount Victoria.  I did not have the gumption to climb all the way up, but I went up high enough so that I could enjoy the views back to Auckland.  I made a big loop through a nice residential area and then went back down hill.
Then I walked for a long time on the tree shaded shore line enjoying the sun sparkling on the water and watching boats go by.  I like my location in Auckland, but I must say I enjoyed being in a less bustling and commercial atmosphere than Queen Street.
I got the ferry back and strolled around a bit before coming home.  I offer two more reasons to appreciate New Zealand.  One is that fewer people smoke--or at least fewer smoke in public--than in Europe.  Smoking indoors in public places is of course forbidden.  Another reason is the availability of public toilets.  Even larger stores and shopping malls and arcades have them, but they sit on side streets, too.  As it happens, I have not needed to avail myself of these facilities, but it is a great comfort to me that they exist.

Auckland's Maritime Museum

I had planned to take the ferry to Devonport today, but the hard rain discouraged me.  It's summer here, and the temperatures are warm, and the wind was gentle.  I have my umbrella and stout shoes, so I did not mind being out in it.
I began the day with some chores.  I bought some stamps, and I got more cash.  I walked around the waterfront waiting for the museum to open and got a couple of postcards, which I later wrote and mailed. I also attended the bus station as I will be moving on in a few days and wanted to be prepared to do it smoothly.
I am most interested in Maori Culture and History, and the Auckland Maritime Museum has an excellent exhibit of boats and canoes from around the Pacific as well as accounts of how the Maori found Aotearoa.  There was also a recounting of creation myths.  Evidently each Polynesian sub culture has its own story of how the trickster god Maui created the islands on which they live.
The rest of the museum was dedicated to the British and other settlers.  The accounts of the immigrants' motives and experience for making the long journey are fascinating.  I also marveled at the contrast between the third class cabin around 1880 and the much nicer (but still third class) cabin of the early 1950s.  I wonder if anyone, who is not in someone's navy, comes here by ship anymore.
There's a lot about fishing and yachting.  I got a kick out of the period rooms of a typical beach business and home.
At the navigation exhibit I ignored the machines to look upward at a representation of the night sky over New Zealand.  It looked so strange.  I asked the other person in the room if that was the Southern Sky because I did not recognize a single star!  We tried in vain to find the Southern Cross, but I am sure that no Big Dipper appeared.
After that I poked around some very nice touristy shops.  I have my eye on some items and anticipate building up a substantial credit card bill, but I don't get things for myself or others that can't be worn or used.  Maori arts and crafts are for sale, too, and they are beautiful and appealing, but expensive.
Very few people jay walk in Auckland.  I don't dare.  There are green pedestrian signs to walk that I observe.  On my first day here I saw people crossing intersections diagonally!  The sight horrified me as that is a huge no no in the United States.  But it's ok here and in fact--I confess--I did it today myself.

Some Auckland Sunshine and Art

This is a good time to be out of the United States, I'm thinking.  I hear the news, of course, but when I abroad it's less intrusive. And speaking of news--Congratulations to New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who just announced and she and her partner are expecting their first child.   She is setting a fine example for other women by taking her full maternity leave when the time comes.  Her Deputy Prime Minister will take the reins.
One of my chores this morning was to book my tour for Hobbiton, one of the most popular sites in New Zealand.  I won't be going for about a week, but I am so glad I booked ahead.  Even so the most convenient tours were booked solid, so I have to do it the hard way.  You can book on line at their site.  Do it before you leave home is my advice.
So here it is a warm and sunny Sunday just right for a low key day.  I took a stroll around down by the waterfront.  Unmistakable signs of Saturday nights revelry appeared.   There was an unusual amount of litter, and I spotted numerous beer bottles.  Corona seems to be popular.  Auckland has its share of homeless men who sack out in doorways or benches.  They panhandle when they are awake. The country has a strong social support system, so I assume these guys are drunks not looking to dry out but for booze money instead.
Let us turn from this unpleasant scene to something more refined.  I visited Auckland's Gallery of Art.  It's in a handsome building, which is a mixture of Nineteenth Century and Late Twentieth Century architecture.  Admission is free but I shelled out for a special exhibition.
The Corsini Family of Florence were pals of the Medici and contributed cardinals and even a pope to the Roman Catholic Church.  The family is still around and prominent in Italian society and lent part of their art collection to the City of Auckland in gratitude for New Zealand's help in defeating the Axis in World War II.
As with most collections it was a mixed bag, but I did see a fine Tintoretto that was new to me as well as a Caravaggio.  The Pontormo Virgin and Child with John the Baptist featured children that looked like someone had served them unusually strong expresso.
The Corsini Family also boasts a saint, and a portrait of St. Andrea Corsini was displayed.  But there was something odd about it.  I stared and stared.  I read the caption but was not enlightened.  Finally I asked the people standing next to me, "Is that a bullet hole?"  They had the scoop.  Yes, and not just one but two bullet holes.  The retreating Nazis looted art as they fled, and one of the Corsini women concealed valuable art works behind a door and left St. Andrea to guard them.  The soldiers shot the painting but did not seek further.
There are some interesting works in the rest of the gallery.  They have a Monet and a Picasso for instance as well as a solid collection of contemporary works by Southern Hemisphere artists.  One thing I found fascinating was the series of Maori portraits done by a British New Zealander.  They are remarkably evocative of both dignity and loss, and clearly the artist had a lot of empathy with his subjects.
But I know what you are Really Here For.
Butter, Pil.  You said you got BUTTER!
New Zealand farmers feed their sheep and cattle on grass, not grain, so the cheese, butter, and meat you can get is tastier and better for you.  Why the butter is practically health food--at least that's my story.
Stop rationalizing.  How was it?
Lovely!  I got some fancy brand that was lightly salted, and I got some crackers to put it on.  This is Good Butter, folks.  It may not be as transcendent as the raw milk butter I had in France, but it comes close.  Yet another reason to visit New Zealand!

Auckland War Memorial Museum

This day was more like it!
I normally blog and post in the late afternoon when I come home from the day's adventures, but the first adventure of this day is trying the New Zealand blend from Twinnings.  The description on the package says, "New Zealand Breakfast Tea is a full bodied and satisfying blend with generous, malty flavours.  You will taste a little smokiness reminiscent of the campfires and billies coming the boil, offset by subtle floral notes."  Sound intriguing?  Let's have a sip.  It's good.  I don't detect the smokiness, but I do taste and like the floral notes.  I prefer a more robust cuppa in the morning, however.  Breakfast consists of grainy, seedy bread spread liberally with hummus.
The next thing I did was go to the grocery store mainly to replace the Sauvignon Blanc I spilled all over my kitchen floor, but I also got some of the famed New Zealand butter, and we--or rather I--will be tasting it tomorrow.  I've been to the local Countdown three times, and each time I was waited on my the same gracious and patient young woman.  There were no cash registers open this Saturday morning, so she used the self-checkout for me.
I had a good nights sleep, and so feeling over the jet lag, I determined to give the bus another try.  I found on the map where I could get off and walk to the museum.  This proved easy once I figured out I had to cross the street.  Then I found the entrance to the park called Auckland Domain, and had a beautiful stroll through wooded areas and past ponds to the hill where the museum sits.  The views over the city are impressive, too.
I got my ticket and a museum map and began my exploration. As far as I am concerned the reason to come here is the Pacific Art. Most of it is Maori, and much of it is spectacular.  You will find an extensive collection and exhibit on the ground floor.  One highlight is a Maori Meeting Hall especially constructed for the museum.  One can go in after taking off one's shoes, so I did.  The wood carvings are amazing and so powerful and expressive.  I also marveled at the catamaran--how did people dare to go to sea in such a thing--and a huge war canoe acquired under shady circumstances from a Maori Chief back in the Nineteenth Century.  One interesting thing is that on all the signs and labels the Maori language is used first then English.  The Maori are very proud of their culture and eager to share it.  You can pay extra for a deeper immersion into the culture by some Maori guides on site.
I went to the top floor to look at the wartime exhibits.  I am always afraid I'll start to cry when I get to World War I.   A smaller section details the many wars between the Maori and the British Settlers.  On the walls are the names of the men who died in the wars. I looked for my unusual surname and found one instance spelled the same so we are related.  He died in Vietnam.
The middle floor did not hold much interest for me because I've similar things in Europe, but the spirit of adventure was upon me.  The day was clear and sunny albeit a bit humid, so I decided to walk home.  The roads in the Domain have names but no street signs.  I just kept walking downhill and in the direction of the Sky Tower, Auckland's major landmark.  Sometimes I had to walk up hill, because Auckland goes up and down a lot, but I could always spot the Sky Tower and eventually ended up at Albert Park where I walked yesterday, and now I'm home.

I'll Try Again Tomorrow

I hate busses!
But they are the only game in town in Auckland except for my own feet.  My target for today was the Auckland War Memorial Museum.  The name is misleading.  It is far more a cultural and ecological exhibit.  It came highly recommended to me and sounded fun.  I looked it up on the internet, and it seemed easy to get to.  Ha ha ha ha ha.
It rained over night but this morning it was not drippy, and I even caught a glimpse of the southern sun.  My first chore was more groceries, so I proceeded to the store and had a good look around.  Among my takes was a small box of that Twinnings New Zealand blend, which we shall be tasting tomorrow at breakfast.
After dropping my food and drink off, I betook myself to get a bus pass.  They are called AT HOP, and yesterday I saw signs for the everywhere, but I didn't know what they were.  Predictably I saw no signs this morning, but I walked down to the ferry port where the internet told me I could obtain one.  They are rather like Oyster Cards.  You pay for the card, and then you can load it and reload it with value. You tap in on the sensor on entering the bus and tap out when exiting--just like the Oyster Card and the Magic Transportation Card from Amsterdam.  The exception is one has to register the thing on line, which is a pain.  I could use it today unregistered, but unless it's activated, and since I am a foreign visitor the information I was asked to give is completely useless to them, it won't remain valid.
I asked where to get the bus to the museum and attended the bus stop.
Now.  If there is a stop called "Museum" on the bus, it is a reasonable expectation, is it not, that the bus actually goes to the museum?  No.  This is not a reasonable expectation.  The bus apparently goes near--sort of--the museum.  I am always anxious on busses, but I began to feel even more anxious when no stops were displayed.  I resolved to stay alert because I knew what the museum looks like.  What I got instead was a fairly extensive tour of Auckland winding up and down hills.  We went through posh looking neighborhoods as well as rather sleazy ones with strip joints and dive bars.  We went past commercial districts, the university, and hospitals.  What we didn't do go by is the museum.
When we got back to the part of town I recognized, I hopped out.  Not wishing to waste the day, I went for a walk in Albert Park.  The hills are steep, and my legs got nicely stretched.  I entered a green world of trees whose trunks and branches resembled nothing so much as the giant squid from Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.  Many massive branches sprout from the central trunk and they go writhing and spiraling around. They even criss cross one another.  I have never seen anything like it.  There are also conventional flower beds, statues and fountains--but those trees! I find that they are called Ombu Trees.
And then when I came home, I opened my fridge to get a drink of water and a wine bottle fell out and broke.  I picked up the biggest pieces and was able to sweep up the rest.  This has not been my best travel day ever.  Sigh.
To distract us from my frustrations, let's have some observations.  I have been surprised and intrigued by the variety of accents among the New Zealanders.  Some of them sound like North Americans, but others have a more marked New Zealand accent, which is similar to, but not identical to Australia's.  Why is this? Is it regional or the result of pervasive American entertainment.  Downtown Auckland "boasts" a MacDonalds, a Burger King, and Wendy's.  But most of the food on offer is Asian of some kind.  I am guessing that everyone in New Zealand speaks English, but I have seen many signs in Chinese and Japanese.  Normally signs and titles are bilingual in English and Maori, which I think is a nice touch.
I am going to try for the museum again tomorrow, and if it's not raining, I have figured out a way to walk there--up hill alas, and I can take a bus back.

A Rainy Day Out in Auckland

Although given the weather forecast all my blog posts this week could have that title.  I felt pretty perky this morning after a decent night's sleep, so I set out to explore.  Auckland is very hilly, and because of the weather and my fear that jet lag would catch up with me I did not go far afield.  I did get a lot of good walking in however
My first stop was the Tourist Information Office where I obtained some brochures and a city map.  Then I strolled down to St. Patrick's Cathedral because I figured I should do something touristy today.  This historical and very lovely Roman Catholic Church is the seat of the Bishop of Auckland.  It is small compared to European Cathedrals and lacks their grandeur, but it was certainly worth a look, and there are interesting displays.  The founders of the churches and religious orders in New Zealand were French immigrants and did a lot to aid the Maori.  I thought that was interesting.
Then I strolled down to the harbor making sure to lick windows along the way.  I encountered a couple of very classy touristy shops, and I scouted them thoroughly.  I did not walk around the harbor much because the wind down there was very strong and drove the rain hard.
I walked back up Queen Street.  This is Auckland's "high street" and main shopping drag.  My aparthotel sits on it.  I found an ATM belonging to my bank's Southern Hemisphere partner and got some cash.  I've said it before, but I'll keep on saying it.  Find your bank's foreign partner--you can look it up on line--and use their ATMs to avoid pesky transaction fees, which add up quickly!
I bought something.  One thing I love to do in foreign cities is poke around stores.  I went into a drug store and found some Manuka Honey lip balm, so I got a tube.  If I come back looking especially lush about the lips, you'll know why and make sure to compliment me.  There are a lot of products featuring New Zealand's premier honey, but if you want to buy even a small jar of the Real Deal to spread on your toast, it will cost you.  I will probably succumb to its charms, but I have to work up the psychological gumption to spend that much on a jar of honey no matter how many anti oxydents or probiotics or whatever it has.
I walked up hill to the end of the commercial district on Queen Street crossed the street and walked down again.  I dropped into a fancy department store.  On the shuttle bus yesterday, I heard some people talking about it, and I like looking around stores so . . .  I helped myself to some perfume made by a New Zealand perfumer that was very nice.  I went up the escalator to snoot around some more.  When I was in housewares one of the shop assistants asked me if I needed any help. I said no, I am a tourist, and I like looking at stores.  Well, this charming man then proceeded to tell me the history of the store.  Smith and Caughey is still family owned, and they get a 25% discount when they shop there.  Sweet deal, eh?
I wish the lovely people in Auckland would Stop Apologizing for the Weather.  I loved the rain.  Sure I came come rather damp, but I have a nice cup of green tea and some nuts for a snack.  It was a good first full day on this trip.

Greetings from the Antipodes

That's the Southern Hemisphere to you, Friends!

Well, I seem to have landed on my little pink feet.  Getting here was a bit . . . complex, but I have had a big glass of water and a nice, hot shower, and I'm feeling more like a human being than a piece of lost luggage.
I had a long flight from LAX to Hong Kong, and then a longish layover, and then another looong flight here. Fortunately for both legs of the journey I had pleasant seat mates, and good service from the cabin crew.  I had a New Zealand dinner of lamb on the plane, but reverted to Chinese for breakfast with some Dim Sum.
If you fly a lot you are familiar with airport security.  Even transfers from one flight to another one goes through security.  Dude!  Just like we were able to acquire explosives between getting off the plane and passport control.  Well in New Zealand, they put you through security before you leave the airport, which oddly makes more sense to me.  New Zealand is super strict about food and agricultural products being brought in--even stricter than California!  I had to declare the package of nuts I brought for my snacks, but I was allowed to bring them.
I found the Sky Bus into town, and here my acquiring currency paid off because I did not have to get cash, and I was able to buy the ticket and get on the bus right away.  One bus takes the passengers down town and then we transfer to a shuttle for in town.  My aparthotel is right there at a bus stop.  Not ever having been here, I was feeling insecure about choosing lodging, but I have to say, I picked correctly this time.  My room is huge.  I have not one but two big screen TVs.  One is in the living room, and one is in the bed room.  The kitchenette is nice, and not only is there a full size refrigerator there's an oven!  I have a nice thick terry cloth robe to wear as well.
I went out and got some food--nothing exciting, but we can try some local wine in a minute.  As usual apart from picking up some basics, I had to explore even in my jet lagged state.  Did you know that Twinnings Tea does a New Zealand blend?  I will have to look into that.
New Zealand has a thriving wine industry and is most famous for Sauvignon Blanc, so that's what I got.  But the wine here is expensive, and I don't want to pay a lot even in New Zealand dollars, but what I got, for about the price I would pay in U.S. dollars from Trader Joe's or World Market is very nice.  I'll have it with the pasta I got.  Yeah, I know--not very exciting, but I am way jet lagged.
Cheerio!

Hong Kong Part I

I Greet You from Tomorrow!

Since I crossed the international dateline it's late Tuesday afternoon here.  I have actually been to Hong Kong before only it was fifty years ago back in the days of the Cold War when the United States was trying to pretend the Peoples Republic of China did not exist.  If Americans bought something we had to get a certificate of origin guaranteeing that the product was Not Commie.
I had an early flight on Cathay Pacific, and my pick up was hideously early--4:00am!  The sole advantage to that is that I rode in a car, not a van, and the freeways were clear so it was a quick trip.
But that early? The check in desk had just opened, but TSA would not open for another hour and a half.  Thinking of grabbing coffee or a snack?  Ha ha!  All the places are closed.
Fortunately I had my loaded and charged kindle, so I was able to occupy myself. Everything went smoothly.  The only hitch is that the flight left an hour late although we arrived on time.
Los Angeles to Hong Kong is definitely Long Haul.  I was in Premium Economy, so I had nice leg room and a comfortable seat. I also liked the nice pillow and thick blanket.  I get cold on planes.  The ear phones were also nice and helped with the noise. I dozed a little, but I didn't really sleep, so I have some major jet lag.
I had Chinese food. For breakfast there were rice noodles and vegetables, and I had Kung Pao Chicken for dinner.  It was pretty good.  Cathy Pacific is based out of Hong Kong, and Hong Kong still uses UK style adaptors for devices, so I packed mine in carry on and kept my kindle charged.
When I got here I sought out currency exchange.  I hate changing currency at the airport because there might be a commission or the exchange rate is lousy.  When I got to Europe I always have a supply of pounds or euros from a previous trip--enough to get me from the airport to my apartment,  and then I can seek out my bank's partner for an ATM.  I meant to exchange my currency at LAX, but of course everything was closed, so I did it here.  I brought U.S. cash, and now I am the proud possessor of New Zealand currency!  It's pretty, too!  It has New Zealand and then the increasingly widely-used Maori name--Aotearoa.  The notes are different colors, and one side features different native birds, so way cool.
I also walked around quite a bit, which did me good and allowed me to scout out the stores here. When I come back, I will unleash my credit card, and bring back some tea and maybe other treats.
This was just the first leg of my journey.  I'm facing another long flight to Auckland, so when I next post, it will be from the Southern Hemisphere!