Week Two-ish

For most of this week we were mainly at home. On Thursday, having gone down to do some shopping, I persuaded Irene to indulge in some mince pie ice-cream.

The girls went off to 'Guides' camp on Saturday morning and so in the afternoon the four adults went off Christmas shopping at the Albany, Westfields, shopping centre. We had our evening meal at the Thai restaurant in St Heliers. Having experienced how hot their curries were we more careful with our ordering than when we ate there in 2014.

It was good to be able to talk to Joe and Julia on Skype the next day.

We did succeed in having a picnic by the beach in St Heliers.

Pohutukawa tree in blossom
New Zealand's Christmas Tree

The girls broke up for the long summer holiday on Wednesday. During the afternoon Irene and I went up to our favourite seat in Glover Park, overlooking Brown's Island. I was able to take a few pictures before the wind and the the threat of rain sent us back.

Brown's Island

Rangitoto and Brown's Island

Part way back we crossed the road to have a close up look at a vivid purple flowered tree. It is not a lilac and the leaves are fern like.

It is the end of the school year here. Both girls bought home good school reports and information about which classes they would be in when they return to school in February. Our first day of child minding started on Thursday. Zoe had play-dates booked for the first two days of the holiday and so our work was quite light with mainly Emily. 

We were free to use the car on Saturday. Irene had an errand to run. Teresa, our friend from Leicester House, had given us a calendar to deliver to her cousin in a retirement village about thirty minutes away. She is an interesting lady but has no family. Her rooms in the home are very spacious and she has a private veranda. On her floor there are two lounges. One is very large and the other is smaller. Both are very well furnished. Having said our goodbyes and promised to visit again after Christmas we made our way back. 

 Cornwall Park (given to the people of Auckland by a man of the same name) is right next door so we parked up near the restaurant. This was not available as it had been booked by a private party.

After ice-cream we visited the main house to learn something of the man who gave the park to the people of Auckland. It seems that back in 1840 Cornwall and his friend, Brown, took over ownership of an island. (This is one of our favourite islands to look out at.) Later they landed on the mainland and decided that they would own Auckland.

Ice-cream near colourful flower beds

With time to spare we chose to do one of our walks consisting of half an hour out and then turn round. Cheerfully we began the walk out of the park and in to the 'One-Tree Hill' domain. The next thing we knew we had walked to the top of the hill. It was quite windy so we were not long before we made our way back.

Stone writers in the sacred crater

The afternoon was short as we, Ian, the girls and I, left to be at the cinema for a 5.30 pm start of Star Wars. The theatre was. itself, an interesting experience. We started by ordering beers and food for all four of us. Our seating was couches with individual, powered, recliners. During the movie our food arrived. It was the first time that I had seen a movie in 3-D. It worked well.

From the cinema looking over Silvia Park

 I remember that it was about 40 years ago that I took Tim and Sally to see the first Star Wars. Back then we queued. The first time we did not succeed in getting in. Even 40 years ago the movie was spectacular. I do not intend giving anything away, but the two hours passed remarkably quickly.

Sally and Irene had enjoyed what was, by all accounts, a first rate meal down in St Heliers.

The next morning Irene and I set of for the 'Auckland Domain'. The Winter Gardens are spectacular every time we go. It was interesting to notice the different collection of flowers to those were used to in January and February. In particular I noticed the lack of Hibiscus plants. 

Using my old knowledge of Auckland I left the domain with SAT Nav off and found my way to the garden centre and then on to 'New World' supermarket before getting back.

Second Week

We have just had 'Auckland Day' bank holiday Monday. The normal shops opened today and our first call was to the local pharmacist. After some discussion I decided on 'Beconaze' to dry up my nose.

We then drove on to Parnell Rose Gardens. This is only ten minutes drive to the city, where you take a couple of left turns before finding somewhere to park.

The gardens are beautifully laid out on top of a steep green hill, which drops down to Judges Bay. This was one of the first areas in Auckland settled by Europeans. Up the hill on the other side of the bay is the little church where the fishermen used to pray before going out to sea. They did not always return each time they sailed. The bay is now cut off by an embankment carrying the road and the railway line.

The girls enjoyed exploring the path ways and eventually looking to see what was on the beach.

On the way back home we stopped off at another beach and there was excitement over the discovery of tiny crabs, which appeared and disappeared just as quickly. After a few moments of watching this phenomenon we crossed to the large, flat park area (Orakai Domain), where there was a large, imaginative play area. There is a Maori cemetery here.

In the afternoon the girls went off to the hairdresser. Here are the results. 

The next day we drove to Cornwall Park. This is a large wooded area which surrounds One Tree Hill. Zoe dashed off to her favourite climbing tree. Both girls enjoyed a good run around in this area. 

At lunch time we went to the restaurant to indulge in Cornish cream teas. The building is colonial and the place setting is white linen. Please imagine two little girls sitting here. They were very good.

Irene and I explored the area. There was some nice art work in the visitors centre and opposite was the oldest wooden house in Auckland. Acacia Cottage was built in 1840 by two pioneers. It was moved from the Central Business District in 1920.

Ultimately we drove to the top of One Tree Hill. It was very crowded, but once Sally had parked I did a typical tourist shot where the beautiful view is obscured by people.

On Thursday we went to Butterfly Creek. I could count how many times we have been there, but I won't. The visit started with the usual walk through the butterfly cage. Zoe is always excited to have a butterfly land on her. Then we visited the crocodiles,  which are really quite boring.

Once outside of this area we headed for the miniature railway which does two laps of the lake. At this point we became aware of small model dinosaurs. From the train we had glimpses of even larger model dinosaurs.

After the train ride Sally, Zoe and I went one way and Emily and Irene went the other. On the other side of a  black rubber curtain was an amazing set. There were animated dinosaurs of all shapes and sizes. The effect was augmented by the continuous roars of the beasts. Emily joined us  and the girls had a fabulous time in this area. It would seem that this 'Dinosaur Kingdom' was new for January 2014.

We all had a walk in the farm area. This too had been smartened up with a 'goat mountain' added.

I had a huge burger in the restaurant, but was disappointed to find that there would be no milkshakes for half an hour.

We returned home with Zoe declaring this to be the best day ever.

On Friday the painters arrived early. They are doing the outer walls. After a lazy start Irene and I decided to drive to our seat at Glover Park overlooking Rangitototo. This was my first drive in New Zealand for two years. Over the first short drive I only made two mistakes. The first was a indicator confusion, but the second was a  reminder that you never put the foot brake on with your left foot.

Having spent some time drawing our pictures we drove back, faultlessly, and  were almost immediately driven off for lunch at MacDonalds. The aim was to meet up with Ian before going on to do shoe shopping at Sylvia Park. At last I got my milk shake. In fact this was a third attempt at getting one at a MacDonalds. I had made previous attempts in the UK when each time the machine had broken down.

Before tea Irene and I walked down to St Heliers library. While Irene chose her books I started reading the Frommer's guide to England and Wales. I began to learn so much about the English that I thought that I would borrow the book.

For instance I learned that 'the Queen herself still presiding with grace over a dysfunctional family' and that 'in her post-Di humiliation, she has had her privacy invaded with an intrusive movie and has had to open the doors of Buckingham Palace in  August to raise extra funds from those willing to pay the hefty entrance price.'

I also learned that motoring is wandering about aimlessly and is best done in the Cotswolds.

The least recommended area to visit in England  is the East Midlands (Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Nottinghamshire). It is said that 'This area encompasses some of the worst of industrial England ...'

And so back to New Zealand. It is getting really hot now and the sky is bright blue. Our Saturday outing was to the Parnell farmers' market. There was the usual tasting and buying of fun food. Strangely there was the sale of Stilton cheese which I was assured was imported from the UK.

Antique Tomatoes

Bagel Tasting

I finished this visit with an ice-cream made from fresh boysenberries.

On the way back we stopped off for a round of miniature golf. Zoe beat me by one shot. She did get two hole in ones.

Ian had taken Emily for another visit to the dinosaurs.

In the afternoon Irene and I walked down to the sea. The tide was well out and it was necessary to walk over shells and a thick seaweed carpet to reach the waves.

After Irene had failed to identify a tree we returned home. Sally and Ian went out to a party leaving us with girls watching TV.