Waitangi Day is a celebration of the signing of a peace treaty between the Maori chiefs and Queen Victoria's government back in 1840. Waitangi is up in the Bay of Islands.Waitangi Day is a public holiday in NZ.
We had our breakfast, cooked cos it is a BH, and then took Totty for her walk.
We then went over to the Mount shopping area and bought a printer, a bedside lamp as the one on Jon's side of the bed is really small and is really from the downstairs bedroom. We managed to find one the same as mine which is a touch lamp and really nice. We also got an adaptor so we can play ipod music in the car. We are sick of the radio station that plays 60s and 70s music as they play the same old tracks day in and day out and I am fed up hearing Herman's Hermits, No Milk Today! All the way to Nelson it would drive us mad!
We haven't been to this shopping area before and we found a new greengrocer and a new butcher - Farmer Jones! Both look good.
After that we went along to the park where the celebrations for Waitangi Day were being held. It was much like a village fete but with Hangi meals on sale (they are Maori food cooked in dug out underground ovens by the heat from hot river stones). They were also selling half watermelons topped with chocolate ice cream. We didn't try any as it was a bit early. There was a big stage with a group playing traditional music with a programme of different acts planned throughout the afternoon. We haven't managed to buy a sunshade yet so we weren't able to sit and watch for too long as it was very hot and most people had tents and sunshades.
We went to the New Zealand Historic Aircraft Museum cafe for lunch and had a BLAT - bacon, lettuce. avocado and tomato sandwich which was lovely. We sat outside but in the shade and a convoy of Ford Capri cars tuned up at the museum they were the NZ Ford Capri Club (see pictures on Facebook). They all parked up in front of the hangars and just enjoyed the day.
We then went to Bunnings (the NZ B&Q) and had a look for a sunbed for me and a sunshade and also we want to put a plant trough at the side of the house to hide the wooden gates we have put up to keep Totty in, we didn't find anything we needed there but it is a very big shop and we found a plant called Kangaroopaws!
We drove along to Papamoa as one of Jon's work colleagues told us about a car he had seen there for sale but we didn't like it.
After a quick visit to Bayfair Shopping Mall to buy a sun shield for the car, I also found some T Gel shampoo, some Nivea face cream and some Sea Legs (just in case the Cook Straights are rough next week) we set off home. I never thought I would get Jon to shop like this, he hated shopping in UK!
It was 30 degrees in the house when we got back and Totty had once again made herself comfy in our cool bedroom.
We didn't take Totty out until 7.00 as it was still very hot.
Friday night is fish and chip night and this week I had bought a tin of mushy peas to go with them. We went back to the first ship shop we tried and the fish was lovely, far too many chips though , next time half a scoop will be enough. It was really nice sitting outside with our fish and chips and bottle of wine looking over towards the Mount.
Jon is now watching the cricket and I am just about to have a cup of coffee and then go to bed.
Who knows what we will do for next Waitangi Day!
No comments:
Post a Comment