Waitangi Day Weekend

Friday night was a birthday celebration for a girl at the hotel, Camilla. A couple people arranged a bbq and a night out on the town and I went with. Camilla is from Brazil, so the bbq was Brazilian flavored, which was just a lot rock salt on the meat that we cooked. We also had some sausages too to go along with it.

Rachel (a Kiwi and daughter of the hotel manager) LOVES onion dip. Over here though it is not pre-made, so they make it themselves with condensed cream, onion soup powder mix and vinegar. I told her once I get home I'll have to ship her a jar of french onion dip, American style. The homemade stuff tasted pretty yummy.

HAPPY WAITANGI DAY!
Saturday (Feb 6) was Waitangi Day (similar to our 4th of July - no fireworks though). Waitangi Day celebrates the treaty that was signed between the Maori and the European settlers in 1840. This treaty made New Zealand a part of the British Empire and helped cease the fighting between the Maori tribes.

Saturday, I slept in (Friday turned out to be a late night). I caught the 2 pm shuttle into town and walked around for a few hours. I had lunch on the harbour at a deli called "The Good Food Company". In the picture above it is the green building (you can click on the picture to enlarge it).

I then walked through the arts and crafts fair that goes on every Saturday. Lots of neat stuff there. I am planning to go back next Saturday and maybe pick up a few souvenirs. Afterwards I had some caramel gelato and walked by the water for a bit. I put my toes in the water and it was FREEZING cold. It is going to have to be excruciatingly hot to get me to go swimming in the lake.

Saturday night was just relaxing at home. Made dinner in the common room and watched Indiana Jones.