Archives for December 2003

The eastern edge of the Pacific Ocean, relatively peaceful as we near the jaws of doom

The University of Auckland closed for the holidays on Friday the 19th, a civilized custom. We celebrated by heading to the Viaduct, adjacent to downtown and redeveloped for the America’s Cup races. Now that the races are over, the dragon boat racing clubs have made a pitch to use the sheds built for the NZ team as their headquarters, promising to boost tourism. The races we saw included both “open teams” of folks who wanted to have fun, and formally-sponsored teams, mostly companies – but one team was wearing the pink breast cancer campaign pink. Lots of fun, including a Santa Claus coxs’n who was dumped into the basin for a swim after his team lost.

Dragonboats in Auckland’s viaduct

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Merry Christmas to all our loved ones from Ann and Rin Middle Earth. The NZ Christmas Tree, also known as the pohutukawa, is a myrtle, Metsiderosis excelsa, adapted to volcanic rock and wind-swept coastal regions. It is a delight to behold these December giants arcing over the volcanic coast or on hillsides near Rivendell.

The Cricket : (an official R Report)

We’re hooked. Cricket = baseball + brunch + a day at the park + drama + civility. Now when we vacation, all idle moments involve cricket on TV, replays of Australia’s 2003 victory, the great Pakistan players of 70s & 80s, on and on.
We arrived early in Hamilton for the second day of the 5-day test match between Pakistan and the NZ Black Caps. NZ loves black – they are the Raiders – with a similar record. A silver history and tarnished but hopeful present.

Black Caps batsman Daniel Vettori (on his way to a 137 run inning) ready to receive a pitch from the Pakistan bowler, while the ump politely holds the bowler’s cap & sweater. Black Cap captain Stephen Fleming (who batted a phenomenal 192) touches the crease, ready to run. In the lower panel, the ball is on the way, but invisible.

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