BurgerWisconsinBurger

Sometime you just need a burger and a beer. If you are going to do it you do it right. So you go to BurgerWisconsin for the food and get yourself a locally brewed organic ale.


I have had a BurgerWinsconsin burger once before, with my fab friend Linda in Wellington and was very excited to find that they were here in New Plymouth as well. They are so fabulous because they are not your bog standard burger. Mine was beef, mushroom, blue cheese dressing and whole lettuce leaves and if you don't fancy anything on their standard menu you can build your own. Oh, and this is a petite, they also do large.


The beer is fab too. A trip to the brewery, which is about 30mins out of town is on my must do list.

Trip to Patea

Talk to anyone round here and they will tell you the most significant thing about Patea is the freezing works. We actually went to talk to the museum staff about education programmes. We didn't get to actually see the museum because it is currently a building site but the plans look great and I'm definitely planning a trip back to visit after it's opened early next year.



I've driven through Patea on my way to Wellington and notice the Waka memorial. I didn't stop that time but today I got a photo. It is in honour of the canoe called Aotea that landed in South Taranaki and is the beginning of the Iwi (tribes) in that area.




On our way back we stopped for lunch just outside Hawera at the cafe near the Fonterra factory. Fonterra is the big dairy company so it should be no suprise that there is a big cow out the front and inside the tables are on a rotary milking platform - a tiny version of a rotating restaurant. There are non moving tables if you suffer from motion issues.


I have also added a trip to Eltham to my list of things to do - cheese factory and retro shopping, both fabulous on reliable information.

Remotes

TV, DVD, Video and Sky

Yup, I've finally given in, having resisted all the time I was in Melbourne and signed up for Sky so I can watch the rugby. As a bonus I now get 50 channels including Food (the Cook & the Chef, Yeah!), UK-TV and Prime (Top Gear, double Yeah!!). I fully realise that I may still end up with nothing to watch but monster truck racing and home video shows at some point but that's why I keep a book on hand at all times.

Cloudy

Today I went to Stratford and realised that I've only shown you photos of the mountain at it's clear, sparkly best. Not all days are like that so here are a couple of cloudy shots.

Still looks pretty spectacular, yes?

I spent most of yesterday at Owae Marae celebrating Maui Pomare day.

Sir Maui Pomare was a doctor, one of the first Maori members of parliament and a Taranaki boy. On the Friday & Saturday closest to June 27th they hold a series of celebrations. The Friday is for the locals and the Saturday is for visitors. You can read more about him here http://www.pukeariki.com/en/stories/tangataWhenua/mauipomare.htm .

Anyway, it was a great day with lots of talk, lots of singing and kai (food) of course. I only understood the special guests as all the rest was in Maori but it is wonderful being emersed in a culture that shows it's appreciation of everything through song. I'm guessing none of you have been to a formal Moari occasion - it goes something like this...

• Visitors are called onto the Marae, women first followed by the men
• When you get to the Wharenui (house for everyone) you have to take your shoes off before you go inside and take a seat, important men at the front and everyone else behind, around the walls
• The host welcomes you
• The women sing a waiata (song)
• The senior visitor thanks the host, introduces significant guests and tells the host why they are there
• The visitors sing a waiata

and so it goes. After each speech there is a song by the family and/or supporters of the speaker, it's great! On my long list of things to do is learn maori so I can really appreciate the speeches and on my short list is the waiata classes at work so that I know more than one.

Have you eaten a Tiger?

I have!

This little bit of yumminess is made by the local French cafe and as far as I can work out is made of almond meal with choc chips. The best bit is the dip in the middle filled with chocolate sauce.

Happy New Year!

In June Maori celebrate New Year, known by the stars that rise for the first time. Through most of the country is is known as Matariki but in Taranaki we celebrate Puanga. Matariki is the Seven Sisters or the Pleiades and Puanga is Rigel. If you are up at dawn and facing south on a clear morning you can see them rise.

The tradition is that you remember those who have passed away in the last 12 months and look forward to the coming year of abundance. So at work we have had a whole month of speakers and activities learning about the stars, navigation and the Maori view of climate change and heaps of other stuff. It was topped off yesterday with a day of activities at Puke Ariki and a celebration dinner at one of the local surf clubs, fab food music and dancing, just like New Year should be.

Oh, and I've been to a CD launch and an exhibition opening - seems I've made my way onto some official invite lists.