The A&P Show

Much like the state fair in New York, the A&P show proved to be a very long, but enjoyable day. Since I was actually going to work in the show, I was given a member's entrance pass and ticket and had a very easy time finding parking...and a free admission. Once I arrived I made my way towards the livestock paddock which was just another huge warehouse-like building filled with animals. As I arrived at nine, I searched for the people I was showing for, but with no luck. So after wandering the paddock for nearly an hour, seeing some of the largest cows I have EVER seen, watching men shearing alpacas (which look hysterical once they have no wool), seeing baby ostriches, piglets, ducklings, etc, I decided to have a look around the showgrounds.

It was not yet a hot day but I was thankful for my 30 proof sunscreen all the same. I have found that one can easily burn in 15 minutes outside in this very unfortunate country (the ozone is basically gone). I watched the horse jumping, the equestrian trials, the sheep hearding, the woodsman competition, the strongman competition. I walked through a tent labelled "the taste of Canterbury" where you could try samples of delicious food items from restaurants and companies all over Canterbury (that is the greater area that Christchurch is in). I finally met up with the people I was helping and found that I would be walking their llamas in the grand parade. So after a few more hours of walking around, the day getting much hotter throughout, I returned, took up my llama, and did my thing. He was quite finicky as this was his first show and we only just trained him to keep a harness, but it was nice all the same. The parade was huge and we walked them through the giant oval in which the horses were competing earlier. There were thousands of people and I realized just how much bigger this whole show was than I originally anticipated.

Afterwards we went and walked about a bit more, enjoyed some cool drinks and biscuits where the llama-owner's had set up "camp" and then finally left. It had been more than an eight hour day and I was exhausted.

On top of all of the animals and really interesting competitions (the woodsman competition was sooooo cool) there were rides and food tents, all sorts of sales tents, motorcycle shows, drag racing, everything you can think of. It really reminded me a lot of home and the fairs I had been to when I was younger. And again I realize that, despite the 9000 miles of land and ocean between my home and here, there is so much that is the same it is ridiculous. The planet is now a much smaller place thanks to flight travel and the like. I can't imagine that the A&P show has always been so "american". Then again, maybe it's just some human intuition to, when they have a fair, have it in that exact way.

Ah well, whatever it is, I had a great time and got to participate in one of the biggest days in Christchurch. It is a public holiday in this city with everyone getting off work that day!

What a lovely long weekend it has been.

-NMK