The Brotzman Adventures -Day 2

And we drove on...

An early morning breakfast at Drexel's proved to be just the start to our long haul across the Banks Peninsula. The same restuarant that we would have had to wait three hours to eat at yesterday, we were treated like special at guests today. And it was delicious. The most American breakfast that I've tasted since being in this southern hemisphere country that cooks their bacon only until it's hot, leaving it at a nice, floppy consistency. And not only is it usually floppy, but it's big and round and it folds over itself reminding me of the actualy fat little piggies it came from. Yum. But today was not such bacon. Today was long, thin strips, crisp and crunchy and filled with that oh so amazing greasey sensation as your teeth grind down upon it. We laughed at the fact that real Canadian maple syrup costs $2.50 extra for a 25mL drop....and how we still ordered it after coming from a state which has a high stock of maple syrup year round.

After breakfast we set off for Akaroa, the french fishing settlement on the tip of the Banks Peninsula. Although it was a cold day, we weathered the "storm" and it made me think about the many decades in which the fishermen endured the same cold weather and worse out on the open seas. We visited the local museum, watched a film on the natural development of the peninsula and found that Akaroa actually started out as three volcanos and then kind of morphed into part of the mainland once they became inactive (and once the ice age took part in pushing the mainland out). We were told how the french came to settle in Akaroa just a bit too late, only to find that the English had already signed treaties with all the Maori chiefs all over the country. In reality, had the french been just a few weeks ealier New Zealanders would probably be speaking french right now. After the museum and film we walked around the tiny town, ate some soup in a little harbor cafe, bought some fudge at the local gift shop, and just kind of played the tourist role.

On a side note, Karen has offered to teach me how to knit and with all the free time I have I figured "why not?" So we talked about getting knitting needles but realized that since most places would be closed Sunday it would be hard to find them. And we joked about how Akaroa may have knitting needles in their local supermarket. Well, going with the theme of the trip we decided to ask and see if we could find some and sure enough, with all the luck that we have been having already, there was a shop that sold all sorts of knitting supplies. So we bought some needles and yarn and are setting out to get good at this new little thing. It definitely is a very different sort of thing and I'm not that good at it yet, but Karen seemed to be pretty impressed with the speed at which I caught on. Who knows, maybe I'll go from being this hard-core athlete to some super knitting champion of the world instead. I will say that knitting just ten little rows a few times has really made me respect the woman with the 7000 sheep who not only can knit a sweater in just under a week, but actually makes the yarn herself right from the shearing of the sheep and all the way through the rest of the process.

Whew, run on sentences. I'm getting ahead of myself.

So we decided to start heading home, but wanted to drive up this little road to go to a pottery shop only a kilometre out of town. Well, after going and looking around, seeing that the artist wasn't actually spinning his pottery or even firing it, we (well more I) got kind of bored. So instead, with Karen leading the way we took a little detour on foot up the hill. It grew rather steep and it was a tad cold, but despite the negatives we saw some pretty neat-o stuff. It was kind of cute seeing my Dad and her get all excited at something that, in my opinion, wasn't really all that big of a deal. I mean come on people, after seeing what I've seen in this amazing place, walking up a little back country road is really peanuts to me. But I was happy to see them so happy so I tried not to dampen their spirits, but I didn't hesitate to inform them that this was just the little pre-show to the actual game. Kind of like foreplay. Did I really just say that? !!!

As we neared the end of our walk it got colder and started to spit a bit, telling me it was time to leave. So leave we did. At home we had a few brews, talked over leftover chinese, made plans for the rest of the week and began the knitting process (soo hard). Everyone was pretty tired tonight so we called it an early night. I can say one thing for sure...I am sick of driving these damn back roads in that tiny little car. Despite the beauty of this place I do miss the ease of highway transportation back in the states. One can barely go over 30 on some of these roads...I'd even say 25 at times. I know this because my speedometer now reads both kilometers per hour and mph. Ha. Way to be Honda, helping out a Yankee in desperate times.

I'm off to bed soon, to sleep beneath the plush blanket of down my mother sent me. Atop the soft flannel sheets that smell of home and our laundry detergent and her. To snuggle up warm and cozy in the new bed my kiwi family has so kindly given me. It's funny...if one really wanted to overanalyze my life right now, and I mean right down to the very bed that I'm sleeping in, it is a lot like being given a new nest from two very caring people from this new place. But I'm still using the bits of straw and grass from my old nest to keep me warm and happy...the bits from two people who have always cared and loved me very much. The end product being this huge bed of warm, happy, loving, caring...stuff...ok that's enough. It's bad enough I even took this entry there, but my GOD--It's bedding. I'm such a dork. But still, I am one very loved dork. Blah! :-)

Tomorrow we leave very early for the Tranzalpine train ride, a five hour adventure to take us to the West Coast. We will come into Greymouth where a rental car awaits us. Then it's off to explore, until Friday, the great expanse of nature that exists on the West Coast of the Southern Island. I cannot wait....Pancake Rocks, Glaciers, New Zealand jade mines, the list goes on. So I will be signing off until then. Have a GREAT week you people out there. I'll be back with news and pictures GALORE!!!

-NMK

ps we miss you mom!!!! xoxo

The Brotzman Adventures -Day 1

Sort of.

I say sort of because Dad and Karen arrived yesterday...and we did some things then. Like we took them to Hell...Pizza that is. And ate our faces off. Yum...love that damned pizza, literally!!! So after a late night of unloading all the goodies Daddy brought from home (ie my COMPUTER!!!) I woke to an early phone call from my two traveling companions.

We started this morning with a traditional cup of tea. I say traditional because I am in the process of making it a tradition in my life. I figured since I entered this country, my tea consumption has increased about 200%, so to "go with the flow", why not insert it as an essential start to my day? So we had our tea, and we were off. To breakfast. And when they told us we'd have to wait three hours to get into the restaurant we wanted to eat at we decided to reserve a table for the following day and go to the coffee shop down the road. Funny how no one really goes out to breakfast in this country...and if you want to you have to reserve a table because there are so few places that offer the typical sit down, Diner breakfast that you can get in the states.

After our breakfast fiasco it was off to the Art's Center market. We parked, took a walking detour through the botanical gardens to see the giant rose gardens, some mishappen White Ash trees and a very large Sequoia (not as big as the Kauri trees though) and then made our way to the market. Funny that I have lived here nearly half a year and haven't done any of this. The market was fun and we chatted it up with lots of stand-owners, each bringing their own trade to the table: hand-knitted sweaters of pure sheep's wool, hand-made soaps sprinkled with Lavender, New Zealand jade carved in precarious shapes and set into necklaces and earrings...all this and more, accompanied with all sorts of food stands with tastes from around the globe. It was amazing to see this bustling little market, filled to the brim with people buying and "window" shopping, watching magic shows and other forms of entertainment as they ate their carmelized peanuts or sucked on brightly colored lollies. If we hadn't known about it from guidebooks and word of mouth, we'd never know it was there, tucked away in a little cul-du-sac of buildings. And people were friendly. Oh so friendly. Nothing like the Copy center Ho or other people I've had to deal with. We chatted it up with a number of table-owners, specifically the knittings ones (as Karen is interested in knitting). I learned quite a lot about how to make yarn out of wool from an elderly woman who owned 7000 sheep. Yes, seven thousand...I did not type too many zeros. One thing I did notice is that people thought I was a tourist. Obviously, three Americans together make for a pretty touristy group. But it was strange, when people asked, and I said I lived here and knew where such-and-such Street was, or that I've been to this place over there...well it felt good. I wouldn't say it was pride, but it felt nice to feel like a part of their culture...because they definitely made me feel welcome. They seemed even pleased when I showed how much I know about Christchurch and Canterbury and the New Zealand culture in general. Almost like they approve of me showing my two visitors around...like I would represent their country well, despite my American heritage.

And that's what I tried to do for the rest of the day. So what better place to take them than the pinacle of Christchurch, but the Port Hills. So they could see it all. We drove along, stopped for pictures, drove some more, saw some paragliders, drove some more, checked out Lytelton, drove some more and came down Hackethorne (one of my biking hills). They out through Hallswell (more biking stuff) and of course on to good ol' Selwyn Lake Road. The place I spend a lot of my time at teaching the kiddies to swim. It was fantastic to be able to take them to a real New Zealand home and meet more people of this country. To tour them around the pool and the farm, showing off the llamas and puppies and cows and piggies. Funny too, because it's not even my house, but it still felt good. I was so happy for them to meet Ruth and Mark and vice versa. Since these are all people who mean very much to me, well...it's always nice to bring family together, and I guess in a way it was like bringing both halves of mine together...my American family and my Kiwi family (not sure if Ruth and Mark know just yet that I've basically adopted them as my Kiwi family, but I doubt they'll mind.) We were out there for ages and the conversation never ceased...my Daddy talking with Mark about farming stuff, land, hunting, politics and all the other stuff blokes talk to each other about. Karen talking to Ruth about the farm, the house, the business, etc. Jasmine doing my hair in every lovely way a six year old can think of. And then all of us taking a little walk along the farm together as the sun set before us. Sooo precious and just like a movie.

And at the end of the day we drove home, got takeaways and ate quickly as we're all pretty ready for bed.

I keep forgetting my digital camera. Stupid girl! I will take pictures and get them up here tomorrow.

The plan? Back to the 3-hour-wait breakfast place...but this time with reservations. And then off to Akaroa for the day. And home to pack for our week-long trip to the West Coast!!!

I will be back with news as soon as stuff develops. I'm having such a great time and I'm just so happy they are here. Yippee for visitors!

-Cole

:-)

Hi.

Dad and Karen will be here tomorrow.

WOOHOO!!!

That is all.

-Cole

All Busted Up

When I woke up this morning I rolled out of bed. And not metaphorically. I literally rolled myself out of bed and nearly ended up on the floor. This is because of the one constant truth about training I have discovered: there is nothing like running. And there is nothing as painful as the day after one's first run in nearly seven months. I'd have to say that the feeling I'm at today is much like the feeling I was at last September when I was hit by a car, minus the cuts and bruises. But it is nice to feel those muscles again, something I can't get with cycling anymore. And despite my inconveniently fucked up knees, well, I am doing ok.

Brett leaves today for his bike trip and I've made him some banana bread to take on the road. A little taste of home, or whatever this place could be called. I'm excited for him and a bit worried, as the nights continue to get colder and colder. But I'm sure he'll come out all right.

And speaking of traveling around and around this little South Island, Craig and I are taking a road trip two weeks after my Dad leaves New Zealand. I'm so excited. So here is my schedule and even though most of you probably don't give a kiwi's ass what it is, I'm pumped about it. So enjoy it:

March 20-24: Work; Daddy and Karen Arrive the 24th. YAY!!!
March 25-April 3: Fun with Dad and Karen. They leave the 3rd. BOO!!!
April 4-April 14: Two more weeks of work, mixed with riding, running and film stuff.
April 14 (night): leave for North of the South Island with Craig
April 15-16: Play and then leave for Hanmer
April 16-17: BikeHQ holiday in Hanmer Springs
April 17/18-22/23: Southland Trip with Craig

As you can see I have a very interesting couple of weeks planned. Woohoo for that. It's fun to think that work will be so very minimal as well that it will barely matter.

Another new thing of interest on the list is my journey to the film society meeting this evening at 6:30. I am very excited about this. It is such a wonderful opprotunity to meet people with the same interests and actually get my hands on some good international films, something New Zealand is sometimes seriously lacking in.

And finally, after being inspired by some amazing photographs I've recently seen, I'm also in the market for a good, yet inexpensive used camera to start doing some photography. Yes I've got my digital, which has been amazing for quick shots here and there, but after speaking with Brett and reminding myself how badly I've wanted to become involved with this medium since a very young age, I've decided that there is no better time than the present to do so. And no, I'm not going to be using digital. Again, after speaking with Brett, I think I need to learn more about all the bits and pieces associated with 35mm. And even though film developing will be expensive, it'll be awesome to have pictures to take home with me. But who knows, maybe after exploring everything about photography i'll decide to just buy a used digi, but for now, I'm in the market. Besides, in a country this visually stunning, I'd be a fool to pass this up.

So for now I'm off, to run errands, to send Brett on his way and hopefully get a small ride in sometime before my film meeting. Just need to work out the kinks on these legs of mine.

Anyway, hope all is well back home. I'm thinking of you all and greatly anticipating some more American culture brought to me through my father. WOOHOO for THAT!

-Cole

ps I'm thinking of calling our travels together something like "the Brotzman Road expedition." Any suggestions???

RUN

Yes I did it. After nearly six months in this country, I've accepted the undeniable fact that shoes are going to cost me half my week's wages and my first born and I've caved and bought a pair. "A pair of what?" You may ask. A pair of running shoes of course. And after spending that much money on them, the first thing I did was go for a nice brisk jog. Yes a jog. Until I can run at the pace I ran at with Justin, this is a jog. But it ended up being a good half hour, plus a little down time watching ducks in the stream and listening to some oldies but goodies on the iPod.

It was hard and as far as running is concerned I am badly out of shape. But it did feel so good, because aside from dancing down the sidewalks, when I listen to some of my favorite music, the only thing I want to do is run. I just can't get the same effect out of biking. I missed having Justin there with me, as he always helped me to run harder and faster so I could keep up with him. But his inspiring words were there in my head as I focused on my form and breathing. I do miss the beautiful scenary of Hamilton College because although I am in New Zealand I am in the city, and I can't justify driving all the way out to the beach or all the way up into the hills just yet as I can't really go for more than a half hour. Gas is just much too expensive. So instead of the Glen and the quaint little town of Clinton with it's flowers and grassy town centers, I experienced shopping malls and traffic lights, crosswalks and plenty of cars. The saving grace was the wee little park hidden amongst the trees that ran directly next to one of the little rivers that winds through the city.

So in effect, I will be hurting tomorrow but I feel great today and even though I am missing the comforts of home (which was actually college) I am reminded that this place too will become home. That I will find something that makes me feel as spirited as the Glenn. A road as sweet as College Hill. I know I won't be able to replace my running partner, but oh the stories I'll have to tell him.

-Cole

OY! Jumbled Thoughts

So I kind of figured that when I came to this brand new country, this little island isolated at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, I was bound to encounter a number of fun new viruses and bacteria that my immune system just wasn't up to handle. I failed to realize how shitty it would actually be. And that being said, I've been sick probably 40% of the time that I've been here with colds, hayfever, bronchitis, sinus infections, and the like. But now, after plowing through a box of tissues and a whole pack of Sudafed in nearly three days I think I'm finally getting better...again. Hopefully it will stay that way since my Daddy is coming in a few days!!!

Not much has been new here on the Southern Front of Kiwi-land. My wallet along with my bank card have suddenly disappeared, which unfortunately has rendered me poor for the next week. After taking care of that nonsense however, I've basically been cleaning this place up a bit, working, getting healthy and finding new little niches in which to hang out and enjoy my time here. I've stumbled upon the Caterbury Film Society that meets every Monday night to screen foreign films and documentaries. Complimenting this discovery, I've also found a fantastic little video store called "Alice in Videoland" and it is quite possibly the coolest place ever...with nealy every movie ever made. And in a country where no mainstream Blockbuster has movies like "Searching For Bobbie Fischer" or "Annie Hall" it is a hugely exciting thing to have found this place. And can you believe that they also have the "Deep Blue" collection Hilary!?!

My friend Brett has been staying with us for the past two weeks as he was evicted from his flat when one of his flatmates disappeared and left them with something like $600 or $800 of the rent. He's leaving tomorrow on a mini bike trip toward the north of the South Island and after a brief conversation with him this morning over homemade pancakes, I think that this whole bike trip idea may be a really really good one. So when my term break hits in four weeks and I finally have ten days to kill I may have to take off on good ol' Milo for a week and some days. But who knows where. There is also the possibility of taking a small road trip to see some more southerly stuff of this South Island with Mr. Craig, but if he's working, well, who knows?

So it's been a weird couple of weeks lately, whether it's because I'm anticipating my Dad coming, realizing my Mom's not coming as well, or because I was slowly getting nice and sick...but weird is the best word for it. I think my Dad actually getting here, while being fantastic, is going to present a little bit of a challenge for me. Not because I don't want to see him, but because once he's here, I know he'll be leaving soon. And then once he's gone, that's it. And this is a perfect example of how I need to think more of what is going on right this moment and not worry so much about what is going to happen later on. Duh.

This is the most disjointed blog I have written in a while. Let's see...ah yes, another bit I can put into it. The Commonwealth Games are going on right now in Melbourne and all of NZ's eyes are on the Kiwis competing over there. For those of you who don't know, the Commonwealth Games are kind of like the Goodwill Games that the US competes in, except it's all the countries that are or were in the Commonwealth of England or something like that. Anyway, the US doesn't compete here, so a lot of people from the states may not have heard of them. But the members of the United Kingdom split up into their own respective countries to compete (ie Scotland, England, Wales, etc), plus Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Samoa, Figi, Malaysia, Canada, etc. And after watching these games I have realized that they are basically the Olympics minus the US, Russia, Japan, China, etc (I think). And these athletes are amazing. Anyway, I've been watching the swimming, cycling (on the track) and the triathlon. And of course, the cycling is fun to watch, the swimming makes me miss swimming and the triathlon is inspiring. So today I'm off to buy a pair of running shoes, and despite what my doc has recommended about running, I'm going to try to get back into it. It will be hard without my running partner (yes you J.) but I know he'll be there in spirit. And while there are not a lot of tri's going on right now, the winter series for cycling starts soon. But who knows...maybe I won't be as into this as I thought I would be, but we'll find out.

Anyway, there isn't too much left to say, I should be off to do something today though.

I hope everyone back home is doing well...and I hope to be returning with more interesting stuff to talk about. :-)

-Nic

Ho Statement Retracted

Ok, I am willing to admit that despite my first, over-the-phone impression of Ivana, she really wasn't all THAT bad. And although there was a bit of tension upon meeting each other in person, things quickly calmed down and she did everything she could to help me out with my flights. So I appreciate that. And want everyone to know that she is not really a big ol' travel agent ho, she is actually a very nice person who through the effects of stress and uncertainty was coming off as a travel agent ho. But, in honor of humor and making even the worst situations sound funny I choose to leave the previous post up so that you may at least have a little chuckle from it. That is all.

Ivana or Sabotage Averted

There once was a woman named Ivana. Her name, while sounding exotic and sexy, does not at all portray the true bitch that lies within her. Remember the copy ho? Well, Ivana is a lot like her, except worse, because we're not dealing with copies this time...we're dealing with the next year of my life.

It's March here in New Zealand (come to think of it, it's March everywhere in the world) and as the month wore on I knew it would soon be time to adjust my flight dates. "Why?" You may ask. Well, upon purchasing my ticket to come to New Zealand, despite it being an open-ended ticket, I still had to choose a return date to prove to the country that I would in fact be leaving New Zealand (since I am not a citizen). But since the ticket was good for 18 months, and apparently the airlines don't know their flight schedules that far in advance, I had to book for the latest possible date and then, if I wanted to stay here longer, I would have to change the date (for a fee damn it!!!). Sooooo, back in August of '05, the latest possible date to return was March 14. Which we have yet to reach. The point however is that I am soooo responsible that I called to get the date changed on March 6th. That in itself was a pain in the ass:

I called the airline and they told me they would have to contact the NY office. So they contacted the NY office and the NY office told me I had to GO to Auckland (yes Actually GO there) to get it changed. So i called the Auckland office and they said I could go to the Christchurch office. Which is the office I called in the FIRST PLACE. So I finally get ahold of the right people who then tell me I need to come in to show them the ticket. But I can't come in to show them the ticket bc I have to work. Oh, well I can fax it to them then. Sweet. So I do that and then call to make sure they have received the fax...they haven't. But they call back an hour later to say that they have. So much for high speed technology. And they proceed to tell me that my ticket expires on Sept 24th of 2006. "Whaaaaaaaaaa?!"

And here is where I begin the "count backwards from ten and relax stage". Other thoughts running through my mind at this point in time: did I get scammed? Did I pay nearly $1600 US for a ticket that I really should have only paid $1200 for? Who's ass can i beat to make myself feel better? So I tell the person on the other end, "I'm going to write my travel agent, hold on". So I email Silvia back in the states and in the most polite manner question what the HELL is going on. But bc of the time difference (wretched time difference) I have to wait til the next day to find out what the deal is. This leads to a lot of really unecessary reflection on my life, my situation, my relationship, my career path (lack of) and all that other crap that really doesn't need to be reflected upon all that much. But in all this reflection I realize that I'm not ready to go home, that I have a lot more to learn and do here, and that in all reality, I had mentally been preparing myself to stay. So at the prospect of being forced home in nearly seven months, I got kind of upset.

But the next day I get an email from my travel agent and she is very apologetic about the situation, and confirmed that I had purchased an 18 month ticket and that yes, i can in fact stay on until next may if i want. So now that that seems to be fixed, I still have to get in touch with their offices down here to fix things. So I call them and it is then that I encounter Ivana, the travel agent ho:

Nicole: Hi there, I'm just calling to confirm that you have gotten to "OK" to reissue my ticket from your offices in North America.
Ivana: No, what is your name and what do you want?
Nicole: Um, well I received an email from your offices in Toronto, telling me that I should call you to make sure you know you can reissue my ticket.
Ivana: We've heard nothing, what is going on?
Nicole: (Explains situation as read above).
Ivana: There is no such thing as 18-month open ended ticket.
Nicole: Umm yes there is I just...
Ivana: (interrupting nicole) no there's not. we don't do that.
Nicole: Ok well I just spoke with someone that said...
Ivana: What do you want us to do?
Nicole: I want you to reissue my ticket and change my return date.
(This goes on for quite some time. So long in fact that I don't really remember the entire conversation. But I do know that she eventually realizes the situation and finally confirms that I CAN have an 18month open ended ticket.)
Ivana: But it will cost you 120 dollars for the date change and the reissue fee.
Nicole: Why must I pay teh resissue fee if it was someone else's mistake?
Ivana: We deal with this everyday ma'am, so please don't worry.
Nicole: Huh? You scam money from people everyday!? You are a bitch. No you are a ho.
Ivana: Thank you ma'am have a nice day.

While that is not exactly how things went down, it is in essence what happened. Ivana was of no help to me, so I was forced to write to my travel agent in North America, explain her lack of helpfullness and then, finally receive a call from Ivana ho that everything would work out fine.

So after all the run around, I still must go into their offices today in order to get a new ticket that will be issued for return on March 27th of 2007. Thank god, because I was sick of dealing with Ivana the ho. Jeez, this country is full of ho-ish women who just hate their lives and want to be bitches to other people. Get OVER yourselves. Or go hang out and be miserable together. Just get out of customer service please, becase you CLEARLY lack the ability to deal well with people.

Enough ranting. I'm tired for some reason. Probably bc I didn't get much sleep last night thanks to the drunk idiots running around outside making me worry that my car was about to get robbed AGAIN. I'll tell ya, for a country with such low crime rates, I've never, ever felt so as risk of getting robbed as I do here.

Hope all is well back home.

-Nicole

ps Daddy comes in less that two weeks!!! Woohoo.

Festival of Lanterns

Even though it's summer here in the southern hemisphere, there is a chill to the air that makes the tip of my nose go numb. The wind is far beyond that of a light breeze, but not quite strong enough to actually be considered wind. The days here are beginning to grow shorter with the nights arriving earlier and earlier. It is nearly 8:30 on a Sunday night and we are out the door, bundled up just enough to be comfortable and on our way into the central city of Christchurch.



The city is bustling with people, which may seem strange for a Sunday night, and parking spaces are scarce. Forced to park a couple of blocks from center city near the art center, we walk beneath artificial lights of the street lamps. The sound of music starts to drift over us as we move closer to Victoria Terrace. Normally a park covered with gardens and fountains, smack in the middle of the city, tonight we see, as we round the corner, that it is bathed in lights from some of the most colorful and extravagant lanterns I have ever seen.



It is Chinese New Year and we have entered the year of the dog. There is a very large number of Chinese living in New Zealand, a combination of people who are first generation Chinese and who are the children and grandchildren of other Chinese who moved here years ago. And while I've encountered people of all nationalities and ethnicities while here, I really have taken little notice. People are people, right? But being here and seeing even this New Zealand version of the Chinese New Year celebration has made me curious about their culture.




So as we walk along the park, two people amongst a sea of ethnicities, I feel like a child at Disney World. Pointing out with enthusiasm each newly discovered lantern, the soft glow within, beaming color throughout the dark night. Along with the beautiful creations that dangle above us, there are lanterns made to float along the water in the shape of lillies and fish as well as scenes on the riverbank and throughout the park's grassy grounds. Accompanying the lantern displays is a main stage in which a number of traditional chinese dances are being performed, including the well-known Dance of the Dragon.



After witnessing first hand the manner in which the Dance of the Dragon is performed, I have nothing but the utmost respect for the men and women performing it. If one looks hard enough to see beyond the blacklight, to see the performers dressed in black holding up the neon-colored beast, one can see them jumping in and out, dancing around, doing everything short of backflips to make this creature come alive before our eyes. It was phenomenal.




So now I wonder, what it would be like to visit China. To see this culture first hand. After speaking with a number of people who have been there, I have found mixed reactions. Some have said that I will be disappointed because a lot of the culture that one would like to experience has been literally knocked over and destroyed to make room for skyscrapers, modern technological advances and all the rest of the sterotypes associated with their present-day lifestyles. Some tell me it would be possible to discover the more ancient ideals if I dig hard enough, if I visit the deepest of the back countries and avoid the cities. Even then I may find myself disappointed in what I will get.

All in all, who knows. It is good to hear advice from others, to see what they have thought about a place or an experience. But in reality, all I can do is wait to experience it myself before I begin to judge why things are no longer as they once were, why a culture doesn't completely embrace their heritage, etc etc. We cannot expect everyone to remain stagnant. To prevent themselves from progressing because the world wants to preserve their history. If that were the case, wealthy men would still be wearing powdered wigs in the US and woman gliding across the floor in dresses. But is it fair to a culture to completely disintegrate what it once was and almost forget where it came from? Again, I can't judge, I've not been there and I'm only going on the words of others. Armchair anthropology. Bad Nicole, Bad.

But forgetting all that, enjoy these photos taken at the NZ version of Chinese New Year. I hope they bring you as much happiness as attending the event did for me.









-Nicole