I'm currently reading "Holy Cow" by Sarah MacDonald. More precisely, I'm re-reading it. For about the fourth time.
I have quite a few books, but I read them pretty fast and I have a tendency to go through my whole collection then read it again. I like to be in the middle of reading something at all times. Reading helps me sleep.
Anyway, this particular book at this time has been very useful - enlightening even. As irreverent and lightweight as its analysis of religion(s) is, it still manages to give insight.
I was pleased to stumble upon another Christopher Brookmyre at the weekend - Not the End of the World, for $4 at the Mt Eden Hospice Shop. I love second hand stores. At the beach yesterday, I lent this to my brother, certain that he would enjoy the Scottish humour - he still has the book. He's probably even finished it by now.
I can't wait to get my teeth into it.
Next on my list to buy is Susannah Clarke's Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell. I know nothing about it but this: I love the title, the cover is spunky, and it has been recommended to me by someone I trust. This is enough reason.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Mondays - Places - Auckland
It's Auckland Anniversary weekend.
Three days in the summer. Two were hot - today isn't quite so bad. For anyone not from this town, the heat in Auckland is very uncomfortable - humid and the sun is burning on your skin.
Like on any other long weekend, Aucklanders have headed out of town en masse - it's quiet here. Even the seafood festival down at the Viaduct was pretty lacking in numbers really - although maybe that had something to do with the weather.
For those of us who did venture down, it was a nice little walk down by the water. I think that the scallop festival in Whitianga was bigger though (more boozy anyway :-) ). So good to see that Gina's and Satya (two of my favourite restaurants in Auckland) had stalls there, selling the most amazing Italian and South Indian dishes respectively. YUM! A beautiful tomato based sauce with penne, scattered with calamari, prawns, and mussels; a fish tikka kebab with raita and rice and the tastes are wonderful.
Thanks to Huey the weather god for the sea breeze that blows in over the teal Waitemata, or the heat would drive Auckland mad.
Being out in the middle of the day was a little too much to stand, so as a reward we went out to Piha. My feet have blistered from the heat of the black sand (imagine hot metal...) and the waves were gnarly and powerful. The only part of the beach open to swimmers was right down the bottom part by the rocks. The waves and currents had formed a channel, and you could take two steps sideways to go from ankle deep to waist deep then two more steps would take you back again. Currents strong enough to drag your feet through the sand, no matter how hard you held on with your toes, drew our bodies back and forth. It was easy to see how a rugby league star could be lost at sea at a West Coast beach.
The beauty, the heat, the power demand your respect.
Today I took a trip north with my brother and his wife, to Tawharanui, stopping at a winery and a Matakana tea house on the way. For some reason, I thought it would be a lot quieter than it was - it was almost as busy as Piha had been. But the surf was gentler, the sun was still hot and the water as clear as I've seen it around Auckland; the rock formations were interesting and if it hadn't been so hot I might have felt like a walk. The numpties who bought their dog (it's an open sanctuary people! That means no pets!) were dealt to by the Ranger, which helped with the feeling that everything is right with the world.
Three days in the summer. Two were hot - today isn't quite so bad. For anyone not from this town, the heat in Auckland is very uncomfortable - humid and the sun is burning on your skin.
Like on any other long weekend, Aucklanders have headed out of town en masse - it's quiet here. Even the seafood festival down at the Viaduct was pretty lacking in numbers really - although maybe that had something to do with the weather.
For those of us who did venture down, it was a nice little walk down by the water. I think that the scallop festival in Whitianga was bigger though (more boozy anyway :-) ). So good to see that Gina's and Satya (two of my favourite restaurants in Auckland) had stalls there, selling the most amazing Italian and South Indian dishes respectively. YUM! A beautiful tomato based sauce with penne, scattered with calamari, prawns, and mussels; a fish tikka kebab with raita and rice and the tastes are wonderful.
Thanks to Huey the weather god for the sea breeze that blows in over the teal Waitemata, or the heat would drive Auckland mad.
Being out in the middle of the day was a little too much to stand, so as a reward we went out to Piha. My feet have blistered from the heat of the black sand (imagine hot metal...) and the waves were gnarly and powerful. The only part of the beach open to swimmers was right down the bottom part by the rocks. The waves and currents had formed a channel, and you could take two steps sideways to go from ankle deep to waist deep then two more steps would take you back again. Currents strong enough to drag your feet through the sand, no matter how hard you held on with your toes, drew our bodies back and forth. It was easy to see how a rugby league star could be lost at sea at a West Coast beach.
The beauty, the heat, the power demand your respect.
Today I took a trip north with my brother and his wife, to Tawharanui, stopping at a winery and a Matakana tea house on the way. For some reason, I thought it would be a lot quieter than it was - it was almost as busy as Piha had been. But the surf was gentler, the sun was still hot and the water as clear as I've seen it around Auckland; the rock formations were interesting and if it hadn't been so hot I might have felt like a walk. The numpties who bought their dog (it's an open sanctuary people! That means no pets!) were dealt to by the Ranger, which helped with the feeling that everything is right with the world.
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