Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Photos from New Years Eve in Auckland
If you would like to see the video of this fireworks, just google Auckland, NZ New Years's Eve 2014
It really was beautiful.
Happy New Year's Eve Day from Auckland
Hello friends and family,
We are ahead of you a day so we are celebrating New Year's Eve today.
It is a gorgeous day with temps in the high 60's, low 70's.
We started te day with coffee and breakfast at a little place on the ground level of our big tall apartment building.(Did I mention we are on the 30th floor?)
About five blocks from our apartment we caught the hop on hop off bus and took it around the city for the next six hours. We spent quite a bit of time at the Auckland Museum. We saw a Maori cultural program and spent quite a bit of time in their WWII exhibits. Amazing place.
In the late afternoon we found ourselves at the convenience grocery along with most of Auckland. WE had cheese, pear, apple, and crackers for dinner with a Magnum bar chaser. How can it get better than that?
WE plan to end our day viewing the midnight fireworks over Auckland from the Sky City ( A VERY high tower where crazy people bungee jump)
Happy New Year to you all. We send you best wishes for a healthy and happy 2014.
The WWII exhibits
We are ahead of you a day so we are celebrating New Year's Eve today.
It is a gorgeous day with temps in the high 60's, low 70's.
We started te day with coffee and breakfast at a little place on the ground level of our big tall apartment building.(Did I mention we are on the 30th floor?)
About five blocks from our apartment we caught the hop on hop off bus and took it around the city for the next six hours. We spent quite a bit of time at the Auckland Museum. We saw a Maori cultural program and spent quite a bit of time in their WWII exhibits. Amazing place.
In the late afternoon we found ourselves at the convenience grocery along with most of Auckland. WE had cheese, pear, apple, and crackers for dinner with a Magnum bar chaser. How can it get better than that?
WE plan to end our day viewing the midnight fireworks over Auckland from the Sky City ( A VERY high tower where crazy people bungee jump)
Happy New Year to you all. We send you best wishes for a healthy and happy 2014.
View of the city scape of Auckland.
View of the islands across the Auckland Harbor
The WWII exhibits
The Maori Cultural performance
The Auckland Museum
Bastion Point Lookout
Bastion Point War Memorial and reflecting pool
Tom eating gelato on a bike?
Sunday, December 29, 2013
A few more pictures of Christmas in Camas
We enjoyed an evening at the Grotto which had caroling, a choir concert in the church, and millions of lights.
Arrival in Auckland - December 30,2013
We are settling into our suite/apartment in downtown Auckland. It will be just great for us for the next four nights. A small kitchen with dishwasher, oven the size of a bread box, washer and dryer, fridge. Everything and more than we need. This means that we can get on the cruise ship with all clean undies!
Our flight from Vancouver BC was 14 hours. I had the window and Tom had the middle man seat. There was a middle aged man sitting next to him who behaved himself but really, the guy has a bladder of steal! He was drinking beer(s) for dinner, soda, and other assorted fluids and NEVER had to get up and pee... we had to wake him twice so we could get out and walk around and use the tinkler. Dinner was penne pasta with shrimp (nope) or beef and rice (nope) so we ate the apple pie and cheese wedge. We shut off our reading lights off around 10:00. We did sleep some of the time but you know it is a really wierd sleep. I had a BAD headache and stomach ache and we both passed on the italian omlet for breakfast. We did have good service and were actually more impressed with New Zealand Air than Em and Kevin were last year! (I sure can see why you would not want to have the seat in front of you reclining Kevin) WE had to ask the guy in front of us to put his seat up just for us to get out of our seats! Close quarters there.
We got a shuttle from the airport to our digs downtown but the office for the apartments was not open until 8 am so we sat/laid on a bench in a courtyard until it opened. We have an amazing view of the city and harbor from the 30th floor. We have two rooms and a bath. Nice location. The art museum is just across the street. Comfy bed.
It is a bit overcast but we have the sliding door open and the breeze is wonderful and we can hear the gulls on the wharf.
Plenty to do here until we get on the cruise ship on Friday.
We have free wi-fi with a strong signal so try to SKYPE us if it works for you.
We had a fabulous Christmas and thanks to Gwen and Ramon for hosting another perfect holiday.
An overview of Auckland
Our first meal in Auckland at the Mai Tai. We sat in the open second story window and watched Auckland CBD go by. A bungee chair for two was across the street for our dining amusement.
This is Auckland's nod to Christmas... the city is not decked out for the holidays like it is in the U.S., however, this store did it BIG and TALL.
Our flight from Vancouver BC was 14 hours. I had the window and Tom had the middle man seat. There was a middle aged man sitting next to him who behaved himself but really, the guy has a bladder of steal! He was drinking beer(s) for dinner, soda, and other assorted fluids and NEVER had to get up and pee... we had to wake him twice so we could get out and walk around and use the tinkler. Dinner was penne pasta with shrimp (nope) or beef and rice (nope) so we ate the apple pie and cheese wedge. We shut off our reading lights off around 10:00. We did sleep some of the time but you know it is a really wierd sleep. I had a BAD headache and stomach ache and we both passed on the italian omlet for breakfast. We did have good service and were actually more impressed with New Zealand Air than Em and Kevin were last year! (I sure can see why you would not want to have the seat in front of you reclining Kevin) WE had to ask the guy in front of us to put his seat up just for us to get out of our seats! Close quarters there.
We got a shuttle from the airport to our digs downtown but the office for the apartments was not open until 8 am so we sat/laid on a bench in a courtyard until it opened. We have an amazing view of the city and harbor from the 30th floor. We have two rooms and a bath. Nice location. The art museum is just across the street. Comfy bed.
It is a bit overcast but we have the sliding door open and the breeze is wonderful and we can hear the gulls on the wharf.
Plenty to do here until we get on the cruise ship on Friday.
We have free wi-fi with a strong signal so try to SKYPE us if it works for you.
We had a fabulous Christmas and thanks to Gwen and Ramon for hosting another perfect holiday.
An overview of Auckland
This is Auckland's nod to Christmas... the city is not decked out for the holidays like it is in the U.S., however, this store did it BIG and TALL.
Thursday, December 26, 2013
MS fundraiser at PSU
On the last day of classes at Portland State, where Gwen teaches, her department had a craft fair to high light all of the talent in her department and to sell their wares. Gwen sold our hand made greeting cards and made 100.00. Joseph sat in for Gwen for a bit. A great event!
Christmas in Camas, Washington with the kids
Oh What it is to sing...
Joseph all dressed up to go to Izzy's soup party
Christmas Eve and Christmas morning at Gwen and Ramon's
Swinging at the tot lot on Chrismas
Joseph all dressed up to go to Izzy's soup party
Sunday, December 22, 2013
University of the Phillipines Chorus Performance
We attended a wonderful concert featuring the University of the Phillipines Chorus. They did a fabulous job with a three part program. First was Christmas songs, next traditional songs from the Phillipines and last show tunes. Ramon and Joseph wore their traditional barong tagalog.
Polar Express Day at the Papermakers Preschool
Joseph had a BIg day at school with the Polar Express PJ day. He wore his polar bear jammers.
Joseph presented Mr.Marshall, the high school principal with a gift for Christmas, a pencil holder he made. (The preschool is located in the high school and the high school students get credit for helping out)
Joseph presented Mr.Marshall, the high school principal with a gift for Christmas, a pencil holder he made. (The preschool is located in the high school and the high school students get credit for helping out)
Mr. Marshall, the High School Principal
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