Waitangi Weekend

Another Bank Holiday weekend! Almost wish I was at work so that they meant more! Every year on 6 February, New Zealand marks the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840. In that year, representatives of the British Crown and over 500 Maori chiefs signed what is New Zealand’s founding document.
Started the weekend exploring another of Auckland's volcanic peaks, Mount Eden. Great 360 degree views of the city and well worth the climb. Will not go into much detail here though as they are worthy of an entry themselves, something we'll post once we have scaled them all...

The highlight of this weekend was the Chinese Lantern Festival, which forms part of the city's celebrations for the Chinese New Year. The whole of Albert Park was taken over by lantern displays, performances and LOADS of food stalls selling all manner of tasty treats.










We were expecting some lots of small lanterns hanging trees etc - which there were. However there were also large floor standing lanterns depicting anything from a giraffe to the famous dragons. During the daylight hours they are impressive of not exactly amazing. However once the sun goes down they take on a new life, the colours a lot more vivid and the mix of colours more noticeable.














Probably the busiest we have seen Auckland, and due to the concentration of people in Albert Park, even busier than New Year. Nowhere was this more noticeable than around the food stalls. A 200m stretch of road lined with food stalls on either side. Mainly selling Chinese and Japanese cuisine; but much else besides. Rich ended up opting for octopus balls and pad thai, with a drinking coconut and Japanese pancakes for dessert.








Octopus balls(Takoyaki)- no, not octopus testes, but boiled octopus in batter and served drizzled with mayonnaise and Worcestershire sauce. Actually quite tasty, if an interesting texture.

The pancakes (Obanyaki) are small and thick and filled with coconut or custard - the coconut filling is the best - mmmm clean saturated fat :0)

After stuffing our faces we headed back into the park and checked out more lanterns and some we had seen earlier in the day; but which were now transformed. Also caught some traditional Chinese dance on stage and a dragon dance in the street which was acrobatic and pretty cool.

The evening was ended with a 7 minute firework display, pretty and LOUD, which is always good, and put the New Years Eve display to shame...