Didan's Place

The Winter Garden

2010-01-08T10:34:00.014+13:00

I have long wanted to visit Auckland Museum and it seems like I would have to wait for some more time. However, the closest thing to visiting the museum is visiting Auckland Domain. So, when J-An invited me for a visit to the Winter Garden, I didn't hesitate.

When we got to Auckland Domain, the first thing we had to look for was a parking space...

Thankfully, that wasn't a very difficult task to accomplish. We parked just a few meters near the garden entrance.

This is J-An.

This is scene that will greet you when you enter the "main gate" and turn to your left.

The fountain area.

This entrance leads to the fernery--which I haven't discovered was there. :-(

Unfortunately, it wasn't the season for planting flowers in the winter display section. But nevertheless, the plants in there deserved a good look.

Yellow eggplants? Yes. I heard they're nice to eat when they're yellow. Not so when they turn into a darker shade.

Of course, there's the purple variety, too.

Winter display section.

Another area in the winter display section.

I actually forgot what this section of displays is called, so I call it the winter display section. This is to distinguish it from the tropical display area where the tropical conditions (e.g. temperature and humidity) are simulated.

But not all were eggplants and aubergines in the winter display section. There were lovely flowers, too...

A rose...

...is a rose (or two!)...

...is not a rose. But this is a very nice one.

And chillis, too!!! These caught my attention.

We left this section and headed for the tropical section.

And guess what we found in the tropical section...

Pitcher plants. I first read about these when I was ten. Finally, I saw them "in person".

Water lilies...

...and more water lilies!!!

Royal lilies or regal lilies...? These leaves were huge!

And there were some more plants that reminded me of our yard back home.

The plant beside the stone bench is what we call "makahiya" or "huya-huya" back home. When you touch the leaves, they fold up... shy plant, eh? Or simply sensitive perhaps?

And the orchids...!!!

And more orchids...

...and still some more orchids.

I do wish I can remember specie names... haha!

But even if I don't know the name, an orchid will always be fascinatingly beautiful.

There were bromeliads, too. Cousins of the pineapple.

And this interesting plant. Is this a modified leaf?

Back to the entrance.

A final look at one of the sculptures.

And off we went to the lagoon. But then, it rained. :-(

The lagoon.

But before we drove off, I was drawn to this growth in one of the trees. What do you think is this?

This is the first of my many visits to the Winter Garden. The others? I will one day soon tell you about them. Until next time... :-)

A Visit to the West

2009-09-17T07:50:00.025+12:00

I like exploring new places. I won't deny that. Hahaha! Everytime someone offers a drive to a different area in the country, I never hesitate--unless I'm sick or something. :-)

On a particular Sabbath morning, we were invited for a lunch in West Auckland. The son of a church member in Henderson was celebrating his birthday. Well, this was both an opportunity to see the west and to meet new people.

The lunch was good--plenty of Filipino food were served, but, the conversations afterward and the walk around the neighborhood was better...

All smiles... simply excited about what I'll see...

My hubby... ever-ready with his Coolpix camera.

Of course, this is Earl and me.

Christian is never caught without his camera, too.

So, this is what they were talking about...

Welcome to... Harbour View Walkway!

For posterity...?

The Sky City Tower at the palm of my hand...

(L-R): Nita, Paul, Michael, Melda, me, Earl,
Maida (with daughter, Amy), David, and Christian.

Which shot is better... this one?

Or this one...?

Low tide. :-)

No. This is not a pageant photo shoot.

Earl and me... and adorable Amy.

Time to go... to the other side of the reserve.

What's so funny...?

Amy... enjoying the sand, but scared of...

... the sea gulls!!!

This creature knows that the presence of
humans usually means food.

But they were disappointed this time. :-(

The sign says: Harbour View, 68 Harbour View Road
Warning: Mudflats/Quicksand, Shallow Water

Up and up the trail...

... and over the bridge.

Earl took a souvenir shot. Hahaha!

And so did I... :-)

A duck.

There was actually a bevy of them.

Pukeko...!!!

A family...?

We walked back to the Beigleys' home. No. The picture below is not their home. It's just one of the many houses in the neighborhood. There are plenty of beautiful homes in this suburb. I just forgot to take pictures of them. Hehehe...

Dream home...? Nah...

And so the hosts made us stay for dinner. There was still plenty of food and they could not possibly finish everything by themselves. Hehehe... Plus, they enjoy having visitors...

Nothing to do after dinner...?

After-dinner chat.

So, did you like what I played or not?

They were sad to see us go. Hahaha! In the busy life of Aucklanders, it's not often that they entertain guests. So, such occasions are always looked forward to.

Where do you think are we going to visit next...?

Balloons Over Waikato

2009-08-25T16:03:00.031+12:00

Hamilton? I knew that the place is somewhere to the south of Manukau, but I had no idea what to expect of it. So, when Earl mentioned something about going to Hamilton for a hot-air balloon show, I thought, "Why not?".

Being new to New Zealand, I had no idea whether Hamilton was part of Waikato or Waikato was part of Hamilton. (Of course, now I know that Hamilton is a city in the Waikato region.) Well, does it matter?

We left Manukau at half-past-two in the afternoon of the twenty-eighth of March for an hour-and-a-half drive to Hamilton. I had no idea what the occasion was. I just went along--any trip is a learning experience. Hehehe...

When we arrived at the University of Waikato, I knew there was some big event happening--I just didn't know what. Cars were parked along the street as far as 300 meters from the university's main entrance.

We parked farther down the road. And walked...

The grounds...

What you can see above is the "field" inside the university. This reminds me of those football-field days way back in high school... Hehehe...

We looked for a good place to sit--somewhere where we could watch all the action...

The "props" have arrived...

Should we move closer to the "enclosure" or just stay where we were...?

The crowd is starting to build up...

Find your own seat...

There was a show staged at the other end of the field. Loudspeakers were set up for everyone to hear what was going on. It was tempting for us to leave the spot where we were. But Earl and I decided to stay, seeing that the crowd was building at such a fast rate...

The sun is about to set...

The "show" was due to start at around half-past-six... or just about the time when the sun sets... So, we just had to entertain ourselves with watching the sun set. It wasn't that bad. Hahaha. It was actually fascinating to watch the display of colors in the sky.

Twilight...?

A few minutes more 'til sundown. :-)

Lovely streak across the sky.

So, there we were... waiting for things to happen. Hmmm... But, I got hungry. So, Earl got me some chips... French fries, dear. It's chips in New Zealand--never French fries.

Eager spectators...?

Hmmm... Kinda long wait... ???

For the camera...

The temperature dropped as the sun headed towards the western horizon. Brrr... Good thing I brought us sweaters. Hehehe... It's never a bad idea to be ready. :-)

Another one... This time, I'm wrapping myself up...

Then, the "props" started to arrive... We watched the participants set things up...

No, not OK.

The participants getting ready...

Paramedics...?

More participants coming...

Hmmm... What is she doing there...?

While the balloons were being set up and the crowd grew (after the "show" at the other side of the field), there was a handful of entertaining sights--a "fairy" and a clown on stilts and a pretty caterpillar going around...

A pretty caterpillar...

More people coming...

The sun's warm, but the wind is chilling...

Then it was time for the balloons to be "inflated". Have you ever wondered how hot-air balloons work? Well, here's how they set it up...

Out came the balloons...

First balloon to be laid out...

Curious how they inflate these super-sized balloons?

They "blow" warm or heated air into the "balloon" with the balloon lying on its side. Funny, you might ask if the "basket" that carries the passengers also had to lie of its side. The answer is... Yes. :-)

The preceding picture is that of the first balloon that was inflated. However, I don't know what went wrong with it. They had to deflate it minutes after it was inflated.

The second balloon to be inflated was the "Hamilton" balloon...

I hear this is Hamilton's anniversary...

...so, here's the Hamilton balloon.

Starting to "rise"...

Dusk... a signal that things were picking up speed... Hehehe!

The works... flame... heat... expanding gases...

Ready to "stand"...

FYI: A set of "ropes" (tied top-to-ground) keeps the balloon
from moving in all directions.

Almost there...

... and done!

"Hamilton" keeps its position while all the rest get ready.

A lady bug...

...and a birthday cake, too!!!

Almost ready...!!!

And a giant turtle popping it's head among them.

I didn't know what this show was all about until the program host--someone we could hear, but can't see--introduced "The Earth Hour". Hahaha! I really forgot all about the Earth Hour. Everyone in New Zealand (and the rest of the world, supposedly) will switch off all electric-powered gadgets and things in support of "saving the earth".

So, while the lights are off... we were entertained by "glowing" hot-air balloons...

Let the show begin...!!!

It's like watching Christmas lights... huge ones...

They dim...

...and others light up...

... from one side...

... to the next...

... and sometimes, they glow altogether... :-)

For more than half an hour we were entertained by a strange "symphony of lights". They say it was a "synchronized" show--we just didn't hear the background music. Hahaha! I wonder if anybody noticed. I mean, everyone was busy taking pictures... :-)

The event culminated with a fireworks display... Of which, I could show you only one picture...

Fireworks...

Well, it was time to go...

Did I enjoy the show? I sure did... It's not everyday that you see a dozen or more hot air balloons do a "glow-in'the-dark" show. Hahaha! I just wish next time (which is probably next year!), we'll be able to ride in one of those... :-)

The first trip to the East

2009-08-25T13:50:00.032+12:00

It was one fine summer's day, exactly a week after I arrived in Auckland, when they decided to drive to the Coromandel Peninsula.

Of course, I had no idea what there was to see. All I was told was that this will be a good three-hour drive and that we were heading towards the eastern side of the North Island.

We were supposed to start out around five o'clock, but, of course, you know how it is...

We left the familiar roads of Flat Bush at around eight in the morning.

We drove south along the motorway before exiting towards the east...

Hmmm... I forgot which exit that was...

As they said... The ride was a little long... But there was plenty for me to see along the way.

A little church...

Cows dotting the hillsides...

The sky and the sea...

...and mountains, too.

One-lane bridge.

This was the first time I came up-close-and-personal with rural New Zealand. A beautiful rural landscape spread right before my eyes...

We had breakfast before leaving the house, but our companions haven't. So, it was decided that we stop over at Thames...

A roadside breakfast.

My impression was that Thames is a small town. Hmmm... I don't really have an extensive knowledge of New Zealand geography--yet.

We stopped by a small wharf. There was a boat or two docked there. I reckon this was the Thames River I was looking at. Mangrove lined its banks. And it looked like its waters were eager to reach the sea...

Of course, there were ducks having their morning dip...

...and sea gulls eyeing possible breakfasts.

After a thirty-minute breakfast, we moved on...

Cotton candy clouds...

... vegetation--different shapes and sizes.

A country road...?

Driving along the coast...

...and still driving...

The landscape is insterspersed with clusters of turn-of-the-20th-century houses.

Was this a school? A war memorial? Or...?

Ah... You know you're almost there when you see this...

...but not quite there yet. :-)

The tricky part of the journey was driving through thirteen kilometers of winding road. You can't speed up as much as you would like to.

Lunchtime found us at a perfect spot for enjoying the sand, sea, and sky. Out came the picnic gadgets (again). This time, we were under a palm tree.

Lunchtime!!!

The sand, sea, and sky.

To what area in the Philippines would I liken this place...? Hmmm... Let me think...

I guess the closest comparison--as far as I'm concerned--would be Tiolas, San Joaquin, although the sand would be coarser than that of Oton. Hehehe...

Of course, I had to have my picture. :-)

We didn't stay long along the beach as there was still plenty to discover.

Got to go back to Coromandel town.

Had to park outside the mini-railway station.

A miniature town buzzing with tourists.

The road marker...?

Again... the town entrance.

Much to our dismay, all tickets for the 1:30 PM miniature-train ride had been sold out. The next trip was scheduled at 4:30. That would be too late. Auckland was hours away... :-(

And so, we just had a look around "town".

Are these chunks of wood really being used for the mini train...?

Book shop, it says there...

Pretty plants...

And check this out...

It's HMS AuFULL...

Remember Au? That chemical symbol in Chemistry...? This ship or vessel is supposed to carry lots of Au... :-)

A tile among tiles...?

Is this wax or what...?

Outside the ticket office...

Carvings...?

With Ate Rose and Ate Cecil. Looks like a hot summer, eh?

I've been there. :-)

Time flies when you're having fun...We had to drive back to Auckland.

Back to the one-lane bridge.

The kids didn't have much fun during the dirve. So, since the sun was still high above the horizon, we stopped by Massey Park Aquatic Center for a dip.

Hmmm... Nah... I didn't want a dip.

Neither did the tired driver.

So, we just had to entertain ourselves while waiting for the others...

...and talk. Or pose for the camera, rather.

Going home time... :-)

Souvenir... Hahaha!!!

And so, that was the first North Island trip I joined... Did I enjoy it? Hmmm... I like exploring new places... Do you?

Wherever you are right now, I know there are new and exciting things to discover about your place... Don't laugh... For example, there are residents in Baguio City who haven't even heard of the Eco-walk or the Butterfly Garden in Camp John Hay... But, of course, that's another story... :-)

Dining at 190m above sea level...

2009-08-04T19:32:00.013+12:00

I should have entitled this blog as "The Revolving Restaurant". But that title wouldn't be as exciting, right? Hehehe!!!

The first time I learned about--and saw--the Sky City Tower was in one of the episodes of the Amazing Race. That was last year. From then on, I told myself that I will visit this Auckland landmark when I go to New Zealand...

The Sky City Tower as seen from Nelson Street.

I don't know if this is the first time I caught a glimpse of the Sky City Tower in downtown Auckland. But I know fully well that this was one of the days when Jiselle Anne offered to drive me around town to get to a "feel" of the place...

Looking up... at the corner of Victoria Street and Hobson Street.

It was a cloudy summer's day. Nevertheless, this was still a fascinating site to behold... Okay, it's not as mind-boggling as any other skyscraper in the world. It's just that this was Auckland's landmark... :-)

So, when we were invited for a group dinner at the Sky City Tower, I didn't think twice. I knew that the dinner would be a little bit pricey, but one doesn't dine at the "revolving restaurant" everyday, does she?

Problem? Parking. The Sky City Tower is one of the busiest places during Saturday nights. It houses the Sky City Casino. So, even if we started an-hour-and-a-half before the scheduled dinner, we found ourselves having difficulties finding a parking space in the vicinity.

From the opposite corner of Victoria and Hobson Streets.

We had to circle the block twice...

...because of this.

And the driver is starting to get frustrated... :-(

After going around in I-don't-know-how-many circles, we did find a $12.50/hour parking area in Elliot Street, which is two blocks away. Don't worry, we were not late for the reservations. In fact, when we got there, our companions were still waiting to be seated. The restaurant was fully packed for the evening and we were scheduled for the last "shift" of the day.

Why a revolving restaurant? For those who haven't been in one, the diners are literally revolving. The idea is for them to get a 360-degree view of the place via the glass panels that surround the restaurant.

There was one downside, though, to this event--it was nighttime!!! All I could see outside are specks of light. Add to that the fact that I was seated farthest from the window. So, I really couldn't share with you anything which I saw outside.

Finally, we were seated.

Our dining companions... Vinson, Jen, Christian, and Joyce.

If you noticed in the pictures above, the tower is like a giant stem with a disc near its top. The restaurant is located in one of the "discs". Cool, huh? It has, if I got it right, around fifteen tables arranged in a circle that revolves around the "stem" that houses two elevators, the toilets, counters, and a kitchen. It's not really a big place.

And I like the elevators. It's got a big glass panel on the floor--so that you would have the real feel of how high you are being lifted from the ground. If you don't like looking down, you could try looking through the glass window as the lift takes you to the top.

Waiting... and waiting...

Our dinner finally arrived after more than 30 minutes of waiting. It wasn't so bad. Although, it cost three times more than a regular dinner. Hahaha! And, I think the management wasn't so happy with our group. We were probably the group that ordered the least...

No, we were not being tight on the dollar. It's just that we had snacks before coming--knowing that dinner would be really late. Who wants to be 190 meters above sea level and dizzy because of starvation...???

The last orders came around 10 PM. The resto closed a little later. We descended a floor lower and decided to have a "look around" before going home...

Pardon my reaction...

This is a glass panel I was stepping on. They say it's 30 mm thick. Do you see those lights near my right hand? Those are not from anything inside the tower. They are from the street below... way below...

Joyce, Jen, and me.
We can still smile while standing on glass...

Victoria Street, I presume.

The harbour...?

Can't make out the buildings very well...

The ANZ building...

High above Auckland...

Hmmm... guess who doesn't like heights... Hahaha! Heights are cool. It's the "looking down" that doesn't suit one of the guests... :-)

Closing time...

We were up there...!!!

Orbit Revolving Restaurant.

One last look before goodnight... :-)

We left around half-past ten. We had to walk back to the parking area. Surprisingly, we were not charged $12.50/hour. It was way less than that. Hmmm... Is it possible that that the pay parking also had some kind of Saturday night specials...?

But before we left, this one caught my attention...

Yes, it's a pedicab...!!!

I never got to know who drove it or where it went... One minute, it's there... Just two clicks of my cellphone at the Sky City Tower and the pedicab's gone. Hehehe!!!

So, that was our dining experience...

But, before I end this entry... Allow me to leave you with these words...

"A dry crust of bread eaten in peace and quiet is better than a feast eaten where everyone argues." -- Proverbs 17:1

Until then... Take care and God bless!!!

On becoming Mr. & Mrs. Leonor...

2009-07-10T10:18:00.014+12:00

Okay... I haven't been a diligent blogger for these past few weeks... Hahaha!!!

There are some things that I had to attend to... and, as lame as this may sound, I didn't have much time to write anything. I have uploaded pictures but there just wasn't enough time to write captions for them, so I didn't post them. (Does this sound like a reply to your comment, jorp? Hahaha!!!)

Anyway... Here are the pictures taken during our "wedding".

Well, my friends, it was a very simple ceremony. It took about 10-15 minutes. Hahaha! Before I make more comments, take a look at these...

The bride and the groom.

It was on that fateful Friday afternoon, 13th of February 2009, 2 o'clock, at the Manukau Registry office, that Earl and I exchanged vows to love and cherish each other for the rest of our lives...

The amazing thing is that, in this wedding, the bride wasn't late. Hahaha!!! Neither was the groom--for that matter. We had to be at the registry 30 minutes before the ceremony so that we could check the details written in the form BDM 45A (the form that all persons involved in the ceremony signs--married couples know what this is, although probably under other names).

We had to wait for the "hall" to be available at exactly 2:00 P.M.

The bride and groom again...

At exactly 2 o'clock, we were led to the "hall". It's a room in the registry office that is set aside for ceremonies like this. One may choose to have the ceremony performed in another venue outside the registry, otherwise, one pays a little extra (in addition to the standard fee) to use this "hall" for 30 minutes.

The "ceremony" begins...

Civil weddings are performed here in the registry by the registrars. Hmmm... At first, things just didn't feel that serious for me or I just didn't want to take things seriously... Hahaha!!! But, the truth is, I just didn't want to be emotional about the whole thing. This is a day for me and my partner to enjoy--not for me to be teary-eyed about.

...with the registrar, Dominic James Halpin.

I told you, the ceremony was very short. We were asked questions (to which, of course, you know the answer), we replied, and we said our vows. And that was it... or, at least, the first 5 minutes of it...

The registrar... showing us where to sign...

NO turning back... Hahaha!!!

Got to make two copies...

Then, the witnesses sign...

And... finally... the celebrant certifies that the marriage has been solemnized.

Why February13? And a Friday-the-thirteenth, at that. Hahaha! Actually, the ceremony should have been on February14. However, the registry is closed during weekends and the 14th was a Saturday. Need I explain more...? Hahaha!!!

No church wedding. No fancy ceremonies. No families. No close pals around. What do we have left? So, we decided to make the timing, at least, something significant. No, I'm not griping over it. I'm just explaining why we chose February13.

Anyway, since this day was a Friday-the-thirteenth, it turned out that ours was the only marriage ceremony scheduled for the afternoon. So, this meant that we were free to stay in the hall a little longer. And we made good use of the time... taking pictures. I'm not going to show you all the pictures here, though. Hahaha!!! There would be too many for the page to handle.

The "newlyweds" with the witnesses... Ate Rose and Ate Cecile...

... and with J-Anne.

The ladies... Where's the groom?
Well, somebody has to take the picture, you know. :-)

Our copy of the "proof"... BDM 45A.

Now, make your guess... is this bouquet fresh or not?
(We don't know either... hehehe!!!)

Me and J-Anne.

Taking our time...

The hall is big enough to accommodate up to 50 people. Obviously, we didn't have that many guests. This was a working day and not everyone was able to take the day off...

We went home at around half-past-two. Surely, we had to "rest" before the dinner. And, we had to wait for the others to be available for dinner... :-)

The first two presents that we got...

First picture as Mr. & Mrs. Leonor...

Some of you might be wondering if I would have preferred a church wedding... Hmmm... Now, that's a tough one. There are advantages and disadvantages to every decision that we make in life. The principle is to make the best decision based on the current situation. Whether it is a church wedding or not, being Mr. & Mrs. Earl Leonor is what this is all about--what could be better than that?!

I'm not done yet...

Dinner was in Nando's (Westfield shopping centre in Manukau). Their specialty? Grilled chicken. Hmmm... the closest one can get to those juicy, tasty roast chicken back home. (Which reminds me, jorp, that those who think roast chicken in Iloilo are so "everyday" are not appreciating this blessing enough... but, I will deal with this issue at some other time. Hahaha!!!)

Nando's is also known for it's unique peri-peri sauce (red hot chilli pepper sauce?). Of course, I don't like chillis, so, I'll have my food either with mild peri-peri sauce or lemon and herbs. Hmmm... Anyone for some roast chicken...?

We had reservations for 6 o'clock. We placed orders before an attendant led us up the upper floor. We had a long table all to ourselves. It was much quieter, too.

At Nando's...

With the guests...

Hmmm... what's taking them so long...?

A "long table".

Dinnertime... yummy espetada.
(Boneless, skinless chicken roast with capsicums and shallots.)

And there's the peri-peri sauce...

After dinner...

And I got a doggy bag...

Just posing... Hehehe!!!

We went home at around 9 o'clock. The sun has gone down a few minutes earlier. Yes, we were nearing the end of summer and the sun sets around 8:00 P.M. Cool, huh? I guess not. You have to close the blinds and pull the curtains tight in order to convince yourself that it is nighttime. Hahaha!!!

And the day is not yet over for us...

Copy of Particulars of Marriage

Time to open the gifts...

Hmmm...

Nice...

I wish I could show you all the wacky pictures that Earl has taken while I was opening the gifts. Hehehe!!! But these will take more time to upload. Hmmm...

It's been almost six months since we got married... how do I feel now? Still feels like me. Hahaha!

Marriage is a commitment. It's not an end... but, rather, a beginning of a journey. And am I glad to be making this journey with Earl!!! :-)

'Til next blog... Take care and God bless!!!

Comfort Food

2009-06-12T10:15:00.000+12:00

Arnott's Nice The Original
Staring at me with its sugar-coated, crunchy face.

What does one do on a cloudy, 17-degrees-Celsius day?

It was more than an-hour-past-midnight when I hit the sack. What was I doing? I was working on my resume/CV, trying to get back the feeling of what it's like to be looking for a job--a new job, for that matter. But let's not talk about the woes and blues of job-hunting...

I went to the kitchen an hour ago to wash the breakfast dishes when I was suddenly overcome with the craving for something sweet. Have you ever had this feeling before? You have a sweet tooth, you might say. But what I'm talking about is that feeling of never being full (after a meal) on the aftermath of staying up late. Probably it's the body's way of compensating for lack of sleep.

And so, I got myself a package of Arnott's Nice. I promised myself that I would only eat one so as to simply stamp out my craving. However, when I got hold of the biscuit, I remembered that Nice goes well with warm milk. (You probably get the picture now.)

Cupboards opened in search of a mug, a teaspoon, and the powdered milk container. The water in the electric kettle was still steaming hot. After two minutes, I was ready to dunk the biscuit into the mug when I remembered jorp's blogs... Hmmm...

I had no choice but to get my cellphone, arrange some Nice into a coordinating plate, and, "the rest is history". I even had a title ready for my entry today. Hahaha!

So, what's your comfort food?

In my opinion, this beats Oreo in the milk-dunking game.
P.S. I ate only 2 out of the 7. :-)

"All Creatures Great and Small" Part 3

2009-05-21T00:44:00.000+12:00

"All these depend on you to provide them with food, and you feed each one with your own hand until they are full.... You created all of them by your Spirit, and you give new life to the earth." -- Psalm 104: 27, 28, 30

I told you I'd be back. :-)

It's one of those days when I can't rest until I finish something that I started. This rule applies to my writing as well because once I have framed my thoughts but failed to write them down, they can never be re-worded ever again.

But before we proceed... I have mentioned that there are creatures in the zoo which we were not able to photograph. Some of these you can find in the zoo's official website. The others, you simply have to see for yourself. :-)

Creatures we were not able to photograph and why...

1.) Cheetah -- It was their "nap" time. Quite understandable because cats sleep most of the time.

2.) Lion -- Was it taking a nap, too? You bet! But this guy was kind enough to expose half of its body to us. It was lying under a young tree--to be as far from exposure to the sun's rays. When we arrived at the viewing window, we couldn't see any sign of him. But, he stirred, and raised his awesome head--with that gorgeous mane. I just wish he had the time to spare--even for just a single shot (like what the tiger did earlier).

3.) Hippopotamus -- Mama hippo was taking her nap, too!!! This time, with her body submerged in water and only her very wide back exposed to us who are waiting to catch even a teeny-weeny glimpse of her. And was that back enormous!!! Yes, you have to see a real, live hippo if you want to get a sense of how big and powerful a hippo can be. Simply awesome.

4.) Alligator -- I bet you've seen an alligator or a crocodile before. That amusing, enlarged lizard... Hahaha!

5.) Porcupine -- It was hiding behind the bushes. It would take a peek between the plants, but it just wouldn't come out under the scorching summer sun. So, how do I describe it? Think of a very, very large rat, with long, straight, stiff-but-oh-so-shiny black hair with white streaks here-and-there. And very gentle eyes, too! But then, it's "quills" would "stand up" every time we made an attempt to take a picture of it. Hahaha!

5.) Tarantula -- Each one had its own dimly-lit "apartment" with a viewing window... there wasn't enough light to get a good photo. :-) Now, open the palm of your hand. Open wide. Just imagine a hairy, eight-legged creature snuggled there. Yes, it's big enough to occupy your whole palm.

6.) Kiwi -- No camera flash allowed! Yes, the zoo staff took pains to simulate nighttime for these nocturnal creatures. But then, you say, why not take photos without the flash? Hmmm... try that in the middle of a forest on a moonless night... Did we see it? Yes, we did! We had to stay quiet and still for a few minutes and we were not disappointed.

7.) Tuatara -- We were on our way out of the BNZ Kiwi & Tuatara house when I noticed some small viewing windows. I didn't pay much attention because all I saw were these spiny, motionless lizards. It was only when we were outside that I realized those were actually the so-called direct descendants of the dinosaurs. Hahaha!

Some animals listed on the map included the red panda, chickens, frogs, pigs, rabbits, and baboon. We didn't see them. Perhaps it was the exhaustion from moving back and forth the area. Or, they just weren't in their proper places.

Others, we simply forgot to photograph like, the bat, the blue and gold macaw (you'll find one in Baluarte--remember that snobbish blue-and-gold "parrot" there?), koi carp, ducks (wild and free!!!), and swans.

Still others simply were not to be seen that time. The aquarium was under renovation and so was the aviary. The penguin enclosure, too. While the chimpanzee encounter was scheduled later in the afternoon.

Nevertheless, we had a good time. :-)

Now, back to our tour...

A few meters from Darwin's Cafe is the Central Lawn. Around it, you can find the Little Critters, Sealion and Penguin Shores, Just Juice Primate Trail, and the Willow Island in the middle of Central Lake.

Near the Central Lake are the meerkats...

Playing despite the heat...

...inside the burrow... Hehehe!

I was intrigued by the transparent domes found around the meerkats' realm. Going around the other side of their colony, I found out that those are actually observation posts. You go down a basement-level tunnel, move up a ladder, and pop your head inside one of those domes. Then, you can observe the meerkats at their own level.

Did I try to stick my head into one of the domes? Unfortunately, no. Hehehe! Let's say that I haven't fully recovered from my claustrophobia... :-)

Meerkat colony... buzzing with busy inhabitants.

Across the meerkats in the Central Lawn are the porcupine and the cotton-top tamarins (which I call miniature monkeys).

Cotton-Top Tamarin.

A miniature monkey... it's body is as big as a rat's... hehehe! Isn't he cute?

The Sealion & Penguin Shores is host to playful, splashy creatures. Playful because they would dive in, circle the "pond", jump out of the water, and dive in again.

Can you see the fur seal at the lower left and the sea gull at the upper right...?

Fur seal... waiting for his turn to jump onto...

...the sealion... (don't you just want to dive in with them?)

"Ahhh... love the water!!!"

Isn't this one cute...?

The game never ends... except when mealtime comes. Hahaha!

If mealtime did not come for these marine mammals, you would be seeing a picture of me swimming with them. Hahaha! But they dropped their chasing and splashing and hopped onto shore and followed their trainers through the exit for their meal.

And so, on we go to the Primate Trail. And what do you find along the Primate Trail? Swings, sacks scattered around, ropes... Hmmm... It looks like something is going on around here. But there's no activity.

Ah, of course!!! It's nap time. And looks who's taking a nap on top of a pole...?

"Shhh... it's better up here. No one will disturb me... except for that sun that 's been giving me wrinkles..."

Well, it's not only those intelligent primates that are trying to hide from the heat. Check out these rings hiding underneath the leaves...

Ring-Tailed Lemur.

No lemur me. Just taking a break away from the heat.

Beyond the Japanese Garden is the Jamuna Plaza. Here we found the Galapagos Tortoise. I've read about strange animals in the Galapagos Island when I was in grade school... didn't expect them to be so real, though.

Huge. You have to see it to believe it.

Huge vegetarian.

A huge couple?

Obviously snapping at each other.

But we know who's the boss.

"That's me! Or, is it?"

Going around the other corner, we noticed that we missed out on a feathered wonder earlier.

A cuckatoo.

"Ain't I handsome? Huh? Huh?"

We had been going around in circles at the Jamuna Plaza, trying to find the NewstalkZB Rainforest. We could hear strange noises, but we just couldn't find the entrance. Until we realized, it's through that small building where the tarantulas are housed...

Entrance to the Rainforest. Earl is reading the guide.

If you can't get a good shot of the restless primates... be one!

The Primate Trail holds different sorts of primates. And, this is definitely where the "noise" was coming from. There are plenty of occupants here, but, most were too fast to catch in film. Here are the only decent shots we got.

Golden Lion Tamarin--which cannot be disturbed in what it is doing.
Brazilian Agouti--living on the "floor".

And... the noisiest creature of all... Strong arms to swing from tree-to-tree... I bet strong diaphragms, too. They give out loud, deep, prolonged hoots to announce their presence--and avoid confrontation...?

The Siamang Gibbon.

We came out at the other end--still at the Jamuna Plaza, checked the map, and knew that we had covered the whole zoo.

Finally, we are at the end of our tour. This has been a very interesting journey. I enjoyed it a lot. You know how well I like animals. Hahaha!

Birds, birds, birds.

The exhausted tourists.

Will I visit the Auckland Zoo again? I definitely will!!!

I'm reminded of the song: "How Great Thou Art". How wonderful God's creation is...!!!

Ooops... No, we'll not debate on Creation vs Evolution or that kind of stuff. We'll talk about that some other time. For now, try to check out the Book of Job and see for yourself the wonders of nature... :-)

"Til then... Happy reading!!! See ya later!!!

"All Creatures Great and Small" Part 2

2009-05-20T16:14:00.000+12:00

One of my favorite books of the Bible is Job. Especially that part where God asks Job to explain the mysteries of His creation. Of course, Job could not answer. How could he? How could we? Were we there when they were created? :-)

I won't write here the whole chapters of Job--which I like very much. But, I urge you to read them for yourself. You will find a lot of fascinating things there...

Now, where did I leave off...? Hmmm... It was with the birds, right?

Moving on... (actually, we were just drifting around the zoo because even though we had the map, we really were not sure where we were... we had to go round and round before we were certain that we were in the spot where we wanted to be. Hahaha!)

Just across the brolgas, you'll find a spot where most tenants live inside "glass cases". And, the following pictures show you the tenants. Although, I'm afraid that I missed out on their names. I guess it has something to do with the hot summer sun and my hunger. Nevertheless, I will let the pictures speak for themselves...

Eastern Blue-Tongued Skink. Unmoving under the summer sun.

A tortoise that is probably a span across.

Eastern Water Dragon. We almost couldn't see him among the greens.

There are still several species which we were not able to photograph. One, the reflection of the surroundings on the glass panels lessened the photo quality. Two, most of them were on the hiding.

So, we had to leave the world of the reptiles.

Drifting down the path, we came across the sign that told us there was another "cat" somewhere. It turned out that the cat was catching forty winks (whether it was a he or a she, we don't know). Earl had to make full use of the camera's zoom capacity just to catch a glimpse of this lovely creature (I say lovely because I have a strong liking for cats).

No, it's not a leopard nor a cheetah--it's a serval. It's smaller than the two mentioned, but it has both their characteristics. That is, it both has the spots and the stripes. Great for camouflage, you say. And you're quite right.

It can be found in the African savannahs. And since it lives among tall grasses, it makes good use of that physical characteristic that most women dream of having--long legs. No, they're not for winning any beauty pageant. According to the zoo's website, it's long legs allows it to "spy on its prey over the top of long grasses." (Hmmm... very much the same way that Joshua's height is an advantage when it comes to reaching for things way up there beyond the reach of an a-little-over-five-foot mortal like me. Hahaha! Who's Joshua? I'll tell you one of these days.)

Nap time. Can't entertain you yet...

There wasn't much to see in serval country, so we trudged along the winding road to the Animal Planet Elephant Clearing. And elephants, we did see.

These are the two female elephants living in the zoo. Forty-one-year-old Kashin and 27-year-old Burma. Although, I can't distinguish in these picture who is who (me and my memory!). I just know that by watching them move around the enclosure, you will know who's young and who's younger. Hahaha! It would be nice if you could visit and see for yourself. :-) Huge creatures, I should say. But, oh, so adorable.

Asian elephants

Who's huge...?

Too busy to show their faces...

Moving around... I think it's Burma on the left, and Kashin on the right.

We moved to the Pridelands and, oh, was it just so tricky. How does one get a good picture of a huge animal that is indistinguishable from it's surroundings? I am talking about the white rhinoceros. I didn't realize they were there until one of them moved. And they looked like huge, white rocks.

Now, I think we should have taken photographs of them, even if only their backs were exposed to our camera lens. That would have been interesting still, don't you think? So, since we don't have their pictures, I hope you will appreciate the ones we have at hand.

The springbok. South Africa's national animal.

Creatures who just can't have enough of height...

Zebra. White stripes on black? Or black stripes on white?

Oh, the neck...

I wish you could see the lovely lashes...

Closest I can get.

Hmmm... Sorry. There's a tree "covering" it.

The "view deck". Though, you can't see much activity in this sweltering heat.

Okay. Just opposite where I was standing a few minutes ago...

Emerging from the path, we found ourselves at the zoo's entrance. According to the map, we have covered the zoo's "edges" and have missed some nice in-between spots. So, we decided to give it another round.

First, we revisited the otters...

A cool splash in a hot day.

Asian Small-Clawed Otter. Hmmm... Watching us...?

Fast. Sleek. Hard to get a still shot.

Of course, it's not only the occupants who get hungry. The visitors do, too.

I knew wouldn't be able to enjoy checking out the rest of the creatures on an empty stomach. So, we stopped by Darwin's Cafe for lunch. No, it's not a cafe owned by Charles Darwin. At least, I don't think it is.

I had vegetarian mince pie and fresh fruits and muesli. You didn't expect me to order something of animal origin when I was surrounded by all these lovely creatures, did you? Hahaha! And muesli sounds like breakfast food, but, I really love muesli.

And so, this ends the second part of this series. Lunch break!!! But, I'll be back with the rest of the gang. Don't think it's over!!!

'Til the next one...

Meanwhile, check out www.aucklandzoo.co.nz for other fascinating facts and pictures about these animals. :-)

See ya later!!!

"All Creatures Great and Small" Part 1

2009-05-04T13:59:00.000+12:00

"Our LORD, by your wisdom you made so many things; the whole earth is covered with your living creatures." - Psalm 104:24 (CEV)

Well, not exactly "all" creatures. Just a few exotic ones. Or, are they? :-)

Even if you are not fond of animals, I believe you would always find a creature or two that would certainly fascinate you in the wonderful world of zoological gardens or a zoo.

Earl and I visited Auckland Zoo on the fifth of February. It was a nice, sunny, summer's day. The parking lot was full, but we managed to get a vacant space when a car pulled out during our second "turn". We were charged NZ$20.00 each at the ticket booth and armed with a "map" that came with the tickets (for an extra $2.00 as a donation to the zoo), we started our "expedition".

First stop... the otters. However, I think we came at the wrong time. High noon was coming fast, and before we could take snapshots of the sleek creatures, they all went hiding. And, it was soon time for their "lunch".

That was a little bit discouraging. So, we just moved on to the next...

The sign said: Sumatran Tiger. But no matter how close we pressed our noses against the glass panel of the viewing window, we couldn't seem to find any sign of the tiger. So, we waited.

And he came... at a far distance.

Or, he could be a she. There are currently two Sumatran tigers at the Auckland Zoo--Oz, the male, and Molek, the female.

However, this feline must have known that people don't come to the zoo just to breathe fresh air. With all the pomp and pageantry (at least, to a cat), he made his way to the viewing window-- head held high, with all the vanity that only a cat could carry with regal pride.

I say vanity because he definitely looked like a celebrity who pretends not seeing the camera, but nonetheless, poses excessively. And pose, he did.

Did I tell you that he posed for the camera...?

True to being a celebrity, he stayed in this spot for three minutes. Yes, three minutes. Probably enjoying the "limelight".

After that short span of time, he turned and left. Much like a celebrity--minus the PA's. I could almost imagine him saying, "Sorry, but I have to go. I need some rest. And the flash of the cameras is giving me a little headache."

He dismissed us with a flick of his tail. But, of course, like buzzing fans who are given the privilege to catch a glimpse of their silver screen heroes, we were happy.

Next came the Aussie Walkabout. This means close encounter with animals native to Australia without actually going there.

Wallabies and Kangaroos... Isn't this a hot summer???

Hmmm... Nice to be under the trees, eh?

"Does your camera have a film...???"

"I thirst... And am hungry, too!!! See, I can hardly stand."
(In a few short minutes, lunch came for this bird. )
Emu with a nice hairdo...:-)
Okay. This one is just a proof that I was there. Hahaha!

It wasn't probably such a good time to visit, because it was lunchtime. And lunchtime meant the furry and feathered creatures should have their meals, too.

Moving on, we went into the Lorikeet Aviary... And what's a lorikeet...?

A "rainbow in the wrong place".

This is a lorikeet. Very colorful bird, isn't it? I think there are several species of this bird. I didn't do my homework well on these animals, though. Hahaha! But, I think, simply by looking at it, you'll get pretty amazed already.

Lunchtime also meant visitors can experience feeding these birds...

A visitor feeds the lorikeet, while the others (including us) take photos.

After the finishing the treat...

But it's not only this beautifully-colored avian species that live in here. Here are some more pretty, winged creatures who may not be as spectacular but are, nonetheless, interesting.

Hmmm... I cannot really remember all of their names, but, wouldn't it be a great exercise for you, too, to look them up in the net...? Hahaha!!! (Try www.aucklandzoo.co.nz for starters.)

Crested Pigeon. Lonely? Or just plain meditating?

B1: "Why does the lorikeet have all the attention and the treats?"
B2: "I don't know. But I do hope they'd also take our pictures. Here's one coming..."
B1: "Hmmm... It's good, though, that they're all leaving us alone. Haha!"

The NZ Aviary were closed due to redevelopment, so, some of the birds are found around the Japanese garden.

No, they are not one and the same species, but they do get along.

Remember the camping song: "Kookaburra sits on the old gum tree, Merry, merry king of the bush is he; Laugh, Kookaburra, laugh, Kookaburra, gay your life must be."?

THIS is the laughing kookaburra. I didn't hear it laugh, though. But, doesn't he look like he's grinning? Hahaha!

Kookaburra sits... I don't know, though, if this is a gum tree. :-)

A shy one. I also met a shy brother of this specie living in Baluarte, Ilocos Sur.
(Heard of the place? Chavit Singson's "zoo"-cum-casino-to-be-hideaway?)
Are these love birds...? Nah... Sun Conure.
A pheasant... Himalayan Monal.
Why didn't anybody tell me that some pheasants are colorful...?
A finch...

Another colorful kin... Masked Lovebird.

And what do you know...? This is the most ironic thing that I encountered at the zoo. I never saw this bird in the Philippines, but, true enough, it's here in Auckland Zoo...

Luzon bleeding heart dove...

Some of you might already be thinking: "Good for the bird--he's in New Zealand!"

Hahaha! Don't worry, my friends. I rather look at it this way: "The sad thing about this encounter is that I had to see a bird that is endemic to the Philippines in a foreign land. Does this mean that other people appreciate Philippine flora and fauna more than we Filipinos do?" :-)

Nearing the edge of the garden, approaching the steps that leads to the Band Rotunda, we saw this sign...

Brolga...?

The brolgas... either they're evading the cameras or the noonday sun!!!

Since we're talking about feathered creatures, I think I should also include these pictures:

The tall and graceful...

...Flamingo.

FYI: Did you know that a flamingo can bend its knees both ways?
(Think it would be cool to be flamingo?)

This day has not ended yet. This is just a quarter (okay, a third) of the journey. But, I guess I'll have to leave things here for now. I'll share with you the other pictures later. Hmmm... Say, let's have a break. Hahaha!

See ya later!!!

Haere Mai!

2009-05-01T09:36:00.000+12:00

Come here! Welcome!

A Maori greeting. :-)

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to savor the moment I first breathed New Zealand air (oh, not the airline company!!!). I was even unaware what time of the day it was. Hahaha! How is that so...?

This was our flight schedule on that particular day: 17 January 2009
06:20 Departure from Iloilo City Airport to Manila (NAIA) via Cebu Pacific
- the trip took something like an hour (and the plane was a few minutes delayed!!!)
07:25 - Arrival at NAIA
11:10 Departure from Manila to Hong Kong International Airport
- this is a two-hour trip
13:10 - Arrival at Hong Kong International Airport
15:25 Departure from Hong Kong to Auckland
- this is an eleven-and-a-half-hour flight!!!

I think you can just imagine how tiring this travel had been. Add to this schedule the fact that I am not very keen on flying and I think you could more or less estimate my mindset and physical condition when I arrived in Auckland. Hmmm... I could remember that the Kiwi sky was falling that day--I mean, raining. :-)

Anyway, I will thoroughly discuss this topic in another write-up, with all the details that I could possibly remember.

In the meanwhile, let me share with you this picture...
Auckland is, among its many names, also called the City of Sails. This big sail at the entrance of the international airport emphasizes this fact.

I took this picture a month after I arrived here. We had to accompany someone to the airport and his flight happened to be scheduled two hours after midnight. Hence, the nighttime setting. I didn't get the chance to take a picture during my arrival. But, again, I'll tell you the details why in my later blogs.

For now, I'll just leave you with...

Haere Mai!!!

ABNOY

2009-05-01T09:23:00.001+12:00

Who is that...?!

That is my faithful everyday companion. Hehehe! Being "home alone" every day could be a little lonely and "depressing". But thanks to this stuffed lion, who's about six inches up-to-the-shoulder, there is not a dull day here in our room...

And if you think he's hideous and ugly, don't worry! You're the nth person to have thought that. But let's face it, the very moment you look at him, something just compels your stomach muscles to contract and make you give out a hearty laugh. :-)

And the Blogging Begins

2009-04-30T14:56:00.000+12:00

Hello!

Thank you for visiting this page. Allow me to briefly explain why you are reading these words here and now...

This undertaking is actually an idea from two other people... Hahaha! They both gave me reasons why I should "blog": 1.) Blogging is a good way to spend those "free" hours one has when one is faced with the challenge of what to do with those "free" hours; and, 2.) They said I had plenty to write (and I hope they are right).

Why did I give in to their ideas?

It suddenly dawned on me that it takes a lot of time to write letters (read as, e-mails) to family and friends (which means--you). There is nothing wrong with writing letters. IN fact, I enjoy writing letters. But if I have to retell events and experiences over and over again (especially those that are very significant), chances are I end up forgetting a detail or two, or I may be a little short on time that I would put off uploading pictures as well.

So, here we are...

I am writing to keep you (yes, YOU) updated on the things that are happening here--my place in this great planet of ours. And not only that... Everytime I will come across something that I feel would be worth sharing with you, this place would be very suitable for the purpose.

And... before I forget... I would love to hear from you, too!!!

Do keep me company, okay? Read on!!! :-)

- Didan Pedros-Leonor

P.S. Would you like to know who those "two" people I mentioned above are? Hmmm... How about the names Lara and Jorry...? Hahaha!!!