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| Backside of the ridge from Thames |
Last weekend, Beth and I went up to Auckland to do a few errands and we hit up 2 different festivals. It was supposed to be 3, but I couldn't eat any more. Shocking I know! Saturday morning, I did 2000m in the pool then took in a Maori food festival and the Diwali festival. We also planned on hitting up the Auckland Night Market, where they have 60-80 food stalls. Its still on my to-do list. At the Maori food festival we started with a cupcake.
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| So tasty. Easy to make to boot. |
Then I had a plate of boil up, its like a soup of potato, water cress, doughboy (think dumplings), and pork bones with meat) with 2 pieces of Maori bread. I wanted to have some hangi, but it was sold-out. However, a very kind guy stopped by Beth and I and said he overheard we were asking for hangi, but were turned away.
He gave us, I mean me, one of his helpings of hangi. We had an interesting conversation with an older lady at the festival. I got the typical, what are you question. Which led to explaining how this is a typical conversation. Now that I think of it, I should just make a t-shirt and wear it all the time. I said I get my dark skin from being half-vietnamese and she chimed in "and the other half is American!". I just had to agree with her. She talked about eating nettles and sea urchin and how in the past they were embarassed to do it in front of foreigners. Now she doesn't care. I said I've eaten both and she was surprised as she thought only Kiwis did it. At this point I had plowed through both portions of food and turned down her offer for some uni as I feeling full. She said that we should be on Amazing Race because I eat anything. We told her we had applied years ago, but sadly we weren't chosen to compete.
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| Yes, $20 for HoHos |
Then we went to Martha's Backyard which imports American goods and sells at a significant markup. I've been using pop tarts as a nutrition source while on my long rides. Also picked up some corn meal for corn bread muffins and graham crackers for s'mores. We then drove back up the street to pick up a bike trainer we got off of TradeMe. Then off to the North Shore to pick up a water bottle seat mount and to drop off my wetsuit which had a seam tear. Sad because I only probably wore it 6-10 times, but as I had bought it at the end of the September and didn't wear it until June of the following year it was out of warranty. Then we were off to Diwali where we met up with Shiv. We took in some music and more food before heading back home. We had curry puffs, samosas, mango lassi, vegetarian takoyaki (cheese and corn or onion), chipati with bread, fried fritters with chocolate sauce, and a sprite. Then I topped the night off with a mystery dessert from a place on Elliot Street of panna cotta and chocolate mouse parfait. I don't think I could have forced myself to eat at each of the 60-80 food stalls at the night market, so we just drove back home.
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| Shiv next to a MN State Fair booth? |
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| Don't be fooled, its not takoyaki |
Today we went back up to Auckland to get our refinance documents certified at the US Embassy. It was our first time, visiting an embassy. It was nothing like the movies. Where were the heavily armored guards walking around the massive complex? Nope it was tucked in a Citi building on the edge of the CBD. We then talked briefly to an accountant to see how screwed up our taxes may be. Then we picked up my freshly repaired wetsuit. Time to get some open water practice. I was called on Monday about scheduling a job interview. It took place after all the other activities for the day.
