Wednesday we spent the day in Auckland wandering around the different neighborhoods and shopping districts, galleries, visited the Cathedral (the cathedral of the South Pacific) where the Hamblings attend and Iris' private speech therapy practice is located. Really interesting and unusual stained glass--lots of New Zealand symbols and references to contemporary events. Also stopped in the Auckland Museum to see the extinct Moa bird (really strange enormous, flightless bird that the Maoris hunted to extinction. Because prehistoric New Zealand didn't have any large mammals, or really any predators of any kind (still really doesn't) the birds stopped flying because they were so safe and eventually no longer could. Looks a lot like Big Bird) Visited a Maori meeting house and huge huge huge canoe that once carried 100 Maori warriors. The sight of it empty was so fierce I couldn't imagine what it must have been like filled with angry decorated warriors with face paint. Finished the day with a walk along the beach in Devonport collecting shells. It was a wonderful introduction to friendly, beautiful New Zealand.
-Jesikah
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