Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Week Three - Roses and Surf

We walked around the lake again.  We were loved by all the birds since this time we brought some bird seed.  All the babies are growing up so fast.

Hello from a Canadian Goose.  These geese were a gift from President Teddy Roosevelt to the people of New Zealand.

There are so many lilies on the lake - pink, white and red

The parents always fed our bird seed to their babies

We went to a rose show and concert at Hamilton Gardens


Trip to Raglan - our nearest beach


Every beach in NZ and Australia have these rescue boats.




Steps to the bottom of Bridal Veil Falls.

Saturday, November 12, 2011

The All Blacks Win - Our First Two Weeks in Hamilton

We arrived in Auckland on October 26th.  All of New Zealand was celebrating the All Blacks win in the Rugby World Cup.  Izzy's All Blacks t-shirt that he bought when we lived in Wellington received a lot of cheers at the airport.
Auckland had it's own version of Occupy Wall Street.
Izzy's first day at Waikato Hospital in Hamilton. He is wearing the American and New Zealand flag lapel pin that was given to him by the last ambassador from the US. Waikato Hospital is one of the largest in NZ and has about 600 beds.  Izzy joins 12 other cardiologists.  His six-month contract is through the end of April 2012.
Izzy wearing his NZ World Rugby championship hat and his San Diego Super Charger shirt (although they aren't as "super" as they should be.  He watches all the games via the Internet.  We can hook our computer up to the wide screen TV.
 Spring has sprung in the Southern Hemisphere.
 Australian coot with one chick and one egg at a nearby lake.
 Izzy's hospital.  http://www.waikatodhb.govt.nz/

 Prostitution is legal it NZ.  Although, we have no idea what a body slide is.
  If you come to visit, perhaps you can solve this mystery.
 At Hamilton Gardens with a Maori.
 Coot with her babies - the week after we spotted them in the nest.
I love this photo.
 Lake a few blocks from our house.
 Izzy visiting the Superloo.
Armistice Day in NZ. Note the kiwi decal right below Izzy's right hand.
 The Lord Major of Cambridge making a proclamation on Armistice Day.
Jo ready for the Round the Bridges Walk.

Izzy at kilometre 3

Izzy at kilometre 5

Izzy at kilometre 6

Waikato River banks where we walked.

One of the bridges we walked across.

Izzy's post-race lunch of NZ green lip mussels.

 Celebration Wine!!