Party Like it's 1812

Tēnā Koutou!
(Hello, everyone!)

For my next installment of memories and adventures I thought I'd share Alyse and my visit to the Auckland Domain Park (where, incidentally, Alyse is hanging out today with some friends). We heard about this event a few days after arriving here, and knew right away it was something we would enjoy: a classical music concert / picnic featuring a full symphonic rendition of Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture set to fireworks. Upon arrival an hour or so before the show was to start, we found a huge crowd gathered, setting up blankets and baskets of food.

We had prepared some sandwiches and a fruit salad, which went nicely with a bottle of terrible Australian chardonnay we picked up on the way out there. That, along with a bag of chips and some ice cream we bought from some UNICEF volunteers, made for a feast of kings as we sat and watched the show.

I had fun futzing with my camera in the retreating light (most of the photos I took were too smeary to post). We didn't know what other songs were to be performed there, so we had fun being surprised at each successive change of performers. We stood and hummed as the Kiwis sang (and swayed to beat) to Pomp and Circumstance, belted out with the best of them to a soloist singing Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody, danced to a waltz (I forget the name), and finally prepared ourselves for the feature event.

Not only were there fireworks during the finale, but as the pictures show there was a LASER SHOW, and HOWITZERS from the New Zealand Army! This being the first time I heard the 1812 live, the artillery reports going off in time made for quite a spectacle. Without getting too political, I must say I think the Kiwis have it right in using their siege engines for concerts at public parks rather than their intended purpose.

Altogether an awesome evening, which led to some fun pictures for teh interwebs [sic], too. Hope all of you are doing alright back home! If anyone's actually reading this, comments are totally appreciated!

Until next time,

David