Back from Wellington!
Aug. 31st, 2010 04:27 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
osprey_archerThis weekend we went to Wellington, where I ate a chocolate pavlova with tamarillo (a sweet tree tomato, dark red and luscious), slices of venison with a bleu cheese sauce, and a salad with duck gizzard confit which was AMAZING. They had cooked the gizzard tender, and it was dark brown and intensely ducky.
And other things, but those were the most scrumptious.
I also went to the botanical gardens, which I had ALL TO MYSELF on account of it was pouring rain. I climbed the puddled, petal-dotted stairs beneath the blooming camellia trees, white and red and pink, soaked to the knees and dripping water onto my nose whenever I moved my umbrella.
Inevitably, the sun came out just as I dripped into the cafe for tea and carrot cake. I considered returning to the camellias, but I decided that would muddy the memory and went on.
And ran into a bookshop, Parsons, which would have been closed if I'd returned to the camellias. It's cozy and lovely, crammed with books, choral music in the background. I ought to have bought a copy of Ngaio Marsh.
Lastly, best of all - my brother and I went on a Lord of the Rings tour of Wellington. We saw bits of Lothlorien and the remains of Helm's Deep and Minas Tirith (a quarry, hollowed out - in this reality I guess the orcs got to it), the rocky bank where Aragorn washed up after he fell over the cliff with the warg, Isengard, and the road where the hobbits met the black riders - where the Black Rider stands silhouetted against the sky.
I like to think I have a future as an threatening henchminion, if nothing else works out for me.
And other things, but those were the most scrumptious.
I also went to the botanical gardens, which I had ALL TO MYSELF on account of it was pouring rain. I climbed the puddled, petal-dotted stairs beneath the blooming camellia trees, white and red and pink, soaked to the knees and dripping water onto my nose whenever I moved my umbrella.
Inevitably, the sun came out just as I dripped into the cafe for tea and carrot cake. I considered returning to the camellias, but I decided that would muddy the memory and went on.
And ran into a bookshop, Parsons, which would have been closed if I'd returned to the camellias. It's cozy and lovely, crammed with books, choral music in the background. I ought to have bought a copy of Ngaio Marsh.
Lastly, best of all - my brother and I went on a Lord of the Rings tour of Wellington. We saw bits of Lothlorien and the remains of Helm's Deep and Minas Tirith (a quarry, hollowed out - in this reality I guess the orcs got to it), the rocky bank where Aragorn washed up after he fell over the cliff with the warg, Isengard, and the road where the hobbits met the black riders - where the Black Rider stands silhouetted against the sky.
I like to think I have a future as an threatening henchminion, if nothing else works out for me.
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Date: 2010-08-31 08:59 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-08-31 06:36 pm (UTC)By the way, where would you suggest staying in Queenstown, and what do you think would be the cheapest way to get there - bus, train, plane? I'm looking into going.
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Date: 2010-08-31 11:42 am (UTC)And the camellias in the rain sound beautiful.
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Date: 2010-08-31 06:34 pm (UTC)In fact that shot may be my entire resume, but given the rate at which henchminions get mowed down I doubt evil overlords are too picky about references.
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Date: 2010-08-31 01:39 pm (UTC)Wow, that is my dream trip. One day. One day! Thanks for sharing.
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Date: 2010-08-31 06:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-08-31 06:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-08-31 08:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-02 08:42 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-01 12:55 am (UTC)Camellias smell so pretty. I need to go to a garden with some in bloom.
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Date: 2010-09-02 08:43 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-01 04:10 pm (UTC)LOL! to the picture of you re-enacting a scene from the movie. I actually thought it might be a stock photo from the internet at first-- is that a cape you're wearing? I think you have a real future as a henchminion! ;)
no subject
Date: 2010-09-02 08:42 am (UTC)