Boxing Day, or I Get Back to Working on My Sunburn...

Still quite cloudy this morning. The weather gal said it would clear mid-day but I was a bit leary of that and decided not to risk the beach. Went to the Canterbury Museum this morning which was a nice little museum. There was an exhibit on Freemasonry in New Zealand that said it would explain the world of freemasonry but I am just as clued out as ever. They do have some neat robes and jewelry though. And there were some painted "training boards" on display that were used to explain symbolism to the new members. Totally baffling but very cool paintings,

Another favourite thing at the museum was the "Spot the Santa" game where little plastic Santas were placed in various exhibits for the kids to find. The best was a kewpie-style Santa who was fishing in the middle of a Maori hunting scene. You don't notice it at first and then you do. I think I snorted quite loudly.

Also very charming was the display in the Egyptian room done by museum staff who had "mummified" their favourite stuffed animals from childhood.

By the time I left the museum at mid-day the sun had indeed come out and the clouds had dispersed. I went up the street to the Christchurch Art Gallery and looked around there. Museums are free here.

My stomach was grumbling a bit so I found a table in the sun at one of the cafes along the river and had some lunch. Roasted tomato and capiscum (red pepper) soup with curried goat cheese spring rolls plus a glass of local "Pegasus Bay" sauvignon blanc. Yum.

Then I went to walk around the Barbadoes Street cemetary. It's amazing this country actually got underway as everyone seems to have been dead by the time they were twelve years old. There is also a good "Cold Case NZ" episode here somewhere looking into all the "accidental drownings" from 1860 to 1902.

Now I sip a green tea lemonade at the Starbucks in cathedral square to end my afternoon.

I have food for three dinners in my fridge but think I will go out tonight for Indian food and then make dinner at "home" for my next three nights here.

Hope you all enjoyed your wintery Christmas Day on the other side of the world.