tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47968294830975847912024-03-06T02:10:44.283+13:00Tales from a Caffeinated Weka<p><i>A self-indulgent blog about places I've been, things I've done and whatever else takes my interest.</i></p>Caffeinated Wekahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07235662962500264686noreply@blogger.comBlogger1141125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4796829483097584791.post-33311751922348734212021-08-15T16:50:00.002+12:002021-08-15T16:50:00.203+12:00Chocolatier for the day<p>Three years after a <a href="https://bloggingcafechick.blogspot.com/2018/08/find-your-inner-chocolatier.html">fun evening of chocolate making</a> for <a href="http://visawoap.com/" target="_blank">Wellington on a Plate</a> in 2018, I returned to <a href="https://www.wcf.co.nz/" target="_blank"><b>Wellington Chocolate Factory</b></a> yesterday for another chocolate making session. <a href="https://www.visawoap.com/venue/1343/Wellington-Chocolate-Factory#event-4240" target="_blank"><b>Chocolatier for the day</b></a> is a hands-on event that will appeal to any aspiring <a href="https://www.dictionary.com/e/fictional-characters/oompa-loompa/" target="_blank">Oompa Loompa</a>. Kitted out in a stylish hairnet (no selfies!) and apron, each station was prepared with all we needed to create three handcrafted chocolate bars.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqLYfwg4OQYBhu_fuyMWbaYNuV3_ku2nUul5h4gEDeyw7Ov05OIAjSqDCi8pAviGbsMsrVxaWjbEVsQDr5jh8u9r9OlL713BckRtXtzhK0LU1VrlVio5DYbEQs5YzHqmbtxblcLNvxVNvL/s2048/WCF-station2.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqLYfwg4OQYBhu_fuyMWbaYNuV3_ku2nUul5h4gEDeyw7Ov05OIAjSqDCi8pAviGbsMsrVxaWjbEVsQDr5jh8u9r9OlL713BckRtXtzhK0LU1VrlVio5DYbEQs5YzHqmbtxblcLNvxVNvL/s320/WCF-station2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready to begin</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg20nOl0WMg4wyhH-6hgpGnLg2ONg0eLMXxT-6GleeGrnq1FWlwqr9mhals52QYIxFWLJyhvcAXPiYn1jsL6jgxzvQv4u9UcAmJT-SoaS1UtJyM2UYSRftNuV0bPI5T7WVH70ObvRLl_W_a/s2048/WCF-ingredients.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg20nOl0WMg4wyhH-6hgpGnLg2ONg0eLMXxT-6GleeGrnq1FWlwqr9mhals52QYIxFWLJyhvcAXPiYn1jsL6jgxzvQv4u9UcAmJT-SoaS1UtJyM2UYSRftNuV0bPI5T7WVH70ObvRLl_W_a/s320/WCF-ingredients.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Which is your favourite?</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p>We started with a quick explanation of how things would work then began tempering some melted chocolate by hand. (No machines this time.) We could make three bars of either milk or dark chocolate so opted for one tray of each that we would divide and share later.</p>
<p>The wide range of appealing ingredients meant we could experiment with our flavour combinations. I remembered from last time that less is more when it comes to piling on the ingredients, especially when it's time to wrap the bars, so tried to be a little more restrained this time. We made tasty treats including mini marshmallows and sprinkles, broken wafers with freeze dried strawberries, and biscuit crumbs with crushed pistachio nuts in milk chocolate. We experimented with more savoury combinations in dark chocolate, including freeze dried raspberry with sea salt, chili flakes with pretzels, and crispy salted caramel.<br /></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvZJF8awIxAR_SGeSjyXxIwla5OznE7CKB5URrwBJ65vNHN0Ja61AvRQEjftpkAZHm5qt2Q39xg69XJowCP1tKUDXpwm0QWMES10PRH59YXyVgtie8eBAY-gL42C9sDiIqKDZy3cQWOK2j/s2048/WCF-bar1.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvZJF8awIxAR_SGeSjyXxIwla5OznE7CKB5URrwBJ65vNHN0Ja61AvRQEjftpkAZHm5qt2Q39xg69XJowCP1tKUDXpwm0QWMES10PRH59YXyVgtie8eBAY-gL42C9sDiIqKDZy3cQWOK2j/s320/WCF-bar1.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweet milk chocolate delights</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6gaq0x8_OUeA0sFcgLEHt19CIXxs-W9TZyxr4SgD_pJoHYg7ooph86qyS_baxNYR1YIdtTx2HLgRKxavl6ygQQzO0cGHSizMITmvYT1_D_d4s8OnvXaL9f-whVTxV6rWJkr604y5E8NkK/s2048/WCF-bar2.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6gaq0x8_OUeA0sFcgLEHt19CIXxs-W9TZyxr4SgD_pJoHYg7ooph86qyS_baxNYR1YIdtTx2HLgRKxavl6ygQQzO0cGHSizMITmvYT1_D_d4s8OnvXaL9f-whVTxV6rWJkr604y5E8NkK/s320/WCF-bar2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Savoury dark chocolate flavours</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p>While we were waiting for our chocolate creations to set in the fridge, we were treated to a real hot chocolate and a more detailed explanation of the chocolate making process.</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivt-jajtdaPxygy8ibH12Cw9poqRW0VK_lw8pdLNHOnEU2tboH-3wvb8gnU3KoZZ_G-3KUbg3tENyPZRCKacBklDAilt9kYL0km5w9z6zj1DZ104HQASpsxNGv-C7O-cnd9IcrAwDRZEu9/s2048/WCF-hot-chocolate.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivt-jajtdaPxygy8ibH12Cw9poqRW0VK_lw8pdLNHOnEU2tboH-3wvb8gnU3KoZZ_G-3KUbg3tENyPZRCKacBklDAilt9kYL0km5w9z6zj1DZ104HQASpsxNGv-C7O-cnd9IcrAwDRZEu9/s320/WCF-hot-chocolate.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Real hot chocolate<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Then it came time to wrap our bars by hand in beautiful coloured wrappers. Believe me: it's not as easy as it looks, especially the bars with chunkier toppings like marshmallows and pretzels. We opted to chop our bars across the middle and wrap them as a mixed selection, which means we're in for a pleasant surprise of two out of six possible combinations each time we open a bar at home. Clever thinking!<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV14TrkPNv6foQ5QcLcCT9mS7m7ROdPem-pDpEjvIblYaqaj7br8LLI7QIhP83vh1mRfYOxVDus_Dv7By6rVMBEJ8JuoFmbN2XNDJHPNmq2QVXQ7CRJj8IUq93W7cSEDV9QjCEA6gshHsp/s2048/WCF-packaged-bars.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV14TrkPNv6foQ5QcLcCT9mS7m7ROdPem-pDpEjvIblYaqaj7br8LLI7QIhP83vh1mRfYOxVDus_Dv7By6rVMBEJ8JuoFmbN2XNDJHPNmq2QVXQ7CRJj8IUq93W7cSEDV9QjCEA6gshHsp/s320/WCF-packaged-bars.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />Another delightful Wellington on a Plate event hosted by the lovely team at Wellington Chocolate Factory. Check out their future tours and chocolate making sessions. They're interesting, tasty and lots of fun.<br />Caffeinated Wekahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07235662962500264686noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4796829483097584791.post-83478366671076553712021-08-07T15:10:00.000+12:002021-08-07T15:10:50.267+12:00Rice and Shine<p><a href="https://www.visawoap.com/visawoap" target="_blank"><b>Wellington on a Plate</b></a> has returned to its usual August calendar, promising a month of culinary adventures for the region's foodies. We got our campaign off to a great start with <a href="https://www.visawoap.com/venue/788/Master-Kong#event-2841" target="_blank"><b>Rice and Shine</b></a> at <a href="https://masterkongwellington.co.nz/" target="_blank">Master Kong</a>, a fusion between European style brunch and Asian yum cha. <br /></p><p>The courses kept coming and I lost count after around 9 or 10 dishes. Breakfast cocktails were also available and there was a great vibe in the restaurant overlooking Wellington's waterfront.</p><p>The menu included bacon and egg bao buns, chicken dumplings with lemongrass sauce, karachi chicken on savoury waffle, pad thai, salmon blinis, sweet banana and bacon bao, pork croissant, bacon fried rice ... I've forgotten some of the combinations but we rolled out of the restaurant at the end of the session feeling happily full.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj32rhB46kaxBWt4_VZPxDiEG8KSW3rcHrE_QV5lMxd5LiW9hH7feA8l_pCoLI7klFMhcTGG8LFf1UVBL-W2A9fWAeo2MZH0dRomikERiHpSFbyhdQMl-vAL3O2zuPxS-LJYXh54nCCaS9P/s403/Master-Kong-yum-cha.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="403" data-original-width="397" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj32rhB46kaxBWt4_VZPxDiEG8KSW3rcHrE_QV5lMxd5LiW9hH7feA8l_pCoLI7klFMhcTGG8LFf1UVBL-W2A9fWAeo2MZH0dRomikERiHpSFbyhdQMl-vAL3O2zuPxS-LJYXh54nCCaS9P/s320/Master-Kong-yum-cha.PNG" width="315" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Master Kong yum cha brunch<br /></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p>Our friends agreed that Rice and Shine was a great start to this year's Welly on a Plate festival. I'm looking forward to more foodie events this month.<br /></p>Caffeinated Wekahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07235662962500264686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4796829483097584791.post-35335419273303755252021-05-23T16:59:00.003+12:002021-05-23T16:59:00.216+12:00New Zealand Comedy Festival 2021<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhETJ3Gb2fe5QAiCIfQ9LMrE0uOJ-V3ea2sBlWpDnSX5hoKOh2ifUGSa9jVcX4fed8PdVaa3iGglvVZJRT6nc7fQsiuvqxB5upsYF0yG02EEYlgh5zXqDBSnHNoEo2LVDkUws0_6UFHJXFZ/s224/NZ-Comedy-Festival-logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="224" data-original-width="224" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhETJ3Gb2fe5QAiCIfQ9LMrE0uOJ-V3ea2sBlWpDnSX5hoKOh2ifUGSa9jVcX4fed8PdVaa3iGglvVZJRT6nc7fQsiuvqxB5upsYF0yG02EEYlgh5zXqDBSnHNoEo2LVDkUws0_6UFHJXFZ/w200-h200/NZ-Comedy-Festival-logo.png" width="200" /></a></div><p>The <a href="https://www.comedyfestival.co.nz/" target="_blank"><b>New Zealand International Comedy Festival</b></a> takes place in Auckland and Wellington during May each year. Well, most years. 2020 was obviously an exception. The festival kicks off with a gala evening where local and (usually) international comedians put forward four minute samplers of what's to come during their festival shows. Last year's gala evening happened later in the year and featured an almost exclusively local lineup. This year's show had a few more internationals who had either moved her shortly before the pandemic or simply decided to sit it out in relatively safety while on their travels. Either way, we're glad we can enjoy live stand-up comedy again. </p><p>We went to five stand-up shows during the festival, having decided on three of them after attending the gala show. Hands down the best show we saw was <a href="https://www.comedyfestival.co.nz/find-a-show/sameena-zehra-arsebiscuits/" target="_blank"><b>Arsebiscuits</b></a> by British-Indian storyteller and comedian <a href="https://www.sameenazehra.com/" target="_blank">Sameena Zehra</a>. Her show was a roller coaster of intelligence, hilarity, dark humour and clever wit that has left me looking out for anything else featuring this multi-talented performer. Such a treat! </p><p>Another on-form performance was <a href="https://www.comedyfestival.co.nz/find-a-show/pax-assadi/" target="_blank"><b>Ladi Dadi Assadi like to party</b></a> by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/PaxAssadiComic/" target="_blank">Pax Assadi</a>, who is really hitting his comedy stride. <a href="https://www.benhurley.com/" target="_blank">Ben Hurley</a> is one of our favourites but we realised during <a href="https://www.comedyfestival.co.nz/find-a-show/ben-hurley/" target="_blank"><b>Turn off your mind, relax and float down stream</b></a> that we may have been to a few too many of his shows recently as we could recognise many of his stories from the opening lines. <a href="https://www.comedyfestival.co.nz/find-a-show/guy-montgomery/" target="_blank">Guy Montgomery</a> and <a href="https://www.comedyfestival.co.nz/find-a-show/nick-rado/" target="_blank">Nick Rado</a> served up fun nights out - even on a school night. </p><p>It feels great to be able to support local artists and attend live events once again. <br /></p><p></p>Caffeinated Wekahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07235662962500264686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4796829483097584791.post-21455168248512931772020-10-11T16:49:00.000+13:002020-10-11T16:49:54.786+13:00Winetopia 2020<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFy50ukW541VXk8F1C3IBi2KuMdFRrw0KOuKcyjToOUGnVfEZA1ZQcN8e-cLlLCFlVUnsgifPN4X3W7NnV7zzThFXyZ9okJ966tuCRj-NyT9yPIbFCMaGL6Rk51pvxu0ZYHAUvc4HEJ1wX/s481/Winetopia+2020.webp" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Winetopia logo" border="0" data-original-height="228" data-original-width="481" height="95" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFy50ukW541VXk8F1C3IBi2KuMdFRrw0KOuKcyjToOUGnVfEZA1ZQcN8e-cLlLCFlVUnsgifPN4X3W7NnV7zzThFXyZ9okJ966tuCRj-NyT9yPIbFCMaGL6Rk51pvxu0ZYHAUvc4HEJ1wX/w200-h95/Winetopia+2020.webp" width="200" /></a></div><a href="https://www.winetopia.co.nz/" target="_blank"><b>Winetopia</b></a> came to town this weekend. More than 50 wineries offered 30 ml tastings of their products in our own takeaway <a href="https://thespiegelaustore.co.nz/" target="_blank">Spiegelau glass</a>. We explored some new wineries and also enjoyed listening to tales of wine and music with musician and composer <a href="http://www.twicethehype.co.nz/laughton-kora.html" target="_blank">Laughton Kora</a>. <br /><p></p><p>We're generally white wine fans (apart from oaked wines, chardonnay and pinot gris) and made some great <a href="https://bloggingcafechick.blogspot.com/2019/07/winetopia-2019.html">additions to our <i>yes</i> list in 2019</a>. This year we looked for more sauvignon blanc, sparkling wines, dry <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riesling" target="_blank">Riesling</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gr%C3%BCner_Veltliner" target="_blank">Grüner Veltliner</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albari%C3%B1o" target="_blank">Albariño</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viognier" target="_blank">Viognier</a>. We quickly spent our tokens, bought a few more and purchased four bottles to take home of wines that aren't too easy to find locally. A very successful evening.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqpLfCg_CYQB6WVA-7WlYpT4PwMqayoptF2onq_wqd5KoGnxcQmAD93_erub7Xf29Nyisz1-6OxCAYQx2BS9QPjsAptZatjwwL9G0AfZZfAvKhsvOqppRN7cnU6SsXXRAV3EalKpGmo5ys/s2048/Winetopia-2020-bottles.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Winetopia 2020 wines" border="0" data-original-height="1643" data-original-width="2048" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqpLfCg_CYQB6WVA-7WlYpT4PwMqayoptF2onq_wqd5KoGnxcQmAD93_erub7Xf29Nyisz1-6OxCAYQx2BS9QPjsAptZatjwwL9G0AfZZfAvKhsvOqppRN7cnU6SsXXRAV3EalKpGmo5ys/w320-h257/Winetopia-2020-bottles.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Take home collection<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><b>2020 <i>yes</i> list highlights</b></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><i><a href="http://www.bigskywines.co.nz/portfolio/sauvignon-blanc" target="_blank">Big Sky (Martinborough) 2019 Sauvignon blanc</a></i> </li><li><a href="http://www.bigskywines.co.nz/portfolio/gr%C3%BCner-veltliner" target="_blank"><i>Big Sky (Martinborough) 2016 Grüner Veltliner</i></a></li><li><a href="https://dancingpetrel.co.nz/collections/viognier" target="_blank"><i>Dancing Petrel (Northland) 2018 unoaked Viognier</i></a></li><li><a href="https://dancingpetrel.co.nz/collections/sparkles" target="_blank"><i>Dancing Petrel (Northland) 2019 Sparkles</i></a></li><li><a href="https://dancingpetrel.co.nz/collections/sparkling-isla-rose" target="_blank"><i>Dancing Petrel (Northland) 2020 Sparkling Isla Rosé</i></a></li><li><a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/539b7398e4b0fa676d4fc2fd/t/5f3cd62e8612216ba0e8397d/1597822702136/Decibel+Viognier+Tasting+Notes+2019+.pdf" target="_blank"><i>Decibel Wines (Hawke's Bay) 2019 Viognier</i></a></li><li><a href="https://www.forrest.co.nz/collections/forrest/products/2019-forrest-albarino" target="_blank"><i>Forrest Wines (Marlborough) 2019 Albariño</i></a></li><li><a href="https://www.tworivers.co.nz/product/convergence-sauvignon-blanc-2020/?age-verified=21c1fea156" target="_blank"><i>Two Rivers (Marlborough) 2020 Sauvignon blanc</i></a><br /></li></ul>Caffeinated Wekahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07235662962500264686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4796829483097584791.post-32822789474516431552020-10-09T16:23:00.000+13:002020-10-09T16:23:17.418+13:00Afternoon tea with lots of talk about baking<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWkzIzgLbiyO6RVoeAoFIXtSdskXIGH_Mjn2hhHCYAaCiBZzBG5NjRcQYOegDJqnN4RWHYjFRjOSRLvrgbNMHbOOtpsuqegJCRx_h9tGATafK7Dekqbdg4pMFbG3pfix5wfmUABi0KsNEY/s96/WOAP-logo-2020.PNG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="85" data-original-width="96" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWkzIzgLbiyO6RVoeAoFIXtSdskXIGH_Mjn2hhHCYAaCiBZzBG5NjRcQYOegDJqnN4RWHYjFRjOSRLvrgbNMHbOOtpsuqegJCRx_h9tGATafK7Dekqbdg4pMFbG3pfix5wfmUABi0KsNEY/s0/WOAP-logo-2020.PNG" /></a></div><p><a href="https://www.visawoap.com/visawoap" target="_blank"><b>Wellington on a Plate</b></a> moved to October this year and once again I've planned a busy itinerary for myself. The title of my first event is quite a mouthful - just like the delicious afternoon tea we were served. <a href="https://www.visawoap.com/venue/534/Floriditas#event-3974" target="_blank">Everything you could ever want to know about baking, all in one afternoon</a> was hosted by three industry veterans at <a href="https://www.floriditas.co.nz/" target="_blank">Floriditas</a>. <a href="https://www.ruthpretty.co.nz/" target="_blank">Ruth Pretty</a>, <a href="http://julieleclerc.com/" target="_blank">Julie le Clerc</a> and <a href="https://edmondscooking.co.nz/julie-clark/" target="_blank">Julie Clark</a> delighted us with tales from their baking careers, baking failures and advice for those of us still practising our craft.<br /></p><p>During the talk, we were served afternoon tea featuring menu items from each chef. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE92SC6wN8XjhSg56CsX7TvufNLXfVmCASBnIcem7cPKS3cnC0s84AqTd7O0lflBqpme6KXffd7JXHnV2TDHZn8KZ9yBbT-Bda0bw1qnJKNKt_zKmgtyhi2skz8nl2cyqvB_XXl0_fYYIR/s2048/Floriditas-menu.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Afternoon tea menu" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1396" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE92SC6wN8XjhSg56CsX7TvufNLXfVmCASBnIcem7cPKS3cnC0s84AqTd7O0lflBqpme6KXffd7JXHnV2TDHZn8KZ9yBbT-Bda0bw1qnJKNKt_zKmgtyhi2skz8nl2cyqvB_XXl0_fYYIR/w218-h320/Floriditas-menu.JPG" width="218" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An enticing menu<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p> I swapped my hot drink for a refreshing mocktail.<br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBlsGj0PRfluNkzd9_zU-ajIfb9h8KpL1SM41pg98MOhgyM8MzE0YrRaK1YLPnSGh76o2-XC7FSHi3cvHj4mB7Y99HPlvl4Zz_fHekbaQokVJTDUODkisA25JcSnJrMmpSQdQZy5DkSEAs/s2048/Floriditas-mocktail.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Mocktail" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBlsGj0PRfluNkzd9_zU-ajIfb9h8KpL1SM41pg98MOhgyM8MzE0YrRaK1YLPnSGh76o2-XC7FSHi3cvHj4mB7Y99HPlvl4Zz_fHekbaQokVJTDUODkisA25JcSnJrMmpSQdQZy5DkSEAs/w240-h320/Floriditas-mocktail.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seville orange and mint cordial<br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Food was presented in two courses: savoury and sweet. The savoury selection included a roast chicken cocktail sandwich with bacon and herb stuffing, spinach za'atar puff and an asparagus, parmesan and gruyere croissant. So very cheesy!<br /><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNPDtUHyTpMUuCsCVYz1f4gahFrmgKz0SrUxOnFTCYqiHKqvyJYnP7j3sRT6c3N-_JZvPwP4ll-Gfmn8IL9NCUMBZ6aYUK3HFhxWZzUMLgHhamNj00DnD_FH20CH1vZPKm9GjSqjn4VQvb/s2048/Floriditas-savoury.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Savoury selection" border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNPDtUHyTpMUuCsCVYz1f4gahFrmgKz0SrUxOnFTCYqiHKqvyJYnP7j3sRT6c3N-_JZvPwP4ll-Gfmn8IL9NCUMBZ6aYUK3HFhxWZzUMLgHhamNj00DnD_FH20CH1vZPKm9GjSqjn4VQvb/w320-h240/Floriditas-savoury.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Savoury selection<br /></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p></p><p>We all know I'm really about the sweets. Our sweet treats included a little Persian love cake, a soft ginger kiss, passionfruit and white chocolate macaron and a decadent dark chocolate strawberry tart. Divine!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia0y9uCl3DLU_wd1v-1jFqca2BBH37k1Ss-YXfdXk7JBmUpuOz_UQfjUX40EjI2LdgiBSnXj7LxS7P_EuW_By7f_IooT4E8xaV08OMC0Ww7fLXIvAm0ZkhZxS0-5oMIpCHnKQnkU7_AybU/s2048/Floriditas-sweet.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Sweet treats" border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia0y9uCl3DLU_wd1v-1jFqca2BBH37k1Ss-YXfdXk7JBmUpuOz_UQfjUX40EjI2LdgiBSnXj7LxS7P_EuW_By7f_IooT4E8xaV08OMC0Ww7fLXIvAm0ZkhZxS0-5oMIpCHnKQnkU7_AybU/w320-h240/Floriditas-sweet.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweet treats<br /></td></tr></tbody></table>This was a delightful afternoon with lovely company and great advice. If only we could enjoy afternoon tea like this every weekend.<br /></p><p></p><p></p>Caffeinated Wekahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07235662962500264686noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4796829483097584791.post-28106946022881844312020-09-13T17:48:00.236+12:002020-09-13T17:48:01.116+12:00Digital Nights - Van Gogh Alive<p>Of all the immensely talented impressionist and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-Impressionism" target="_blank">post-impressionist artists</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_van_Gogh" target="_blank"><b>Vincent Van Gogh</b></a> (1853-1890) is probably my favourite. I'm an art admirer but not much of a visual artist myself. As a teacher whose strength was performing arts, I worried I wouldn't be able to do my students justice when it came to teaching visual art techniques. My colleagues suggested choosing an artist to study (guess who I chose?) and my class of 7-8 year olds got busy drawing and painting their bedrooms, their shoes, bowls of fruit, vases of flowers, self-portraits and some very tempestuous starry nights. Together, we unlocked the magic and beauty of impressionism by studying the work of Van Gogh.</p><p>Van Gogh's prolific collection of around 2100 art works famously sold a single piece during his lifetime, yet live on to bring pleasure 130 years later in a form he could never have imagined. Wellington is the <a href="https://www.wellingtonnz.com/experience/events/digital-nights-wellington-van-gogh-alive/" target="_blank">first city to host <b>Digital Nights - Van Gogh Alive</b> outside</a>, which is a bold and brave move during springtime. (Yes, it rained when we went and was very cold, but this didn't detract from the experience.)</p><p>Dozens of art works are projected onto giant shipping containers standing three-high and accompanied by an emotive score of well-known classics. Every standpoint offers a good view and standing further back makes the impressionist's brush strokes come alive.</p><p>Everyone has a favourite Van Gogh painting or three. I have been captivated by the scene depicted in <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caf%C3%A9_Terrace_at_Night" target="_blank">Café Terrace at Night</a></i> for as long as I can remember and have a canvas print of it hanging in my lounge. Phone photos can't even begin to capture the magic of seeing these masterpieces in such amplified splendour. Some zoomed in to reveal finer detail in the brush strokes. Here are a few highlights.<br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPeqTS0v7rI3mkDGZmMgPG2ojHvgqwHLZrYcyf2yRIgAy4WsCXJMOhBsXv4KKUkJPLjinkZ8Pd8Woi96In9vzx-0QK-sLju6D8HHg0v5ZoLwDlpOMw9iTcUyzUB5YHoYu9lP0tYa2QmNB4/s878/cafe-terrace-at-night-landscape.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Café Terrace at Night" border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="878" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPeqTS0v7rI3mkDGZmMgPG2ojHvgqwHLZrYcyf2yRIgAy4WsCXJMOhBsXv4KKUkJPLjinkZ8Pd8Woi96In9vzx-0QK-sLju6D8HHg0v5ZoLwDlpOMw9iTcUyzUB5YHoYu9lP0tYa2QmNB4/w320-h163/cafe-terrace-at-night-landscape.jpg" title="Café Terrace at Night" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Café Terrace at Night - zoom view</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy-QLdaJ_D4yeVpzNqvS8NVqHdcFoQVzwXcBSqQqOhZtUczmpW2-MBmwxwbnVQdbHwrnXUJpzPNALMfeT-ZLHWeyY5KtkmOkKFRs-md2swbuz-M3H3n-A-OBIJ6GNTXyJjjca-6pG9T8ys/s2048/sunflowers1.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Sunflowers" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1657" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy-QLdaJ_D4yeVpzNqvS8NVqHdcFoQVzwXcBSqQqOhZtUczmpW2-MBmwxwbnVQdbHwrnXUJpzPNALMfeT-ZLHWeyY5KtkmOkKFRs-md2swbuz-M3H3n-A-OBIJ6GNTXyJjjca-6pG9T8ys/w259-h320/sunflowers1.JPG" title="Sunflowers" width="259" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunflowers</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPoA-CAApScy_Y5qXH-FmLZqSJv-kwFpA6fpT35D6gER957cU_UcNan10rTAhcqHcRD3I7qj7LBT99tjW92z5ijMOpOHC1YtsDwgcw4rdpzHGcm58ujySPkH8ybN584kKhO5H4dZ8Wg8jf/s960/starry-night-Rhone2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Starry Night Over the Rhône" border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="960" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPoA-CAApScy_Y5qXH-FmLZqSJv-kwFpA6fpT35D6gER957cU_UcNan10rTAhcqHcRD3I7qj7LBT99tjW92z5ijMOpOHC1YtsDwgcw4rdpzHGcm58ujySPkH8ybN584kKhO5H4dZ8Wg8jf/w320-h156/starry-night-Rhone2.jpg" title="Starry Night Over the Rhône" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Starry Night Over the Rhône</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJnSyg1Uk3hyN1hkbGxntXmvkeK9H8XcYCg_HMViHkTL2Pe1vgwFCMaHOjgLD0UdDSjpodEilobjhPrgqYccp4w0PcY4VKi1rf7CIPwgqPHZkAuyiUcnuidsuJa7_v-jLi2gWaSdZWBSM4/s960/starry-night-morning2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The Starry Night" border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="960" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJnSyg1Uk3hyN1hkbGxntXmvkeK9H8XcYCg_HMViHkTL2Pe1vgwFCMaHOjgLD0UdDSjpodEilobjhPrgqYccp4w0PcY4VKi1rf7CIPwgqPHZkAuyiUcnuidsuJa7_v-jLi2gWaSdZWBSM4/w320-h156/starry-night-morning2.jpg" title="The Starry Night" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Starry Night</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg2AvMTgJbV88oxdl3oZZZRMaNlQoV0zinOuAPvdiQN-GkIOPS_DxlJPhf72qR-0V3dHP4-0O1HP32PD4-D3heAhdlH2TXcO3xMy4RRAtjlVTU9GEW5Q6EhcYCuJh6rutomd7Itw-l3eKr/s829/self-portrait.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Self-portrait" border="0" data-original-height="460" data-original-width="829" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg2AvMTgJbV88oxdl3oZZZRMaNlQoV0zinOuAPvdiQN-GkIOPS_DxlJPhf72qR-0V3dHP4-0O1HP32PD4-D3heAhdlH2TXcO3xMy4RRAtjlVTU9GEW5Q6EhcYCuJh6rutomd7Itw-l3eKr/w320-h178/self-portrait.jpg" title="Self-portrait" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Self-portrait</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT_N4MURdndEsdKlTHwtTmp5rb4oYTGKSJiwC03XoQviD06G_6gH1F3Lg7kJnfWPtR5DL8rUzSqoKtfWJa4IPhpW9vkaqNtQlmO_lpnKygnfjORaEltp6wBdky_x14XmrEwSlhbvAb6Iy7/s954/irises.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Irises" border="0" data-original-height="454" data-original-width="954" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT_N4MURdndEsdKlTHwtTmp5rb4oYTGKSJiwC03XoQviD06G_6gH1F3Lg7kJnfWPtR5DL8rUzSqoKtfWJa4IPhpW9vkaqNtQlmO_lpnKygnfjORaEltp6wBdky_x14XmrEwSlhbvAb6Iy7/w320-h152/irises.jpg" title="Irises" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Irises</td></tr></tbody></table><p>So many art works, so many masterpieces and so much torment and sadness before an untimely death at age 37. <a href="https://www.wellingtonnz.com/experience/events/digital-nights-wellington-van-gogh-alive/" target="_blank">Digital Nights - Van Gogh Alive</a> is an art experience that speaks to your soul.</p>Caffeinated Wekahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07235662962500264686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4796829483097584791.post-13010057315096132382020-08-30T19:50:00.000+12:002020-08-30T19:50:56.333+12:00Winter wrap-up<p>Winter 2020 has pretty much come and gone. Like most of this year, it's been a novel one. Somehow the days seem long yet the months have raced by. I struggle to recall what I've been up to. I haven't ventured out much since the <a href="https://bloggingcafechick.blogspot.com/2020/05/life-after-lockdown.html">first round of lockdown</a> ended in May, mostly just socialising with close friends and whānau. I appreciate having the ability (and flexibility) to work from home to protect vulnerable family members but long days online has made work seem all-encompassing, especially when much of my volunteering obligations also happens in an online environment. </p><p>Beautiful views like this one just around the corner from my home have made winter seem less intense. I'm so lucky to have this almost on my doorstep.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtf8qQvN4hqUiNIX8f2pMX76zBUKEdex8pAarrdzSQRdrykejum7seVmA74y1cLDS2hkaIai7pBZf-LhgzS8RbzFM5quPdmJHHfJAHqz_CiInuVwqApTzm0SNOBGqXJvDXaaf5ElUX2WCC/s425/Petone-beach-June2020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Petone beach" border="0" data-original-height="319" data-original-width="425" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtf8qQvN4hqUiNIX8f2pMX76zBUKEdex8pAarrdzSQRdrykejum7seVmA74y1cLDS2hkaIai7pBZf-LhgzS8RbzFM5quPdmJHHfJAHqz_CiInuVwqApTzm0SNOBGqXJvDXaaf5ElUX2WCC/w320-h240/Petone-beach-June2020.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A winter's day in Petone</td></tr></tbody></table><h3>What I'm listening to</h3><p><b>Podcasts</b> - lots of them. Here's a selection of non-work podcasts that I enjoy.<br /></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://thisislovepodcast.com/" target="_blank">This is Love</a> from <a href="https://www.radiotopia.fm/" target="_blank">Radiotopia</a><br /></li><li><a href="https://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/conversations/episodes/" target="_blank">Conversations</a> from <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/" target="_blank">ABC</a><br /></li><li><a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/programmes/eating-fried-chicken" target="_blank">Eating Fried Chicken in the Shower</a> from <a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/" target="_blank">RNZ</a></li><li><a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/voices" target="_blank">Voices</a>, also from <a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/" target="_blank">RNZ</a> </li><li><a href="https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/dolly-partons-america" target="_blank">Dolly Parton's America</a> from <a href="https://www.wnyc.org/" target="_blank">WNYC</a></li></ul><h3>What I'm reading</h3><p><b>Biographies</b> and memoirs, two of my favourite genres.</p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41574273-rolling-with-the-punchlines" target="_blank">Rolling with the Punchlines by Urzila Carlson</a></li><li><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52559337-untamed" target="_blank">Untamed by Glennon Doyle</a></li><li><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40673905-teacher" target="_blank">Teacher by Gabby Stroud</a></li><li><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23340969-maori-boy" target="_blank">Māori Boy: A Memoir of Childhood by Witi Ihimaera </a></li><li><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35227092-working-class-man" target="_blank">Working Class Man by Jimmy Barnes</a></li><li><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38630767-educated" target="_blank">Educated by Tara Westover</a></li><li><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38744839-becoming" target="_blank">Becoming by Michelle Obama</a><br /></li></ul><h3>What I'm baking</h3><p><b>Bread</b>, mostly. <a href="https://bloggingcafechick.blogspot.com/2016/02/how-to-feed-sourdough-starter.html">Sourdough</a> and the occasional cake or treat for <a href="https://www.gbb.org.nz/" target="_blank">Good Bitches Baking</a>. </p><h3>What I'm watching</h3><p>Not much, really. I'm reading more these days but am still prone to the occasional binge.<br /></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4052886/" target="_blank">Lucifer</a></li><li><a href="https://bloggingcafechick.blogspot.com/2014/10/wentworth.html" target="_blank">Wentworth</a></li></ul><h3>What I'm looking forward to</h3><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://bloggingcafechick.blogspot.com/2011/09/things-i-love-about-spring.html">Spring</a>, my favourite season</li><li><a href="https://www.timeanddate.com/time/change/new-zealand" target="_blank">Daylight saving time</a>. Bring on the longer, lighter evenings.</li><li><a href="https://www.visawoap.com/visawoap" target="_blank">Wellington on a Plate</a>, postponed until October</li></ul><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVGfaqbMB4zZnn2x-zZ_RRmu3M-EGb_JQPUFrcF467fLTqWe8RmmCO0uGGQTcyeQ16TN1cnoeLTXpZCQdXiWBcvUOkwaIQcfckUILCz1TOnGxj3G-Zwn-qiPJDA6upXggnYf0sWgWLAkE0/s2048/plum-blossom.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="plum blossoms" border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVGfaqbMB4zZnn2x-zZ_RRmu3M-EGb_JQPUFrcF467fLTqWe8RmmCO0uGGQTcyeQ16TN1cnoeLTXpZCQdXiWBcvUOkwaIQcfckUILCz1TOnGxj3G-Zwn-qiPJDA6upXggnYf0sWgWLAkE0/w320-h240/plum-blossom.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><p>Plum blossoms to welcome spring<br />and prepare us for another <a href="https://bloggingcafechick.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-summer-of-plums.html">summer of plums</a></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>Caffeinated Wekahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07235662962500264686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4796829483097584791.post-72413864812524747922020-05-14T16:48:00.002+12:002021-04-24T17:59:02.209+12:00Life after lockdown<p>Today marks eight weeks since I arrived home from my <a href="https://bloggingcafechick.blogspot.com/2020/03/a-whirlwind-trip-to-bangladesh.html">whirlwind trip to Bangladesh</a>. Two weeks of self-isolation in the spare room away from Mr Weka on my return morphed into a 4.5 week long country-wide lockdown. Restrictions eased into a state of limbo two weeks ago when non-essential businesses were allowed to begin trading again and people rushed out to buy the takeaways they'd been craving for the past month. Today we've entered alert level 2: not so restricted but still not quite normal.</p>
<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNWI4IHkDHxA3Xps-P3jb28Cli9trREAQ3Kz06gSQ65P-0xfozoG4M5gaKxODjXacsDD4F5aFulbPM8xzZ2hOLiYm7jU0fwkojKG3qx3od6WwhAcCPq_KP2VMDWttCc319e8mjHOQB8Xu7/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Stay home, save lives logo" border="0" data-original-height="555" data-original-width="557" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNWI4IHkDHxA3Xps-P3jb28Cli9trREAQ3Kz06gSQ65P-0xfozoG4M5gaKxODjXacsDD4F5aFulbPM8xzZ2hOLiYm7jU0fwkojKG3qx3od6WwhAcCPq_KP2VMDWttCc319e8mjHOQB8Xu7/w200-h199/stay-home-save-lives.PNG" width="200" /></a></div><p></p>
<p>Eight weeks of lockdown has been a surreal experience. It's something we could never have predicted would happen just a few months ago and may never experience on this scale again. People seem to be divided into two camps: those who felt overly restricted, grieving their freedom and craving contact with the outside world versus those who embraced the solace afforded by the safety of a few weeks at home.</p>
<p>As a pair of introverts, Mr Weka and I have actually enjoyed the quieter pace of lockdown. Our single success indicator for the lockdown period was to emerge with all four of our parents still alive. We made it - just. Sure, our businesses have both taken a huge hit, but we'd prefer to weather the storm of several months with zero income in return for the health and safety of our family, friends and wider community. I realise how privileged I am to be able to say that. </p>
<p>The streets are now busy again. I'm in no rush to go out and get a haircut, eat at restaurants and bars or hug crowds of people. I think it will take some time to reduce my heightened sense of caution that resulted from fleeing a developing country at the start of global pandemic. And I know we're not completely out of danger yet.</p>
<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwBUhMCMeFJk3Zzc1NjVLGG2iOnyT5HUm_2GWjR864IF6mZ8PlCRSMD3EUuiKwjDSDCZzQdZGs5Ql0w0QLlUQojkn_2TB-Czmwj9mfxcTZuUQUEyDIMYHJoc0ZSEso3aadSfxaoNSz394v/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="the new normal text" border="0" data-original-height="392" data-original-width="923" height="85" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwBUhMCMeFJk3Zzc1NjVLGG2iOnyT5HUm_2GWjR864IF6mZ8PlCRSMD3EUuiKwjDSDCZzQdZGs5Ql0w0QLlUQojkn_2TB-Czmwj9mfxcTZuUQUEyDIMYHJoc0ZSEso3aadSfxaoNSz394v/w200-h85/the-new-normal.PNG" width="200" /></a></div><p></p>
<p>As for returning to normal, I'm intrigued by the urgency I see. It seems the same people whose wellbeing was threatened by the stresses of living at an unsustainable pace are the ones who have most yearned for a return to the routines they've always dreamed of escaping. Does the desire for familiarity outweigh the stresses of uncertainty? Perhaps. But I don't see much benefit in returning to what wasn't working before.</p>
<p>What would a new normal look like? Is it really possible to create the normal we want rather than settling for the normal we know? Can I keep waking up without an alarm, being super-productive while working from the safety of my home office, cooking healthy meals, baking my own bread and enjoying the luxury of a daily lunch time walk along the beach? Or must I forfeit it all in favour of peak hour commuting on public transport to open plan offices with hot desks, working through lunch breaks then collapsing in a heap at the end of a day or week, all in the name of 'normal'? I know what makes more sense to me. I guess only time will tell.</p>Caffeinated Wekahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07235662962500264686noreply@blogger.com0New Zealand-40.900557 174.885971-53.449238994138724 157.307846 -28.35187500586127 -167.53590399999996tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4796829483097584791.post-82980295364446637832020-04-07T17:43:00.000+12:002020-04-07T17:43:09.734+12:00Lighting up a cityTwo delights have mesmerised me since childhood: <a href="https://bloggingcafechick.blogspot.com/2008/01/natural-fairy-lights.html">fairy lights</a> and <a href="https://bloggingcafechick.blogspot.com/2012/08/fireworks.html" target="_blank">fireworks</a>. Events that feature both are sure to make me smile. I got to experience some beautiful lighting displays in Bangladesh recently.<br />
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My hosts took me to the rooftop restaurant at the <a href="http://dhakaregency.com/grill-on-the-skyline.php" target="_blank">Dhaka Regency Hotel</a> one evening. High above the <a href="https://bloggingcafechick.blogspot.com/2020/04/the-noisy-streets-of-dhaka.html">traffic and noise of the city</a> below is a mystical oasis of light and space. We ate pizza under the stars and overlooking the airport nearby. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1jP015hm2CpIqsiC7kBnqzD_1EROrRQIHrl23qRxm2fazvVD7rpE4x3muqZ5EAJ8KYRkxBZ4ouQxhgNSzEu9MUalq0ctkumpqdg5lO0_IV7_gx4l_dg1VJpG1R946HBo6Ea9mls4ZCM6I/s1600/Dhaka_Regency1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1jP015hm2CpIqsiC7kBnqzD_1EROrRQIHrl23qRxm2fazvVD7rpE4x3muqZ5EAJ8KYRkxBZ4ouQxhgNSzEu9MUalq0ctkumpqdg5lO0_IV7_gx4l_dg1VJpG1R946HBo6Ea9mls4ZCM6I/s320/Dhaka_Regency1.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The entrance would appeal to a certain target market (not us)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh97ApOa7N0X_hPcqhYvX569fR2aBnElPpk4B9E5ybbRH0SbIUO-zlPO5vZPLJDof3xvPrAjr3nsBh5sUE7tPGHiig2AmmNUxnPufBZWpl2_G-X6yrPvs20igWTLC74k5dDKyDQXg_SUAgk/s1600/Dhaka_Regency2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh97ApOa7N0X_hPcqhYvX569fR2aBnElPpk4B9E5ybbRH0SbIUO-zlPO5vZPLJDof3xvPrAjr3nsBh5sUE7tPGHiig2AmmNUxnPufBZWpl2_G-X6yrPvs20igWTLC74k5dDKyDQXg_SUAgk/s320/Dhaka_Regency2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We had the whole rooftop garden to ourselves</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs6wwaQq5ZowHfAuPsLRZVNw79SZb3mrqt6MBOrzq9BFyQRXQXMBI3cZFkyv5lrRz0BCl8zBGVWJMK5wBKtHO0LGxUH1kmFL5mFw-HYknIBC7bfmH-xoknR5gMZT9swGcEZROU3uIUHo7D/s1600/Dhaka_Regency3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs6wwaQq5ZowHfAuPsLRZVNw79SZb3mrqt6MBOrzq9BFyQRXQXMBI3cZFkyv5lrRz0BCl8zBGVWJMK5wBKtHO0LGxUH1kmFL5mFw-HYknIBC7bfmH-xoknR5gMZT9swGcEZROU3uIUHo7D/s320/Dhaka_Regency3.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Private dining</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoDuRsjOMUs5g17Bf-t385IT4tEgw5L3b3cJ3tHyr0UFD9aRdxdxeEBBSNZ-v2ITAxCuH35ncz2v5U6Wpnr90M9ctKf_BXzH23zFsl6yaBY3VyW_Y7J36QRz7gmeuj6aywRwnlqrgDqdoU/s1600/Dhaka_Regency4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoDuRsjOMUs5g17Bf-t385IT4tEgw5L3b3cJ3tHyr0UFD9aRdxdxeEBBSNZ-v2ITAxCuH35ncz2v5U6Wpnr90M9ctKf_BXzH23zFsl6yaBY3VyW_Y7J36QRz7gmeuj6aywRwnlqrgDqdoU/s320/Dhaka_Regency4.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even the rooftop pool looks enticing</td></tr>
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17 March was a national holiday in Bangladesh to commemorate the centenary of the birth of country's founding father, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheikh_Mujibur_Rahman" target="_blank">Sheikh Mujibur Rahman</a>. Large public events were planned throughout the city of Dhaka. They were then cancelled due to the risk of spreading COVID-19 but a delightful fireworks display from four city locations went ahead and we enjoyed it from the rooftop of my host's apartment building.<br />
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In the meantime government buildings and public spaces were decorated with miles of LED fairy lights. Ten storey buildings were draped in strings of coloured lights to represent Bangladesh's national colours (green and red). Others featured every colour of the rainbow. Imagine Christmas lights and multiply them by a hundred.<br />
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Others buildings featured changing light displays on a continuous loop. We sat opposite this ICT Tower for ten minutes, delighting in its rotating display, which was far too grandiose for my phone to capture. <br />
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Driving around a crowded city becomes a magical experience when surrounded by millions of LED lights.Caffeinated Wekahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07235662962500264686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4796829483097584791.post-73917832719702428192020-04-01T18:28:00.000+13:002020-04-01T18:28:51.466+13:00The noisy streets of DhakaI blogged about <a href="https://bloggingcafechick.blogspot.com/2019/02/traffic-in-dhaka.html">traffic in Dhaka</a> while travelling to Bangladesh last year. We may complain about traffic jams, commute times and the state of roads in developed countries, but Bangladesh's traffic is something else altogether. <br />
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The whole city is actually really noisy. Dhaka is <a href="https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-world-s-most-densely-populated-cities.html" target="_blank">one of the world's most densely populated cities</a> and there are people <i>everywhere</i>. The days are a clutter of traffic from Dhaka's 8 million residents plus 5 million commuters to the city. Car horns and bicycle bells ring out constantly as cars, rickshaws, CNGs and pedestrians make tiny gains among endless traffic jams. I'm happy to not drive myself in Dhaka and instead enjoy the skill and experience of our driver, who can navigate traffic jams and potholes with ease. <br />
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This video (not mine) shows a typical but not especially busy Dhaka street. <br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PH57zGWc1Jc" width="400"></iframe><br />
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Here are some of my photos of street scenes around Dhaka. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizQUGWe7Mk9RbBom8cBJiJyRvdDGgbAetOUOzgnj0oH-g2pD8UzPqEFSHSIQkVE2TUSTtK3qDtm6wupsMxmSWepqVy5CFUb43ItLEXCoRyG6xzG66zNw8EMrEIqPBEaF1HHAN4MAT1e1Bm/s1600/Dhaka-intersection.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizQUGWe7Mk9RbBom8cBJiJyRvdDGgbAetOUOzgnj0oH-g2pD8UzPqEFSHSIQkVE2TUSTtK3qDtm6wupsMxmSWepqVy5CFUb43ItLEXCoRyG6xzG66zNw8EMrEIqPBEaF1HHAN4MAT1e1Bm/s320/Dhaka-intersection.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A typical street corner</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7q-enBXccffuDg5IwWfjPNqAgb6Fmp-UBSOhVGNbgO6Dq7HfBKd3aqx4LZF1Pvod1lgtkOZWv5g-iUNBi44-5TUHSu-Iyg9CA9KAmU3FjS9WK3PwQfBDxnT_G3ULcf05JYbFKlPVi2ZQH/s1600/Dhaka-street.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7q-enBXccffuDg5IwWfjPNqAgb6Fmp-UBSOhVGNbgO6Dq7HfBKd3aqx4LZF1Pvod1lgtkOZWv5g-iUNBi44-5TUHSu-Iyg9CA9KAmU3FjS9WK3PwQfBDxnT_G3ULcf05JYbFKlPVi2ZQH/s320/Dhaka-street.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The road outside our office</td></tr>
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Just one street over from one of the main roads, we were held up by traffic of a different sort. This area is a large scale building development for a new subdivision. The roads feature even more bumps and potholes than usual. I have no idea where the cattle were coming from or heading to, but just one block right featured typical traffic chaos!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMKh2_Nf6kkYcaaDPN_b0an5_Jn87jUgc5EvhFCO458zMO7DHqPP6oxRNxJczgcnzWW2v8iiL9rN6Zd8k0t4t5I7uklEFAYI_Ad-aosN1-9qZUVWUH3ZbZhZBsmlidv7q5K9TD7Lgoy-_i/s1600/Dhaka-cattle.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMKh2_Nf6kkYcaaDPN_b0an5_Jn87jUgc5EvhFCO458zMO7DHqPP6oxRNxJczgcnzWW2v8iiL9rN6Zd8k0t4t5I7uklEFAYI_Ad-aosN1-9qZUVWUH3ZbZhZBsmlidv7q5K9TD7Lgoy-_i/s320/Dhaka-cattle.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A woman moves cattle and a goat just one street away from the main road</td></tr>
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And then this happened. The photo isn't clear as it was taken through the car windscreen. A truck in front of me had about 15 young men on the back. The truck clipped a vehicle that was passing on the left. The two drivers got out of their cars and started yelling at each other, along with about 10 of these guys. Everyone else was trying to drive around them (many car horns tooting!). The truck driver got back into his vehicle and took off with a few passengers missing. The guy in white and a few others managed to jump onto the moving vehicle. Others decided to walk.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQrba87Z6UCHobXYqn5GMB2oNhQCZMJnIY5XACB5xNXmHtOTnNndAnGVayr2DioQHy9DrYdQCueJ42MdfY50D5InuiGvl5PRoS_KfgvsryGwalyQwjFlRwunwCiudz3nmvI0zYi29SNp5B/s1600/Dhaka-guys-on-truck.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQrba87Z6UCHobXYqn5GMB2oNhQCZMJnIY5XACB5xNXmHtOTnNndAnGVayr2DioQHy9DrYdQCueJ42MdfY50D5InuiGvl5PRoS_KfgvsryGwalyQwjFlRwunwCiudz3nmvI0zYi29SNp5B/s320/Dhaka-guys-on-truck.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jump on or you'll miss your ride!</td></tr>
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From 7pm, articulated tucks and large delivery vehicles arrive. They aren't allowed to drive on the roads during the day so deliver goods and supplies overnight, racing along expressways and main streets. There are no lights on rickshaws or bicycles to see them approaching or passing these huge vehicles at night. They bravely (or recklessly) weave in and out among the traffic armed with little more than a bicycle bell. Even on a quiet side street, it's not uncommon to hear car horns through the night or someone blowing a whistle at 3am. <br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgisJo2UgNA88Pr_l4N1Y9cDudmh6cXmJ-VWkWxwC-zcJ_K_S9TGvRs8tT1stfPJDmG0Uv8ITqEHk1CxJMeh81v9d4fE8TrwESvs3qcc2U8dwFyvounuY8L9V3IKR4ZQgY7hX3vpwPfXY_Y/s1600/Dhaka-traffic-night.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgisJo2UgNA88Pr_l4N1Y9cDudmh6cXmJ-VWkWxwC-zcJ_K_S9TGvRs8tT1stfPJDmG0Uv8ITqEHk1CxJMeh81v9d4fE8TrwESvs3qcc2U8dwFyvounuY8L9V3IKR4ZQgY7hX3vpwPfXY_Y/s320/Dhaka-traffic-night.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The evening commute out of Dhaka</td></tr>
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Each morning I enjoyed a moment of calm around 5am as the first <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adhan" target="_blank">call to prayer</a> rang out, then it was back to constant chaos and noise. It's a world away from the peace and quiet of lockdown in New Zealand.Caffeinated Wekahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07235662962500264686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4796829483097584791.post-68292958593889242652020-03-22T17:48:00.000+13:002020-03-22T17:48:06.387+13:00A whirlwind trip to BangladeshThis is a very surreal post to write. What a week it has been.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnWA0ZSYWC19aMJMemFQu3KW_HuJmkGXx5jhM7O4Bkjtt4_r-dqCrCPGzuhhrJ1TSr1lWQxvNRLX0oI2JUVz8KJxiUr597yrTt4Lc61BL9D9cy_9juwiwOZF6q_4vo4wvOAVKeIB9Lcn_v/s1600/Bangladesh_flag.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="153" data-original-width="255" height="80" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnWA0ZSYWC19aMJMemFQu3KW_HuJmkGXx5jhM7O4Bkjtt4_r-dqCrCPGzuhhrJ1TSr1lWQxvNRLX0oI2JUVz8KJxiUr597yrTt4Lc61BL9D9cy_9juwiwOZF6q_4vo4wvOAVKeIB9Lcn_v/s200/Bangladesh_flag.png" width="150" /></a>For several weeks I've been excitedly looking forward to returning to <b><a href="https://bloggingcafechick.blogspot.com/search/label/Bangladesh">Bangladesh</a></b> for a second stint of professional volunteering. Two weeks of workshops and meetings were planned in Dhaka, then a similar week-long programme in Kathmandu, <a href="https://www.welcomenepal.com/" target="_blank">Nepal</a>. I prepared early, updated all my travel immunisations and planned ways to minimise risk while still making the most of this incredible opportunity. My plans were guided by one principle: safety first.<br />
<br />
And then it all changed. Covid-19 was declared a pandemic just as I was flying out of New Zealand. The risks increased exponentially while I was en route to Dhaka in a half-full plane. The country I'd left was very different to the one I returned to a week later.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghx4FZXZOprU3nVX7KOmtrp6e6uicZdJZNfGFtbtBW_FAWIcYRK0PFUcLyFR_FB4SW7pJYTBa5dwG0AVCnp8ou1WFCf-6BGd1CcDx3Wc-3UtrKEDasrutI_xdXhbu8a1Dj42YIIKxXhzdW/s1600/panic-button.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="619" data-original-width="602" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghx4FZXZOprU3nVX7KOmtrp6e6uicZdJZNfGFtbtBW_FAWIcYRK0PFUcLyFR_FB4SW7pJYTBa5dwG0AVCnp8ou1WFCf-6BGd1CcDx3Wc-3UtrKEDasrutI_xdXhbu8a1Dj42YIIKxXhzdW/s200/panic-button.jpg" width="149" /></a></div>
The hysteria became palpable. Online shrieks ranged from "New Zealand has closed its border!" through to "you'll have to be in total isolation once you return!", "travellers should immediately put into quarantine or be arrested!" and "the government is covering up the truth!" It was then followed by some really bizarre advice from a 'surgeon': "drink water as it kills the virus. Also, the virus can't live in climates over 27°C (nope - Dhaka's average daily temperature is 30+°C) and take vitamin C and D supplements to build your immunity (in just one week!)". While drinking water and building your immunity is always a good idea, these messages are not helpful and only serve to spread misinformation. Seriously: wash your hands.<br />
<br />
It's so hard to discern facts from among all the conjecture, unqualified social media commentary and random conspiracy theories, especially when you're relatively isolated in a developing country whose health system is not equipped to manage a pandemic (if any country's health system is).<br />
<br />
Basically, there are (were?) four sources of truth for kiwi travellers planning a return journey. Since then, a dedicated <a href="https://covid19.govt.nz/" target="_blank">Covid-19</a> site has been developed. The rest is mostly noise - including chain mail and click bait from well-meaning friends and family on Facebook. Don't @ me.<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://health.govt.nz/" target="_blank">Ministry of Health</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://www.safetravel.govt.nz/" target="_blank">SafeTravel</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://healthy.org.nz/" target="_blank">HealthLine NZ</a></li>
<li>Your airline </li>
</ul>
But, despite how drastically circumstances changed, I actually had a really good time in Bangladesh and packed in as much activity as I could into what ended up being a flying visit: just five days in Dhaka sandwiched between two days of flying.<br />
<br />
I tweeted much of my experience of getting home safely using the hashtag <b><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TravellingWeka?src=hashtag_click" target="_blank">#TravellingWeka</a></b> so won't repeat myself here. Instead I want to share my experiences in Dhaka and remember the good times long after the new post-Covid-19 normal emerges. One good thing about two weeks of <a href="https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-novel-coronavirus-health-advice-general-public/covid-19-self-isolation" target="_blank">self-isolation</a> is that I have plenty of time to do this. Caffeinated Wekahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07235662962500264686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4796829483097584791.post-38639103551056731372020-01-16T19:10:00.000+13:002020-01-16T19:10:11.495+13:00The summer of plums<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL3XLZnnF9P-r1epYpBM3zEKHcsLWR_vD4dP8ZeL6ar1JdU5G6CDF7LdkQO_HAV2t5FEjmuatcGGx_xJCtURhHbbNE5DtyVbv4RUZ0eSvS04RqV9S2oHCU7c7SAKzVR9YbpRCDDD_gO9S3/s1600/plum-blossom-clip-art.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="380" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL3XLZnnF9P-r1epYpBM3zEKHcsLWR_vD4dP8ZeL6ar1JdU5G6CDF7LdkQO_HAV2t5FEjmuatcGGx_xJCtURhHbbNE5DtyVbv4RUZ0eSvS04RqV9S2oHCU7c7SAKzVR9YbpRCDDD_gO9S3/s200/plum-blossom-clip-art.png" width="111" /></a></div>
Several years ago, I noticed some beautiful spring blossoms appear above our fence. A year or two later, we noticed a tree on our property that seemed to be growing some kind of fruit. What was it? And how did it get there? Neither of us have very green thumbs. Should we have been looking after it?<br />
<br />
It seems that Mother Nature or one of her helpers had self-seeded a <span style="color: #330099;">#SurprisePlumTree</span> in our front yard and it was preparing to bear fruit! We culled some lavender bushes underneath that were stifling its growth and wondered what to do with this strangely shaped tree. We were delighted when the first season yielded a few dozen dark purple plums (not sure which type). I took some advice from a keen gardener and had a go at gently pruning the tree, cutting the long branches back one third each year to finally shape it into something that might actually produce fruit - and this year we were rewarded with a bumper crop! <br />
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In mid-December, the tree looked like this. Things looked promising.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAoTsC6jpOFhYxHr1ZYpN_8vlYBtqC-ms-AzxtimMMy3OM5-ne8yPt-1ly21IlQkaqoTbFqG2fxD3P8wonCX3ex2WRnt5YmB6rnVvSBYnWEOV5-NSIPy7Z4DQOQvSSsqbcvbDQHeO3aVQm/s1600/plums-first-colour.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAoTsC6jpOFhYxHr1ZYpN_8vlYBtqC-ms-AzxtimMMy3OM5-ne8yPt-1ly21IlQkaqoTbFqG2fxD3P8wonCX3ex2WRnt5YmB6rnVvSBYnWEOV5-NSIPy7Z4DQOQvSSsqbcvbDQHeO3aVQm/s320/plums-first-colour.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A hint of colour</td></tr>
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Shortly after Christmas, the fruit started to colour ...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzFIlf1adGjSdfFt8sWqJT5Dw8XWQRiq8p8SxN9izoXtcmJLifdslaCmoqwzo1LCNm4JHvj97T7xktw3xbvv6JSRgoXz-2g6-kD9WIwin4CqOVExEErbIp-cH2i2Y9VLdcoj7DduE3kpaE/s1600/plums-nearly-ripe.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzFIlf1adGjSdfFt8sWqJT5Dw8XWQRiq8p8SxN9izoXtcmJLifdslaCmoqwzo1LCNm4JHvj97T7xktw3xbvv6JSRgoXz-2g6-kD9WIwin4CqOVExEErbIp-cH2i2Y9VLdcoj7DduE3kpaE/s320/plums-nearly-ripe.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steady progress</td></tr>
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... and then last week the neighbourhood birds announced that the plums were ready! After a frantic day tying and re-tying netting around the branches to beat the birds at their game, recovering plums that had already fallen to the ground and rescuing slightly pecked fruit, we started collecting beautifully ripe plums. And then some more. And then even more. Yum!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrsL6ngHY37Eup-nZzto8_P-Mz0Y1FCrcmYRc_Xkl4moXHhspxr2aM1oVgY_g2C9MkKJHFdhPAMwUJB1yA-ML_tvDj3r1XUSIe0toWTvUwrrpDYST4tv6uSWWDZpFpUW_8Z3j1mDDuPtXk/s1600/plums-from-tree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="280" data-original-width="393" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrsL6ngHY37Eup-nZzto8_P-Mz0Y1FCrcmYRc_Xkl4moXHhspxr2aM1oVgY_g2C9MkKJHFdhPAMwUJB1yA-ML_tvDj3r1XUSIe0toWTvUwrrpDYST4tv6uSWWDZpFpUW_8Z3j1mDDuPtXk/s320/plums-from-tree.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two days' pickings with more to come</td></tr>
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It's lucky that we like summer fruit and plums as they now accompany every meal. Bags have been shared with neighbours, family and friends. Plums get added to fruit smoothies and also contribute to the compost bin. I've experimented with recipes and already baked sooooo many things with plums with more planned for next week, including:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.chelsea.co.nz/browse-recipes/apple-shortcake/" target="_blank">plum shortcake</a> (just add an extra teaspoon of mixed spice to the fruit)</li>
<li><a href="https://www.ediblebackyard.co.nz/a-simple-summer-plum-cake/" target="_blank">simple summer plum cake</a> using half plums and nectarines for the topping</li>
<li><a href="https://www.chelsea.co.nz/browse-recipes/berry-co/" target="_blank">plum compote</a> for pancakes and waffles</li>
<li>mini <a href="https://www.eatwell.co.nz/recipe/10555/Plum-clafoutis" target="_blank">plum clafoutis</a> for dessert.</li>
</ul>
I'm not at the sauce, chutney, stewing or jam-making stages yet as we don't really eat these, but ask me again next week and I might change my mind. In the meantime, I'll keep searching for more yummy plum recipes.<br />
<br />
We're enjoying our summer of plums and are thankful to whatever planted and cared for our <span style="color: #330099;">#SurprisePlumTree</span> until we were able to look after it ourselves.Caffeinated Wekahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07235662962500264686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4796829483097584791.post-19183123099811074292019-12-31T14:30:00.000+13:002020-01-11T13:05:02.187+13:002019 Ta Da! list<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Y0aC9QUDXMODP0y8wST5Wkv0hByXDxTxNpArzT-NIar47SdYS33j3ChyoRE__gCEHbmicB-HZmY-7txYyanr7WCBAhzVB4GGO9PCWmZtBsMo7cC5RkTNd2bUCN1p0lwhpjjBwhdOGU9S/s1600/2019-fireworks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1515" data-original-width="1600" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Y0aC9QUDXMODP0y8wST5Wkv0hByXDxTxNpArzT-NIar47SdYS33j3ChyoRE__gCEHbmicB-HZmY-7txYyanr7WCBAhzVB4GGO9PCWmZtBsMo7cC5RkTNd2bUCN1p0lwhpjjBwhdOGU9S/s200/2019-fireworks.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
<b>2019</b> has almost finished and a new year beckons tomorrow along with the promise of shiny fresh starts, hopes and possibilities. Some insist that we're also about to start a new decade and are busy recounting on social media how the last decade has played out for them. Although not technically correct (yes, <a href="https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/decade.html" target="_blank">it depends</a>), I'll play along.<br />
<br />
2019 has been an epic year for me. It sped by as I learned and did things I could never imagine this time last year. There were some bumps in the road but overall the good things outweighed the bad this year.<br />
<br />
As someone whose To Do lists frequently get the better of me, I've made a <b>Ta Da! list</b> reflecting on 2019. The To Do lists can wait until tomorrow. <br />
<h3>
Things I'm proud of</h3>
<ul>
<li>I fought for something that really matters to me and learnt to make it a priority.</li>
<li>I've always known that there's nothing more important than whānau and was reminded of this again as we banded together when it mattered most and supported each other through various health scares.</li>
<li>I started to use my professional voice after keeping it quiet for so many years. This led to professional opportunities that may have previously passed me by. </li>
<li>My professional volunteering experience in <a href="https://bloggingcafechick.blogspot.com/search/label/Bangladesh">Bangladesh</a> left me tired, refreshed and overstimulated all at once as I processed what I experienced while well out of my comfort zone. I started learning to look for optimism and hope in adverse conditions and gained a new perspective on life. Giving, giving back and giving forward has led me to take on a role in a professional committee but also to know my limits.</li>
<li>I said no when someone asked me to do something waaaaayyy beyond my boundaries. I felt terrible about it for ages thinking how I'd let her down, but it turned out just fine and we're still really good friends - because good friends understand and respect boundaries and limits.</li>
<li>I didn't buy much this year and was more contemplative about what I already have. I'd rather do things instead of buy things with my money.</li>
<li>I was a <a href="https://www.gbb.org.nz/" target="_blank">Good Bitch</a> 17 times, baking 17 batches of sweet treats for charity recipients, nine birthday cakes and several care packages for friends and whānau.</li>
<li>I completed this year's <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/challenges/8863-2019-reading-challenge" target="_blank">Goodreads reading challenge</a> after some sleepless nights finally pushed me over the finish line. Yuss!</li>
</ul>
<h3>
Things I've learnt</h3>
<ul>
<li>My sense of identity is stronger than other people's perception of it. I'm especially proud of this one.</li>
<li>If contracts are like sprints and permanent jobs are a marathon, then a
fixed term role is a half-marathon. You can't run a marathon by
sprinting like a contractor. The same goes for life in general. </li>
<li>Life, misery and exhaustion is not a competition. We're all in different spaces and that's absolutely fine. I've learnt to empathise and support but not be dragged into someone else's negative space just because they're having a tough time.</li>
</ul>
<h3>
Things I'm still working on </h3>
<ul>
<li>Saying yes to people and experiences without taking on too much.</li>
<li>Managing, protecting and nurturing my energy. Sometimes this involves having ridiculously early nights.</li>
<li>Pacing myself. I just can't be or do everything I need or want to all the time. </li>
<li>Letting go of the <a href="https://bloggingcafechick.blogspot.com/2016/07/shouldless-days.html">shoulds</a>. </li>
</ul>
And so I finish the year tired but not completely exhausted, looking forward to a break but energised by the possibilities of doing things (or not) over summer. Bring on 2020!Caffeinated Wekahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07235662962500264686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4796829483097584791.post-78057106547590335412019-11-30T19:20:00.001+13:002019-11-30T19:20:57.587+13:00Christmas high tea at the IntercontinentalI set myself a <a href="https://bloggingcafechick.blogspot.com/2014/12/christmas-watershed.html">Christmas watershed</a> of 1 December 5 years ago as a way of managing the annual Christmas madness. For some reason I'm feeling quite festive this year so lifted it a day early, officially declaring the Christmas season open by celebrating Christmas high tea with friends today.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.intercontinental.com/hotels/gb/en/wellington/wlggs/hoteldetail" target="_blank">The Intercontinental</a> puts on a spectacular <a href="https://bloggingcafechick.blogspot.com/2017/11/high-tea-at-intercontinental.html">high tea</a> (or <a href="https://bloggingcafechick.blogspot.com/2016/08/high-coffee.html">high coffee</a>). This year they have a special <a href="https://www.iticket.co.nz/events/2019/nov/christmas-high-tea" target="_blank"><b>Christmas high tea</b></a> available every day until Christmas Eve. The menu is extensive (17 items!) and drinks include the usual tea selection or coffee and either a festive mocktail or a glass of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veuve_Clicquot" target="_blank">Veuve Clicquot champagne</a>.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyetCYLSClpzAWY1VH1kkpe337bdnP_-EkQtBhI5Jcyx9ctxLAN1xVfvTGgpk3M6mHiEmWqfJV-yhy8OtVdd7yMwz2X1ndBXJ7FAaEda-tdzMQ0YPE44CipkWqluOdzlUzSZGQFNt_x8xW/s1600/Christmas-high-tea-drinks.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1444" data-original-width="1600" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyetCYLSClpzAWY1VH1kkpe337bdnP_-EkQtBhI5Jcyx9ctxLAN1xVfvTGgpk3M6mHiEmWqfJV-yhy8OtVdd7yMwz2X1ndBXJ7FAaEda-tdzMQ0YPE44CipkWqluOdzlUzSZGQFNt_x8xW/s320/Christmas-high-tea-drinks.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An excellent start</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Half the fun of high tea is matching the extensive menu with the food
presented to you. Sure, it was explained to us by staff but 17 items is
a lot to keep your eye on. And then a bartering system began. "I'll
trade your asparagus roll for my ham slider" was followed by "you can
have my eggnog cheesecake if I get your cheese scone." We all passed our
pumperknickel with blue cheese to one person who declared that four was
enough!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO_QnREL5B-WTjCpu2RoH-9YbqFvYHatPyDKcDlLU_zeJuotPrlEkMnwcFv_WEGdD8xV06JhsLnUddmQw3M7MH7YInoZGlxpf2OoBZ_fg7l_Wq7vxM2jDS3z8ZZxuJbYxvXeq7GTUifxig/s1600/Christmas-high-tea.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO_QnREL5B-WTjCpu2RoH-9YbqFvYHatPyDKcDlLU_zeJuotPrlEkMnwcFv_WEGdD8xV06JhsLnUddmQw3M7MH7YInoZGlxpf2OoBZ_fg7l_Wq7vxM2jDS3z8ZZxuJbYxvXeq7GTUifxig/s320/Christmas-high-tea.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christmas high tea</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So what did we eat? The savoury tier included a cheese scone, asparagus roll, cucumber sandwich, smoked salmon blink, champagne ham slider and pumpernickel with blue cheese.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtaRxovOxVCPP6evkoe0vhyphenhyphenZEXKf6N2KB5SzivjJOJJ5DOZwzaHc8r7w22AapdzlUu2uaZzEyH-pqsefA2HWfZukPObMqBhXpVZ6yAuXp4lQwG4PpzCJk9gwgRIM65ClJQB8BJTSOqMHYF/s1600/Christmas-high-tea-tier1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="975" data-original-width="1600" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtaRxovOxVCPP6evkoe0vhyphenhyphenZEXKf6N2KB5SzivjJOJJ5DOZwzaHc8r7w22AapdzlUu2uaZzEyH-pqsefA2HWfZukPObMqBhXpVZ6yAuXp4lQwG4PpzCJk9gwgRIM65ClJQB8BJTSOqMHYF/s320/Christmas-high-tea-tier1.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sandwiches and savoury</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Things started getting sweeter. Eggnog cheese cake, strawberry tart, white chocolate choux, mini gateau, Christmas pudding panna cotta, a Christmas fruit tart and a cute little gingerbread man. I needed to pause during this tier.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguuI_aRDOGJB671WDpmyNNNbr3OZB_o8xkrDLB18yAEE9zqqvV8QyunLOfWvPdCJHOM6B7-akn82j_aLE1rxXqKjoCPc8mVC5RxAaCefbA04Q6G8mNWwt6vcAzirYu0veEAUkcpH20kaFr/s1600/Christmas-high-tea-tier2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1001" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguuI_aRDOGJB671WDpmyNNNbr3OZB_o8xkrDLB18yAEE9zqqvV8QyunLOfWvPdCJHOM6B7-akn82j_aLE1rxXqKjoCPc8mVC5RxAaCefbA04Q6G8mNWwt6vcAzirYu0veEAUkcpH20kaFr/s320/Christmas-high-tea-tier2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Slightly sugary</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The finish was very sweet. Macarons, trifle slice disguised as a Christmas pudding, a welcome palette cleansing berry fruit salad and a fun chocolate and popping candy lollipop.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzF_23umOLmb8-oszM3UirWSH-XMB6F6Sz084NZpKTmVYHKwl2aZkUN8lbB_S09KGISCTRWdSlTHhbwMNBy2DYC97hj5h8Z6L2b_HILgVRLCdVIGd1jEcExz_h4mquWmP1L1WXVuu74TZd/s1600/Christmas-high-tea-tier3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1474" data-original-width="1600" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzF_23umOLmb8-oszM3UirWSH-XMB6F6Sz084NZpKTmVYHKwl2aZkUN8lbB_S09KGISCTRWdSlTHhbwMNBy2DYC97hj5h8Z6L2b_HILgVRLCdVIGd1jEcExz_h4mquWmP1L1WXVuu74TZd/s320/Christmas-high-tea-tier3.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A sweet finish</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I didn't make it all through the menu (although my friends did!) so took home a takeaway box of four items to have for dessert tonight. What a deliciously decadent start to Christmas 2019!Caffeinated Wekahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07235662962500264686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4796829483097584791.post-18837046436041026092019-08-25T17:16:00.000+12:002019-08-25T17:20:52.496+12:00Return of the dragon yum cha and beer tasting<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUWnft89ND-7QH_Eh9bXceBfV8RcGEHIX8YQQgGQMIduI1mb_gEfS7I7bE43V3jsU5mGFSuLDb-w0e8Bn5D0oUT6T4L1_SEIOdf5ZqlafDc8-nWMEIKXYreSpqd778kVDtxcHi4_LxP1V8/s1600/Return-of-the-dragon-logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="864" data-original-width="1600" height="107" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUWnft89ND-7QH_Eh9bXceBfV8RcGEHIX8YQQgGQMIduI1mb_gEfS7I7bE43V3jsU5mGFSuLDb-w0e8Bn5D0oUT6T4L1_SEIOdf5ZqlafDc8-nWMEIKXYreSpqd778kVDtxcHi4_LxP1V8/s200/Return-of-the-dragon-logo.jpg" width="200" /></a>One <b><a href="https://www.visawoap.com/">Welly on a Plate</a></b> event I hoped would return after an epic event two years ago was an evening of yum cha and beer tasting. Although most people wouldn't see these as a natural pairing, I was really excited to see <a href="https://www.visawoap.com/venue/583/Dragon's-Chinese-Restaurant#event-1407" target="_blank"><b>Return of the Dragon</b></a> in the festival events programme. On Friday night, <a href="https://www.wellingtondragons.co.nz/" target="_blank"><b>Dragons Restaurant</b></a> and<b> </b><a href="https://garageproject.co.nz/" target="_blank"><b>Garage Project</b></a> had a full house serving four courses of delicious regional yum cha dishes with matching locally made beer. <br />
<br />
A lot has changed in two years and this is now a well organised event. Each course was made up of 3-4 regional dishes and served with a matching beer. There were top ups available, which Mr Weka enjoyed, and entertainment provided by some very cute dragon-style Chinese lions. <br />
<br />
Onto the food. The first course was Sichuan themed and waiting on arrival. Here's what we ate from left to right in each photo and the Garage Project beer match. My favourite for each course is marked with an asterisk (<b>*</b>).<br />
<ul>
<li>Hot and spicy shredded chicken salad</li>
<li>Chinese style canape with beef, Chinese sausage and vegetables</li>
<li>Mixed nuts with spinach <b>*</b></li>
<li>Beer match: Hazy IPA with Mosaic and Motueka 7.2% (not bad for an IPA)</li>
</ul>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRdQ9zVP2jui8xv-VLFc6Kjo-hY7t-kpMSE4xv4nZxAun1oCJ2hBwNVRt0TXUm_jioOLzjFeSRuAin2j2_-3AWyINmmj59ERQjccpbFs0v_H1KATZK4URAISBETkkaWfTv9hmiuHbkhIq5/s1600/Dragon1-Sichuan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRdQ9zVP2jui8xv-VLFc6Kjo-hY7t-kpMSE4xv4nZxAun1oCJ2hBwNVRt0TXUm_jioOLzjFeSRuAin2j2_-3AWyINmmj59ERQjccpbFs0v_H1KATZK4URAISBETkkaWfTv9hmiuHbkhIq5/s320/Dragon1-Sichuan.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spicy Sichuan starters</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The second course was Cantonese-style dumplings and a delicious mushroom and pork mince bun.<br />
<ul>
<li>Mushroom and pork mince bun</li>
<li>Prawn dumpling with golden garlic sand <b>*</b></li>
<li>Pork and peanut dumpling with squid ink</li>
<li>Cumin chicken dumpling</li>
<li>Beer match: Shaolin Sour dragon pearl jasmine aged sour 6% (pleasant at first but tasted more like vinegar with each sip)</li>
</ul>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbkwBuKmBq_IuqHJVS0zHIDTeytr0eO0g96R8EBy6ka9qQlfzMnl5YgUFLU723-bE9P2m4QojYu0lbcNRWFLMp3mZ2NiLRG6rbm1SZZjov2b4D5BEFG599HvFjIYvrATPcIOQVfpfS8I5f/s1600/Dragon2-Cantonese.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1381" data-original-width="1600" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbkwBuKmBq_IuqHJVS0zHIDTeytr0eO0g96R8EBy6ka9qQlfzMnl5YgUFLU723-bE9P2m4QojYu0lbcNRWFLMp3mZ2NiLRG6rbm1SZZjov2b4D5BEFG599HvFjIYvrATPcIOQVfpfS8I5f/s320/Dragon2-Cantonese.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cantonese dumplings</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The third course featured Beijing style food.<br />
<ul>
<li>Crispy jumbo prawn and cuttlefish ball</li>
<li>Shredded duck bean curd roll</li>
<li>Sweet as BBQ pork bun</li>
<li>Crispy prawn beetroot rice rolls <b>*</b></li>
<li>Beer match: Spezial K Kellerbier, unfiltered lager 5.1% (heavy bitter malt flavour - no thanks)</li>
</ul>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQX29lOLJLr-axRm3FrluE-_4r-x8_3MoAumuMBd1eUslDplN8vBy-wyIGQGY_FsrqbACfimc-D5G-61VyRumS0lwMyVtvejhiDU6g4LRQfB29r2jqi6CM7FRxSs1HNaE5sJcyF2Pbrt2s/s1600/Dragon3-Beijing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQX29lOLJLr-axRm3FrluE-_4r-x8_3MoAumuMBd1eUslDplN8vBy-wyIGQGY_FsrqbACfimc-D5G-61VyRumS0lwMyVtvejhiDU6g4LRQfB29r2jqi6CM7FRxSs1HNaE5sJcyF2Pbrt2s/s320/Dragon3-Beijing.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beijing third course</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Finally, dessert. I saved the best for last; the warm sweet cocoa bun was heavenly and the beer match sublime. I also regretted being the sober driver (yes, I literally just sipped each beer twice to sample it) as I could have easily finished off a glass of the 12.5% Super Deluxe beer. It which was rich and warming - the highlight of tonight's beer tasting. <br />
<ul>
<li>Walnut and white chocolate cocoa bun <b>*</b></li>
<li>Sweet-scented osmanthus and coconut jelly (we had to Google <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osmanthus" target="_blank">osmanthus</a>)</li>
<li>Beer match: Super Deluxe bourbon barrel aged dessert stout infused with organic bananas 12.5% (tasted like a rich porter or even a glass of port)</li>
</ul>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXQM3lmgO9gsdt_0oEJs3rdN_fSBlZvdihrKHmYcoQLVcYA7y6aNr86jvmRXufUrDvWd5VKFXjY3Yqh8r5q9GFIwVZRPoE_2_JrRHprDe7VKvL_suZbn8lzEr_ZHJdbsLcxdMHABsxxKIL/s1600/Dragon4-Hong-Kong.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1349" data-original-width="1600" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXQM3lmgO9gsdt_0oEJs3rdN_fSBlZvdihrKHmYcoQLVcYA7y6aNr86jvmRXufUrDvWd5VKFXjY3Yqh8r5q9GFIwVZRPoE_2_JrRHprDe7VKvL_suZbn8lzEr_ZHJdbsLcxdMHABsxxKIL/s320/Dragon4-Hong-Kong.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hong Kong dessert</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
A great evening of food and beer enjoyed with friends. We'll definitely be back next time.Caffeinated Wekahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07235662962500264686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4796829483097584791.post-91986329784971863992019-08-18T20:18:00.000+12:002019-08-18T20:18:39.789+12:00Chocolate masterclass at Baron Hasselhoff's<a href="https://bloggingcafechick.blogspot.com/search/label/chocolate" target="_blank">I love chocolate</a>. The <a href="https://www.visawoap.com/venue/616/Baron-Hasselhoff's#event-1218" target="_blank"><b>Hands-on chocolate masterclass</b></a> at <b><a href="http://baronhasselhoffs.co.nz/" target="_blank">Baron Hasselhoff's</a></b> caught my attention in the <a href="https://www.visawoap.com/" target="_blank">Wellington on a Plate</a> programme. After enjoying the <a href="https://www.wcf.co.nz/" target="_blank">Wellington Chocolate Factory</a> <a href="https://bloggingcafechick.blogspot.com/2018/08/find-your-inner-chocolatier.html">Find your inner chocolatier event</a> last year, Baron Hassellhoff's seemed the next logical event. It was a great choice!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtQZ_2rfWQgEtaCSaPU8yuEDxSh98GVf5OqWIF22KyUPoVOfUGXslMSbzgQSC2dNfdCkMf6gN4lIQNr0NXiDqTvNUykxRL69b4wJ1hWQMPpaBKIwTPOzEOoHnW4GFGNuI3vnUJRLN4orCk/s1600/Baron_Hasselhoffs_banner.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="592" data-original-width="1600" height="118" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtQZ_2rfWQgEtaCSaPU8yuEDxSh98GVf5OqWIF22KyUPoVOfUGXslMSbzgQSC2dNfdCkMf6gN4lIQNr0NXiDqTvNUykxRL69b4wJ1hWQMPpaBKIwTPOzEOoHnW4GFGNuI3vnUJRLN4orCk/s320/Baron_Hasselhoffs_banner.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Baron Hasselhoff's (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Hasselhoff" target="_blank">no relation</a>) has been operating from the old <a href="https://bloggingcafechick.blogspot.com/2012/08/chocolate-out-of-wrapper.html">L'affaire au Chocolat</a> premises in Berhampore since 2012. We were warmly greeted by owners Clayton and Erin, a glass of <a href="https://lindauer.co.nz/range/special-reserve" target="_blank">Lindauer Special Reserve</a>, the intoxicating aroma of chocolate and some delicious samples. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3HtZXbTsK3Xh0OBxf8wKpJcxrgS1cEjHgWMFdS4Z7luuFYDhPpY1lKA04A8ow1SkWs5H-2UW-1S1X1QwdOYfyqT41cwiENi4Uv5fi1mTW3wzfheSOBrbIyo05zyGFGZ04aSJOHOBA5vky/s1600/BH-Frida.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3HtZXbTsK3Xh0OBxf8wKpJcxrgS1cEjHgWMFdS4Z7luuFYDhPpY1lKA04A8ow1SkWs5H-2UW-1S1X1QwdOYfyqT41cwiENi4Uv5fi1mTW3wzfheSOBrbIyo05zyGFGZ04aSJOHOBA5vky/s320/BH-Frida.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Almond mole bar inspired by a visit to Mexico</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We headed into the kitchen and learned about the origins of cacao near Mexico, the introduction of chocolate to Europe and how it developed into the form we know and love today. We peeled husks off cacao beans, a process called winnowing, which is quite therapeutic in small amounts. We used a mortar and pestle to gring the beans into a paste. The kitchen smelt amazing!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-VcBDfGKSvRFuACmVP7u5Uw8ErDuWG8P_7TCcXg8CMrsfACgxuRnpQwuPzAY5tCtlLPkGzUvf9lvqyUAkK-o9dncSwzEi0jq2kTb097VFAmTpx1k5A7DNn8kK4S5ZGH4K4pnCFrajH4iA/s1600/BH_winnowing.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1391" data-original-width="1600" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-VcBDfGKSvRFuACmVP7u5Uw8ErDuWG8P_7TCcXg8CMrsfACgxuRnpQwuPzAY5tCtlLPkGzUvf9lvqyUAkK-o9dncSwzEi0jq2kTb097VFAmTpx1k5A7DNn8kK4S5ZGH4K4pnCFrajH4iA/s320/BH_winnowing.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Winnowing or shelling the husks from the cacao beans</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Despite <a href="https://bloggingcafechick.blogspot.com/2012/10/chocolate-class-at-bohemein.html">learning how to temper chocolate</a> and acquiring much of the equipment needed to make chocolate, I've never actually done it at home so this masterclass was a good incentive to give it another try. <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempering" target="_blank">Tempering</a> is the process of heating and cooling chocolate to create form V crystals, resulting in a glossy finish and a crisp snap.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmDULdUfj1Biw6VrcFPbYMFXJB78t7NTdNvc68tLVVJ3wiqbkiVyy7ZGtn7RbpiW7mrrkN9c1ILPiVuHdhlrSKRSPTMPCcFI73OwwIuXsSwzs8t7-s92tHGUymg6AEo2KKpaiw3_UBmK-P/s1600/BH-Clayton.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1318" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmDULdUfj1Biw6VrcFPbYMFXJB78t7NTdNvc68tLVVJ3wiqbkiVyy7ZGtn7RbpiW7mrrkN9c1ILPiVuHdhlrSKRSPTMPCcFI73OwwIuXsSwzs8t7-s92tHGUymg6AEo2KKpaiw3_UBmK-P/s320/BH-Clayton.JPG" width="263" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clayton teaches us about tempering chocolate</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Then it was onto making chocolate bars and truffles. Tempered chocolate was poured into a mould and then shaken on a vibrating table-type machine to get rid of the bubbles. We could choose how to flavour the back of our bar before leaving it in the fridge to set. Here is the selection we were offered. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBv4MnoU0yZfEZg2cejNqaDN5_UiZaUg0mvbVGtGrW5T2ZerMoqPWNLa5_Sw-WfCeA0dgEzYPOdyieUtHXTNa4CeNok5rq3FPdVLBaXBWMjbJveEgD4PpZy8N7E-7QRshs8aWCiv2BG6TM/s1600/BH-flavours.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1576" data-original-width="1600" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBv4MnoU0yZfEZg2cejNqaDN5_UiZaUg0mvbVGtGrW5T2ZerMoqPWNLa5_Sw-WfCeA0dgEzYPOdyieUtHXTNa4CeNok5rq3FPdVLBaXBWMjbJveEgD4PpZy8N7E-7QRshs8aWCiv2BG6TM/s320/BH-flavours.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you can imagine it, it just might work</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I followed the lead of someone else in the class and split my bar into two flavour profiles: freeze dried raspberries and marshmallows (sweet) and hazelnut chipotle chilli brittle and sea salt (savoury).<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3aYwvMzEeEqIdlDDOIVADR2TcsyIFNm7dCPvUVr1sayWwmXZCegsDlrrD_P4KaM2knSCrF_2Xsw3i1Sgz_7J0iInd79kpQ3ECFJooVWGtYvZCz4HJm-TErkB2msVDsS6eMXJPpPhK3NZd/s1600/BH_chocolate-bar.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3aYwvMzEeEqIdlDDOIVADR2TcsyIFNm7dCPvUVr1sayWwmXZCegsDlrrD_P4KaM2knSCrF_2Xsw3i1Sgz_7J0iInd79kpQ3ECFJooVWGtYvZCz4HJm-TErkB2msVDsS6eMXJPpPhK3NZd/s320/BH_chocolate-bar.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My chocolate bar creation</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We learned how to dip sea salted caramel and coffee espresso truffles into tempered chocolate. This is not as easy as it sounds.
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibbJ_mTlFdXsZ7RzxXZKfWfmu361Rtn3J2tmcEPFWLstho9xG0GqMVC0lN_FncHwGEW2QrAb7qwp-gyNvt06FCiUfMroc18_jX5vXPedeE2Pb6qD8xVNEpN9KmaFT_hXEOKMeVwBGUSrh0/s1600/BH-truffles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1262" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibbJ_mTlFdXsZ7RzxXZKfWfmu361Rtn3J2tmcEPFWLstho9xG0GqMVC0lN_FncHwGEW2QrAb7qwp-gyNvt06FCiUfMroc18_jX5vXPedeE2Pb6qD8xVNEpN9KmaFT_hXEOKMeVwBGUSrh0/s320/BH-truffles.jpg" width="252" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chocolate truffles that taste better than they look</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Finally, we wrapped our chocolate bars in a personalised chocolate label and bagged up our truffles to take home. I bought some other goodies to enjoy later.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE9CdoMD4sp1T2Le1fCyJIj3uYFzXmJk1zou9QKnCIa1cenlgY9DWjgmhx2Hve2-85BysCu0SHPaS-Qnz0Wu48w_BhMVZz6tocKKrHe4uSIr8asqQ8usEfD7vXHE5_52T8kF2mg0yFAfPq/s1600/BH-chocolate-bars.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1589" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE9CdoMD4sp1T2Le1fCyJIj3uYFzXmJk1zou9QKnCIa1cenlgY9DWjgmhx2Hve2-85BysCu0SHPaS-Qnz0Wu48w_BhMVZz6tocKKrHe4uSIr8asqQ8usEfD7vXHE5_52T8kF2mg0yFAfPq/s320/BH-chocolate-bars.JPG" width="317" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chocolate for breakfast? Don't mind if I do!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
A huge thank you to Clayton and Erin for such an enjoyable evening. I love how they shared their expertise and enthusiasm for chocolate and am excited for everyone else who has booked in to visit Baron Hasselhoff's at their upcoming sold out events.Caffeinated Wekahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07235662962500264686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4796829483097584791.post-1300593450526435432019-08-11T19:51:00.000+12:002019-08-11T19:55:53.476+12:00Psychological gastronomy high tea<b><a href="https://www.boltonhotel.co.nz/dining" target="_blank">Artisan</a></b> at the Bolton Hotel <a href="https://bloggingcafechick.blogspot.com/2018/08/homegrown-high-tea-at-artisan-dining.html">hosts a great high tea</a>. Their 2019 <a href="https://www.visawoap.com/" target="_blank">Wellington on a Plate</a> event is <a href="https://www.visawoap.com/venue/627/Artisan-Dining-House#event-1344" target="_blank"><b>Psychological gastronomy</b></a> and described as "a not-so-traditional high tea" where savoury and sweet may not be as they seem. In fact, they're the complete opposite. Every item that appears savoury tastes sweet, and every item that looks like it should be sweet is savoury. <br />
<br />
This was actually quite a challenge. Where do you begin? The high tea tradition of starting at the bottom savoury tier and working all the way up to the sweet finalé clearly wouldn't work here. We pondered the menu over coffee and a glass of <i><a href="https://giesen.co.nz/wine/lifestyle-classic-cuvee/" target="_blank">Giesen Classic Cuveé</a></i>.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhctt0uru4I6CdXIMbdoxjoW4njOJ3PkbLQDKI4wYU-RzgQXS40vK5ZoyHJfXuHwNZNmfz8DBX_haTM0ZpETqgLzpWB6OpSot5tUeRvmn4FHnqpnlephcgoDDjpOWAtJ2nvayzXF-YcqZx3/s1600/Psychological-gastromy-high-tea.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1513" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhctt0uru4I6CdXIMbdoxjoW4njOJ3PkbLQDKI4wYU-RzgQXS40vK5ZoyHJfXuHwNZNmfz8DBX_haTM0ZpETqgLzpWB6OpSot5tUeRvmn4FHnqpnlephcgoDDjpOWAtJ2nvayzXF-YcqZx3/s320/Psychological-gastromy-high-tea.JPG" width="302" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Things are not how they appear</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Here's how we played out our high tea strategy.<br />
<br />
Savoury that looks sweet<br />
<ul>
<li>Duck pâté domes on sable biscuit</li>
<li>Cheese profiterole</li>
<li>Spinach and blue cheese cupcake with truffle icing</li>
<li>Beetroot macaron with goat's cheese</li>
</ul>
Somewhere between savoury and sweet<br />
<ul>
<li>Compressed melon tartare with Chantilly cream</li>
</ul>
Savoury looking but actually sweet<br />
<ul>
<li>Brioche sandwich with chocolate and banana</li>
<li>Rice pudding arancini with vanilla</li>
<li>Chocolate pie</li>
<li>'Salmon' raspberry mousse with sweet blini and berry 'caviar'</li>
</ul>
This was a very fun high tea with a twist. The flavours were clever, delicious and beautifully presented. I hope Artisan holds another high tea event next year. We'll be there!Caffeinated Wekahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07235662962500264686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4796829483097584791.post-52500230499233138662019-08-10T16:35:00.000+12:002019-08-10T16:35:03.251+12:00Homemade exfoliating facial scrub<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYD-oX_4Gc96Vc1kqfcyHioXUruZS2_gInhG662ZisJUTxoQepS13m_YZi99xzh_ITJsK6xdYQr-xz9l4aIw3iq4I7rxmtNCF8DKK51NRR5W96TkZqSOa1XT8JinZTzwNOEeLqV7OBUuVl/s1600/woman-makeup.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1211" data-original-width="1280" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYD-oX_4Gc96Vc1kqfcyHioXUruZS2_gInhG662ZisJUTxoQepS13m_YZi99xzh_ITJsK6xdYQr-xz9l4aIw3iq4I7rxmtNCF8DKK51NRR5W96TkZqSOa1XT8JinZTzwNOEeLqV7OBUuVl/s200/woman-makeup.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not me</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I have <i>very </i>sensitive skin. It has led me to follow a very simple daily skincare routine with just two products: light cleanser followed by moisturiser each morning. I rarely wear make up (maybe once a year if I need to be on stage or look semi-presentable), drink heaps of water, stay out of the sun and exfoliate once a week.<br />
<br />
I came across a recipe for a homemade exfoliating facial scrub made from pantry ingredients and have been using it for years. I made another batch today. It will last me around a year if I use about a teaspoonful each week. You can scent it with a few drops of vanilla essence or a sprinkle of cinnamon if you want, but I don't usually bother. It's cheaper and gentler than any exfoliating product I've ever bought and really couldn't be easier to make and use.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Homemade exfoliating facial scrub</h3>
<b>Ingredients</b><br />
<ul>
<li>65 grams brown sugar</li>
<li>65 grams caster sugar</li>
<li>40 grams coconut oil</li>
</ul>
<b>Method</b><br />
<ol>
<li>Smoosh it all together in a bowl.</li>
<li>Transfer to a jar.</li>
</ol>
<b>To use</b><br />
<ol>
<li>Gently apply one teaspoonful to face and neck.</li>
<li>Rinse off with warm water. </li>
</ol>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaBIeg5InRMmZhszUScrPyRaOdeLVOS8m3q-m2hhqp_hQT_u__KoQY5U-w0yAbSuGctIA6SsfWG_RjLxpojghonrvumoNwLhIBy2uzufRza-BspiEILRlgqgIP-76f4jl7-g_lnnEMjYLw/s1600/homemade_facial_scrub.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaBIeg5InRMmZhszUScrPyRaOdeLVOS8m3q-m2hhqp_hQT_u__KoQY5U-w0yAbSuGctIA6SsfWG_RjLxpojghonrvumoNwLhIBy2uzufRza-BspiEILRlgqgIP-76f4jl7-g_lnnEMjYLw/s320/homemade_facial_scrub.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Homemade exfoliating facial scrub</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Caffeinated Wekahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07235662962500264686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4796829483097584791.post-23904055365490834262019-08-06T19:03:00.000+12:002019-08-06T19:03:03.468+12:00The Lion King (2019)<div style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;">
<img alt="Disney The Lion King 2019.jpg" class="thumbborder" data-file-height="326" data-file-width="220" height="200" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/9d/Disney_The_Lion_King_2019.jpg" width="134" /> </div>
<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6105098/?ref_=nv_sr_1?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank"><b><i>The Lion King</i></b></a> (2019) has been remade as a computer animated live action movie.<br />
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I've been in two minds about this since first hearing about it earlier this year. Sometimes newer isn't improved. Is it best to leave the classics alone? Or could a new imagining do the original justice and even add something? (Let's ignore the fact that I've never heard of a real life lion talking and singing.) I'm just glad it wasn't in 3D.<br />
<br />
Nostalgia is a curious thing. I remember when a friend and I first saw <i><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110357/?ref_=nv_sr_2?ref_=nv_sr_2" target="_blank">The Lion King</a></i> (1994) at the theatre. The singer in the band I was in at the time appeared to be a tough beer drinking rugby player - with a marshmallow heart. He urged us to go. He'd seen the movie three times and said he cried every time. Conversations at work recently made us realise just what a tragic tearjerker this classic movie is, yet we think every child should watch and love it like we did.<br />
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Could a remade version be as good as the beloved original?<br />
<br />
Verdict: it was good but not excellent. Cleverly animated with extraordinary attention to detail, especially the animals' movements. But it didn't quite capture the magic and emotions of the original cartoon animation. I'm glad the legendary <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Earl_Jones" target="_blank">James Earl Jones</a> returned to voice Mufasa, but Scar was no match without <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremy_Irons" target="_blank">Jeremy Irons</a>, Zazu was a little flat without <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rowan_Atkinson" target="_blank">Rowan Atkinson</a>'s cheekiness and nobody can replace <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whoopi_Goldberg" target="_blank">Whoopi Goldberg</a> as Shenzi. <br />
<br />
So, I'd recommend you see this remade version of The Lion King before the cartoon animated original (if that's possible) and enjoy discovering its magic all over again. <br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7TavVZMewpY" width="400"></iframe><br />
<br />Caffeinated Wekahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07235662962500264686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4796829483097584791.post-40097714081733732092019-07-14T20:12:00.000+12:002019-08-17T11:28:14.204+12:00Winetopia 2019<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
As an occasional wine drinker but keen wine sampler, I am pretty spoilt with the <a href="https://bloggingcafechick.blogspot.com/search/label/wine">wine tasting</a> options in my neighbourhood. Each month we are visited by a winery or distributor with 6-8 wines available to sample for a princely sum of $5. Add free Friday night wine tasting at <a href="http://winesale.co.nz/">Winesale.co.nz</a> along with a few wine tasting trips and I have learnt a huge amount about what I like in wine, what I don't like and some surprising discoveries.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie6kYaNtYsWKKjAts8o_tXs29nXHNgq9-h51Q4_cl8oB8O0Dxx-JLdWqYlwGyzlB2zx60BymZmia-WHXpTSTw4zEXoBdm4a_JVGQaav9_cTC-Fq9a_5I_Hsn8R0PF29yrUSpSETcUb1DXg/s1600/Winetopia-logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="325" height="110" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie6kYaNtYsWKKjAts8o_tXs29nXHNgq9-h51Q4_cl8oB8O0Dxx-JLdWqYlwGyzlB2zx60BymZmia-WHXpTSTw4zEXoBdm4a_JVGQaav9_cTC-Fq9a_5I_Hsn8R0PF29yrUSpSETcUb1DXg/s200/Winetopia-logo.png" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="https://www.winetopia.co.nz/" target="_blank"><b>Winetopia</b></a> hit Wellington this weekend. I hesitated to buy tickets. Other wine and food-type events we'd attended before either charged <a href="https://bloggingcafechick.blogspot.com/2015/03/wellington-wine-and-food-festival.html">very expensive entry fees</a> before any wine or food was consumed or were <a href="https://bloggingcafechick.blogspot.com/2013/08/taste-street-night-market.html">complete chaos</a>. A <a href="https://twitter.com/CafeWeka/status/1148720025198444544" target="_blank">very quick Twitter poll</a> and last minute discounted tickets helped influence my decision: we'd give it our best shot.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb2NT-SU9QvSNmqI0OWl0HdoF6kxnmdvBHVUOWpHJec4MQlpee3-nWD310GXt_WeM4D8wkrUz7oMH9cev2mhjqeYB8CayXxANk-8ylHIQtS3nmQj-q1FDgaWuUXndUTyO-tPvmhy_peuJn/s1600/wine-glass-transparent.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="489" data-original-width="178" height="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb2NT-SU9QvSNmqI0OWl0HdoF6kxnmdvBHVUOWpHJec4MQlpee3-nWD310GXt_WeM4D8wkrUz7oMH9cev2mhjqeYB8CayXxANk-8ylHIQtS3nmQj-q1FDgaWuUXndUTyO-tPvmhy_peuJn/s200/wine-glass-transparent.png" width="36" /></a>With almost 60 wineries showcased, Mr Weka and I needed a solid strategy to maximise our wine tasting experience. Luckily we have similar tastes in wine and are also not averse to sharing germs on glasses (with each other - not anyone else), meaning we could share each 30 ml sample and try twice as many.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.venueswellington.com/venues/tsb-bank-arena-and-auditorium-shed-6/" target="_blank">TSB Arena</a> was helpfully organised into wine tasting regions. We decided to stay away from wineries we'd already visited or sampled. From there, our pecking order was sparkling wine (if available), sauvignon blanc and the occasional riesling or rosé. We set off for Hawkes Bay and Marlborough with wine glasses (real, not plastic) and five tokens each.<br />
<br />
The next three or so hours were a flurry of 30 ml tastings and comparing notes. We added many wines to our <i>yes</i> list, one or two <i>maybes</i> and a couple of definite <i>nos</i>. It was good to see jugs of water available at every stand and some substantial food options. Crowds were well managed and, despite my initial hesitation, we had a great time.<br />
<br />
<h3>
How to maximise your Winetopia experience</h3>
<ul>
<li>Check the programme and go to the talks you're interested in as they come with two extra tastings (if you're quick enough before they run out)</li>
<li>Visit the Singapore Airlines Lounge and trading in your 'boarding pass' for a free sample of <i><a href="https://www.glengarrywines.co.nz/brands/charles%20heidsieck" target="_blank">Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve Champagne</a></i>. Delicious!</li>
<li>Explore a region you know you like or you'd like to learn more about. </li>
<li>Pace yourself and drink plenty of water in between tastings. After a while it's gets hard to tell whether you like something or it's just blending in with something else you've sampled.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<b>New additions to the <i>yes </i>list</b><br />
<ul>
<li><i><a href="http://www.junctionwines.co.nz/" target="_blank">Junction Wines (Hawkes Bay) 2017 Persistence Brut</a></i></li>
<i>
</i>
<li><i><a href="https://www.smithandsheth.com/products/albarino" target="_blank">Smith & Sheth (Havelock North) 2018 Cru Albariño</a></i></li>
<li><i><a href="https://starborough.co.nz/wines/#sauvignonblanc" target="_blank">Starborough (Marlborough) Sons of the Soil 2018 Sauvignon Blanc</a></i></li>
<li><a href="https://www.dogpoint.co.nz/wines/marlborough-sauvignon-blanc/" target="_blank"><i>Dog Point (Marlborough) 2018 Sauvignon Blanc</i></a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.julestaylor.com/our-wines/jules-taylor-wines/" target="_blank"><i>Jules Taylor Wines (Marlborough) 2018 Sauvignon Blanc</i></a></li>
<li><a href="http://grovemill.co.nz/our-wine" target="_blank"><i>Grove Mill (Marlborough) 2018 Sauvignon Blanc</i></a></li>
<li><a href="http://grovemill.co.nz/our-wine" target="_blank"><i>Grove Mill (Marlboough) 2018 Riesling</i></a></li>
<li><a href="https://greywacke.com/thewines/sauvignonblanc/" target="_blank"><i>Greywacke (Marlborough) 2018 Sauvignon Blanc</i></a></li>
<li><i><a href="https://greywacke.com/thewines/riesling/" target="_blank">Greywacke (Marlborough) 2018 Riesling</a> </i></li>
<li><a href="https://www.babydollwines.co.nz/en/our-wines/sauvignon-blanc" target="_blank"><i>Baby Doll (Marlborough) 2018 Sauvignon Blanc</i></a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.astrolabewines.co.nz/Our-Wines" target="_blank"><i>Astrolabe (Marlborough) 2018 Sauvignon Blanc</i></a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.astrolabewines.co.nz/Our-Wines" target="_blank"><i>Astrolabe (Marlborough) 2017 Farm Dry Riesling</i></a></li>
</ul>
Caffeinated Wekahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07235662962500264686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4796829483097584791.post-61750221567374262692019-05-05T19:11:00.000+12:002019-05-05T19:11:01.875+12:00Cats - The Musical<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHAHfEqg1VM0qreSI_ojFQW0j5kh1XW01vIYY7gFGbddGH64PBpuN0U7dVffoiC_f1fNWU3SBgZsLwYo4M2wjKX4zgVcEXKJ8PJIyLP9BrfTryblcuUaxRpt3ALSa_A4VieLNcosSr4Zos/s1600/Cats_logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="220" height="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHAHfEqg1VM0qreSI_ojFQW0j5kh1XW01vIYY7gFGbddGH64PBpuN0U7dVffoiC_f1fNWU3SBgZsLwYo4M2wjKX4zgVcEXKJ8PJIyLP9BrfTryblcuUaxRpt3ALSa_A4VieLNcosSr4Zos/s200/Cats_logo.jpg" width="150" /></a>The phenomenon that is <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cats_(musical)" target="_blank"><b><i>Cats</i> - The Musical</b></a> is sweeping up and down the country this month. Based on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Possum%27s_Book_of_Practical_Cats" target="_blank"><i>Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats</i></a>, a collection of poems published in 1939 by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T._S._Eliot" target="_blank">TS Eliot</a>, <i>Cats</i> is not so much a story as an exploration of feline mannerisms and sociological behaviour through music and dance. <i>Cats </i>has become one of the longest-running musicals in London's West End, on Broadway and around the world, with audience members considering themselves experts because they can sing a few lines from its most famous song, "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memory_(Cats_song)" target="_blank">Memory</a>". It was one of many 1980s productions to cement <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Lloyd_Webber" target="_blank">Andrew Lloyd Webber</a>'s name as a legendary composer of musicals.<br />
<br />
It was with much excitement that my two nephews and I headed out for their first musical experience on a busy Friday night in Wellington. Mr 11 and I had already shared the thrill of a live performance at the <a href="https://bloggingcafechick.blogspot.com/2018/12/nzso-christmas-pops.html">NZSO Christmas Pops</a> in December. I knew it would be a gamble taking a 6-year-old out well past his bedtime. He tried his very best to stay awake but finally succumbed at the start of the second half, curling up in his seat and reportedly "dreaming of the show" performing in front of him.<br />
<br />
Sadly, this performance of <i>Cats </i>fell short in so many ways. I've spent much of the weekend trying to pinpoint why. About half an hour into the show, I wondered what was going wrong. Lack of energy? No, the cast were giving it their all. The set design? No, although the giant paddle boat wheel was a little strange and out of context. (I'm not sure how it relates to the Christchurch earthquakes, which replaced the original junkyard setting.) The dancing? No. The choreography was good and some of the solo dances were spectacular.<br />
<br />
On reflection, I think the show was poorly directed with little or no musical direction and weak orchestration. The chorus numbers were sloppy and the out-of-tune leads (Grizabella and Rum Tum Tugger especially) were painful to listen to. Like the dancers, some individuals shone but it seems like the cast were left to their own musical merits. If they could sing, great! If not ... never mind. Mr Mistoffelees' dance was show stopping but the score just ambled along afterwards, leaving him robbed of his much-deserved applause.<br />
<br />
Lighting cues could have helped showcase the costumes, which looked dull
and demure in the downlights, and a follow spot would have guided
the action on stage, particularly for children trying to follow the plot
and identify the characters. The whole performance came together like a school musical production - and I know first hand just how challenging it is to put on a show.<br />
<br />
Also, no cats visited the audience during the show or before the second half began - a lost opportunity to encourage some much-needed audience interaction. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/stage-and-theatre/112027216/cats-the-musical-charms-in-the-christchurch-town-hall" target="_blank">This review and its comments</a> actually sums up the performance really well. Taking a risk by messing about with a tried and true formula just didn't work. It's too late now to say "save your money" and wait to see the show next time an international cast tours it, but I wish I had.Caffeinated Wekahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07235662962500264686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4796829483097584791.post-71649896902040085422019-03-11T19:20:00.000+13:002019-03-14T09:07:35.954+13:00When you arrive but your luggage doesn'tI know it happens all the time. I'm not the first person to experience it and will not be the last. It's probably happened to someone you know, or maybe even you. It's something travellers prepare for when they decide what to carry on and what to pack. But when you arrive at an overseas airport and your luggage doesn't ... well, it's a different kind of travel experience.<br />
<br />
Three weeks ago, I flew out of Wellington bound for Sydney, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur with the same airline (including one partner flight). I had been advised that the SYD-SIN sector would be delayed but my luggage would follow me to Kuala Lumpur, even when my SIN-KUL flight was rebooked to a later time. "Don't worry," I was told repeatedly. "We do this all the time. We'll put a priority tag on it." I tried not to worry. <br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ1YnBZEGOwBQVWbCnyxUREXj4LoMItrNghi1pslPAds8yjmopjMgWmQL1yfpbaiKXqlgrttyaJOcZavuaXqNsV7XHJxyiqJ8RsuftZgnxcs0dZp-MzSrA2VZBHc0IQ_gcfkikRtvyP-_y/s1600/luggage_conveyor_belt.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="1165" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ1YnBZEGOwBQVWbCnyxUREXj4LoMItrNghi1pslPAds8yjmopjMgWmQL1yfpbaiKXqlgrttyaJOcZavuaXqNsV7XHJxyiqJ8RsuftZgnxcs0dZp-MzSrA2VZBHc0IQ_gcfkikRtvyP-_y/s200/luggage_conveyor_belt.png" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
Apparently the final flight on any given day is most likely to have lost luggage, especially when there are connecting flights. It's even more challenging if different airlines are involved. It makes sense, really. Given the choice of having a passenger arrive without luggage or having them both stranded in an unintended port, the priority is usually to board the passenger and hope for the best. I'm told that most bags and owners are reunited within 24 hours. However, the feeling of watching the last bag make its way around a large airport conveyor belt and realising that it's not yours is quite surreal.<br />
<br />
And then the real process starts. Where is my bag? Who can help me find it this late at night? Which of the lost property offices do I go to? Not this one ... where is the right one? How come my bag can't be traced if it was scanned at every port? (Apparently a sticker fell off on the way to Singapore, so it was not scanned there.) Shall we cross our fingers and assume it just missed the final flight, rather than the first or second? How will I know when it's found? (Giving your email address and a contact number is no guarantee they'll get it right when they email you.)<br />
<br />
To cut a long story short, returning to the airport 24 hours later and navigating airport security meant I was on the scene when it was discovered that my bag was in fact on its way to me and perhaps was even on the runway as we speak ... by now, I was getting to know the lone lost luggage attendant quite well and wasn't ready to let him out of my sight until my bag and I were happily reunited.<br />
<br />
I have never been to pleased to see an inanimate object. Count all those priorities tags! <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjIKhoItWx4-BOcrp5Z0NoE4Dy6OW-R9tRKv1eY7kky6LL06FFLHgOnCosBQ42_Uh7RJ2DV7lko4FRhFf4AgS_4IcP3dm_uNDAaz7Qep7OS_d7L08mTI8UvANg4FWB4on7IjS8OzJ1Cvtw/s1600/suitcase_tags.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1257" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjIKhoItWx4-BOcrp5Z0NoE4Dy6OW-R9tRKv1eY7kky6LL06FFLHgOnCosBQ42_Uh7RJ2DV7lko4FRhFf4AgS_4IcP3dm_uNDAaz7Qep7OS_d7L08mTI8UvANg4FWB4on7IjS8OzJ1Cvtw/s320/suitcase_tags.JPG" width="251" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Three priorities tags!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Here is my plan for future travel.<br />
<h3>
Lessons learnt</h3>
<ul>
<li>Pack one or even two changes of underwear. You'll be glad you did once you make it to your accommodation, shower and have to put your travel clothes on again.</li>
<li>Carry two (2) USB power packs and several cables in your carry on luggage. Don't assume you'll be able to charge it when you arrive, unless you also want to carry a wall plug and adaptor.</li>
<li>I travel with few toiletries but am glad I had a comb, deodorant, and anti-bacterial gel on me. A small toothbrush and soap could be handy if your hotel doesn't supply them.</li>
<li>Take a photo of your bag before you travel so you know which details to record on the lost property form (colour, dimensions, brand etc). </li>
</ul>
Oh, and the number of bags that arrived at the same time as me on my return journey from Dhaka - Kuala Lumpur - Singapore - Sydney - Wellington? One. Whew!Caffeinated Wekahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07235662962500264686noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4796829483097584791.post-26493178623736266732019-03-10T19:03:00.002+13:002020-03-09T10:00:56.180+13:00Travelling to Bangladesh: memories and remindersJust a few days after returning to Wellington, life has quickly resumed its patterns and routines. Although there's a sense of comfort in familiarity, it's hard to comprehend just how different things were for me one week ago as I experienced a sensory overload on the other side of the world.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDBMiKbUff0lWRhwSh7kSE4_1CITsLo8_TcXfrXqWiSyLnQoV7mlx6Glm0Ru84mZIQlDFFyYfNHhWBF8Avd-HY8Wm2FC_xXBggyHpu_Ab5QsGS6kNYeNK8mgBU0-DX54SA7oZbu-kLPjKB/s1600/Bangladesh_flag.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="153" data-original-width="255" height="90" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDBMiKbUff0lWRhwSh7kSE4_1CITsLo8_TcXfrXqWiSyLnQoV7mlx6Glm0Ru84mZIQlDFFyYfNHhWBF8Avd-HY8Wm2FC_xXBggyHpu_Ab5QsGS6kNYeNK8mgBU0-DX54SA7oZbu-kLPjKB/s200/Bangladesh_flag.png" width="150" /></a></div>
My short time in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangladesh" target="_blank">Bangladesh</a> has taught me more than I could have imagined. I was excited but more than a little anxious before leaving New Zealand. Government travel advisories saying "don't go there" didn't help ease my anxiety and I learned that there is a big difference between helpful caution and destructive anxiety. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhaka" target="_blank">Dhaka</a> took the honour of being the <a href="https://www.statista.com/chart/15062/global-cities-ranked-by-least-liveability/" target="_blank">second least liveable city in 2018</a>, second only to war-town <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damascus" target="_blank">Damascus</a> in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syria" target="_blank">Syria</a>. Looking around the streets, it's easy to see why and it would be even easier to fall into a state of despair. But through it all, I was struck by the sense of hope that was visible every day among the people living in adverse conditions and poverty.<br />
<br />
I experienced moments of satisfaction, pure joy, novelty and delight that far outweigh the one or two moments when I felt unsafe. This sunset is one of those special moments, as dawn and dusk last just a few minutes and the sun doesn't shine directly during the day in February. These are the memories that I want to capture and remember for next time, along with some helpful advice. Next time? Yes, I'd love for there to be a next time.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuP4Jt3LQYXC1nk76ptfscsL8I7YUcC-12uzOPDJRuDMM6DP0KVIa6Qy8HURZ-ywxI0bCxTZrAB1_WsZFS3D2EwB8UMn7cXsjH4iaUJxRUomTnxn8GmEwEytMp6OduDMNsZDkAXyhucxR_/s1600/Dhaka_sunet1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuP4Jt3LQYXC1nk76ptfscsL8I7YUcC-12uzOPDJRuDMM6DP0KVIa6Qy8HURZ-ywxI0bCxTZrAB1_WsZFS3D2EwB8UMn7cXsjH4iaUJxRUomTnxn8GmEwEytMp6OduDMNsZDkAXyhucxR_/s320/Dhaka_sunet1.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sun setting over Dhaka</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h3>
Bangladesh: memories and reminders</h3>
<ul>
<li>Pack <a href="http://www.bushman-repellent.com/" target="_blank">tropical strength (80%) insect repellent</a> in your carry on luggage if you're flying in at night. You'll need to apply it liberally as soon as you enter the airport and the moment the sun goes down every day. </li>
<li>Check whether your antihistamine tablets are drowsy or non-drowsy before
taking them in the morning. Falling asleep in the back of a car is ok.
Falling asleep at a business meeting or workshop would not be good.</li>
<li>Bathrooms and toilets are referred to as "using the wash room".</li>
<li><a href="https://bloggingcafechick.blogspot.com/2019/02/traffic-in-dhaka.html">Traffic</a>.</li>
<li>The food is really goooood and, being considered an honoured guest, you will be fed constantly. Try to combat this by only eating breakfast and dinner. Also, walk up the stairs to your hotel room, even if you get strange looks as you pass a staff member waiting to open the elevator for you.</li>
<li>Stay away from raw salads, fruit you haven't peeled yourself and anything else that may have been washed in tap water unless you've built up an immunity that complements your Hepatitis A immunisation. (Although ... how do you build immunity to something you can't/don't eat? Hmm.)</li>
<li>Sunrise and sunset happen really fast (within minutes). If you do capture one, it's a magical experience.</li>
<li>Don't wear jeans with a belt next time you travel internationally. Just buy smaller jeans or pants without any potential for setting off metal detectors. It's one less thing to handle as you empty the contents of your backpack for inspection several times at every airport.</li>
<li>Although a large screen laptop is wonderful to work on, it's too darn heavy to lug around the world. </li>
</ul>
Caffeinated Wekahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07235662962500264686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4796829483097584791.post-71708300891833256782019-02-28T22:29:00.000+13:002019-02-28T22:29:28.181+13:00Traffic in Dhaka<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBz6aZyIURPi_vH7b675wT2KihxSanpfbz-C_dZNUDn8aVcqT1DAIfemHJ8CjFXrCuisZG6WLpzZSntVcxGvQza06AUA0YfCr8FVdU2RO_9y83JMIJcxfpGN6HfYiiBTD_6_V5adCpOwhN/s1600/traffic_jam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="114" data-original-width="150" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBz6aZyIURPi_vH7b675wT2KihxSanpfbz-C_dZNUDn8aVcqT1DAIfemHJ8CjFXrCuisZG6WLpzZSntVcxGvQza06AUA0YfCr8FVdU2RO_9y83JMIJcxfpGN6HfYiiBTD_6_V5adCpOwhN/s200/traffic_jam.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Traffic in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhaka" target="_blank">Dhaka</a> is renown by anyone who has visited or knows about <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangladesh" target="_blank">Bangladesh</a>. The word Traffic always has a capital T. Sometimes it is referred to as 'the Traffic'. <br />
<br />
A short journey of a few kilometres can take two hours depending on Traffic. What time will you pick me up tomorrow? We'll leave early because of Traffic. See that pile of cars on the other side of the road? Traffic. We're an hour late for a meeting because of the Traffic. Tomorrow (Friday) is the weekend, so no Traffic. I should easily make it to my flight on Saturday night, because no Traffic.<br />
<br />
Dhaka is a city of 12 million people, including 7 million who commute into the city every day. Think about it. Traffic. Traffic intensifies during thunderstorms, but also seemingly when it's
fine and sunny. Rush hour is complete mayhem, but sometimes there is
also Traffic at other times of the day. The roads and footpaths are full of potholes that fill up with rain, making for a bumpy ride. It's all part of the Bengali experience.<br />
<br />
Today, the city of Dhaka is officially closed for the mayoral elections. No motorised vehicles are allowed on the roads, although I've seen one or two. That means there is very little Traffic. Vehicles are not vying for open spaces, regardless of whether or not they're allowed to perform a U-turn at a busy intersection or drive on the other side of the road. The car horns and rickshaw bells are mostly quiet and it feels safer to walk around. <br />
<br />
Here are some of the vehicles you will see on the road. I've been for a short rickshaw ride and hopefully will have an opportunity to ride in a CNG. Unfortunately I'm unable to take an aerial photo of a really good traffic jam in action, but the gif above almost captures it. (It's a bit more orderly than yesterday's spectacular traffic jam that our Uber was somehow in the middle of.)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7WN0LIosHHEC2wx9Qp7EJEJxkxCXyiwZE7MpHOObiv-jzqtcnS1to0yoqJ-4PEy0_-WlB9MUbGzet0Ew9pYxUWpGU_9wlivhwDICT6CsW0uT6wKPMccQN0y29kKkcSjR99AsvwmAIA3HB/s1600/Dhaka_rickshaw.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7WN0LIosHHEC2wx9Qp7EJEJxkxCXyiwZE7MpHOObiv-jzqtcnS1to0yoqJ-4PEy0_-WlB9MUbGzet0Ew9pYxUWpGU_9wlivhwDICT6CsW0uT6wKPMccQN0y29kKkcSjR99AsvwmAIA3HB/s320/Dhaka_rickshaw.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An elaborate rickshaw</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtbOtq27NyJpRs83EMamkrP2m9TFLGZU1a1umHsaa59vgmOIV40o6VzvuthGcQp51EOGnD-PMz6iI1_eG5pxyrMF9pOYGQj2rrVO0CXYZXhJ-Yl6zGWwvI2EksdRi4XKr7bsNsdEJLNkhz/s1600/rickshaw_taxi_stand.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtbOtq27NyJpRs83EMamkrP2m9TFLGZU1a1umHsaa59vgmOIV40o6VzvuthGcQp51EOGnD-PMz6iI1_eG5pxyrMF9pOYGQj2rrVO0CXYZXhJ-Yl6zGWwvI2EksdRi4XKr7bsNsdEJLNkhz/s320/rickshaw_taxi_stand.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rickshaw taxi stand</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYKqi387ffgEOnuEgboOXoKMIHoqw9kbH3F6ftZV_rOGk_F7UAKMbYL262X8r0h-Q7Uupb9kuGkTvrwZKRyMkZo0VwGa06NZ9nOm9cr0VfMHLtnMkLnWMJvFTDY1_TnsKWrnOSrQOl0MDo/s1600/Dhaka_CNG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1171" data-original-width="1600" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYKqi387ffgEOnuEgboOXoKMIHoqw9kbH3F6ftZV_rOGk_F7UAKMbYL262X8r0h-Q7Uupb9kuGkTvrwZKRyMkZo0VwGa06NZ9nOm9cr0VfMHLtnMkLnWMJvFTDY1_TnsKWrnOSrQOl0MDo/s320/Dhaka_CNG.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">CNG<br />
because it runs on ... CNG</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii_O2Tg8mpmyuG0AHxfnA7uWBASY13SCPFNNrtXNQBBX3Z7fKuwslU1g_xyqFGjUQxS6vGo5mVERfyBr7-T8otf06oIqiev-QlrrA1LrejtaMLsSEXRTaRq0SkGZuXCcb05Te9QqG_YltM/s1600/Dhaka_road.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii_O2Tg8mpmyuG0AHxfnA7uWBASY13SCPFNNrtXNQBBX3Z7fKuwslU1g_xyqFGjUQxS6vGo5mVERfyBr7-T8otf06oIqiev-QlrrA1LrejtaMLsSEXRTaRq0SkGZuXCcb05Te9QqG_YltM/s320/Dhaka_road.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pedestrians, rickshaws, CNGs and motorised vehicles<br />
all vie for space on busy roads</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQhQC2cR4HpWNjoW77ssP10wKOmOK4-YI9-0OSYNF9HmnpIetzI3ylpiNGqh2ydvkUF8Uedh_hHsF8xngerg2sTTDln1tvy77GGB4zUkYFRm6jB2MzHD9SKoka1XeMJAJUoEINtrBK0LM6/s1600/Dhaka_train.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQhQC2cR4HpWNjoW77ssP10wKOmOK4-YI9-0OSYNF9HmnpIetzI3ylpiNGqh2ydvkUF8Uedh_hHsF8xngerg2sTTDln1tvy77GGB4zUkYFRm6jB2MzHD9SKoka1XeMJAJUoEINtrBK0LM6/s320/Dhaka_train.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A commuter train at dusk<br />
Zoom in to see children hitching a ride on the roof</td></tr>
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Caffeinated Wekahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07235662962500264686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4796829483097584791.post-83933339201391974252019-02-25T19:21:00.000+13:002019-02-25T19:21:02.296+13:00Downtown DhakaAfter a <a href="https://bloggingcafechick.blogspot.com/2019/02/the-lights-of-kuala-lumpur.html">very short visit to Malaysia</a>, I have now arrived in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangladesh" target="_blank">Bangladesh</a>. Yesterday, I took a stroll around the streets of downtown <b><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhaka" target="_blank">Dhaka</a></b>. After arriving in the middle of the night then teaching a full day workshop, it was my first opportunity to actually go outside and experience the capital city. I'd been warned about the traffic, which areas were safe to walk and how to get back to the hotel. I was ready.<br />
<br />
First impression: it's mayhem out there. Road rules, including lanes, speed limits and which side of the road to drive on all appear optional. People walk in and among the traffic, barely flinching as vehicles vie for space on the road. You must lock your doors while in the car as you'll be approached for money every time you stop. So far I've had a small child smile and press two bunches of roses into my window and an elderly man put his prosthetic leg onto the car bonnet. Neither left until the car started moving again.<br />
<br />
Car horns and bicycle bells toot constantly, even at 3am. I think I've worked out why. They seem to be using horns in place of indicators and as a warning that they're approaching something <span class="st">–</span> anything. A car, a person, a corner, a bicycle ... anything. It makes for a very loud city.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2geRZ9xmKbL8O7ldxDYLYUhvuoMr0VkX930myFl5NylzjEjOEiqSpEKtFybufUGjlDD7LjWPvoo_ylyNJQM2f9-4QuSq8ib7haIJvW-xUdg9tml5dESdoR9xBQSnp3L3XLs2LakzRIVP4/s1600/Dhaka_street2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2geRZ9xmKbL8O7ldxDYLYUhvuoMr0VkX930myFl5NylzjEjOEiqSpEKtFybufUGjlDD7LjWPvoo_ylyNJQM2f9-4QuSq8ib7haIJvW-xUdg9tml5dESdoR9xBQSnp3L3XLs2LakzRIVP4/s320/Dhaka_street2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Downtown Dhaka</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfansqLpp6IFJp_7M32xQN3l16dIhNRiMB61qUYjfVT5ckxrVGXjLaznUtQ8Wpl_LhwmTu_BRAlB81wI09m-qv5uhy2AxXWveKb_1613gS3jm9i1kvFuW59wzLLTI2idH1ZLlUO6FSn_Jr/s1600/Dhaka_street.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfansqLpp6IFJp_7M32xQN3l16dIhNRiMB61qUYjfVT5ckxrVGXjLaznUtQ8Wpl_LhwmTu_BRAlB81wI09m-qv5uhy2AxXWveKb_1613gS3jm9i1kvFuW59wzLLTI2idH1ZLlUO6FSn_Jr/s320/Dhaka_street.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
And then there are the buildings. We may bemoan the rigor of our workplace health and safety rules in New Zealand. However, they're there to protect us. The construction site across the road from my hotel and the cabling I've seen on every power pole would be enough to scare even the toughest tradies!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvHn_p1JoCFkuHKFCgSIuinIoKMIWncDIcplmrU5adv8AATPdeTHbaN7jOJOjDUqpdScHW_h1uQCPxGZcHThqrVhe3aKTjBY8xopnD-m2RUXNH3rncLTinBbLQyEZ00kmCRA5hf4otJ7xG/s1600/Dhaka+construction+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvHn_p1JoCFkuHKFCgSIuinIoKMIWncDIcplmrU5adv8AATPdeTHbaN7jOJOjDUqpdScHW_h1uQCPxGZcHThqrVhe3aKTjBY8xopnD-m2RUXNH3rncLTinBbLQyEZ00kmCRA5hf4otJ7xG/s320/Dhaka+construction+1.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Construction site</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu34yxPU5ovLmSbCFBY1Rv0upTcF-dWS7FLS882xWTO7rHFo7PCHOFlbbK77Mf_5JFUTbohRRWVlUzdhs-hN40WQW5s7VZv0rdVobQvRHC-lPygjcYaYNKnVavIlHJM5bAAn7RccM5d7T9/s1600/Dhaka_electrical_wires.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu34yxPU5ovLmSbCFBY1Rv0upTcF-dWS7FLS882xWTO7rHFo7PCHOFlbbK77Mf_5JFUTbohRRWVlUzdhs-hN40WQW5s7VZv0rdVobQvRHC-lPygjcYaYNKnVavIlHJM5bAAn7RccM5d7T9/s320/Dhaka_electrical_wires.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Power cables<br />
This is not an internet meme!</td></tr>
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I'm also a huge novelty. Everyone stares at the 'white' woman walking alone down the street. A few call out "hello!" and "you're pretty!", some offer rides on dubious forms of transport, but the staring and endless requests for selfies is sometime I'm not used to. This taxi driver was happy to pose for a photo but quickly lost interest once he realised I didn't require his services.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigKi3H7AYMq6YhSfHO07ubXNiHo8TC4nNUxmNUTYA5BuRQZ-7QGs-hslIZRQx53KwQ9Lug-Z_TfFHSK9-zOnHfQeJW1KYtnNsvQnHURzzT3BVNygOTCCDifvqtGPuOfZX-l9u8oxxj-asl/s1600/Dhaka_taxi_stand.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1004" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigKi3H7AYMq6YhSfHO07ubXNiHo8TC4nNUxmNUTYA5BuRQZ-7QGs-hslIZRQx53KwQ9Lug-Z_TfFHSK9-zOnHfQeJW1KYtnNsvQnHURzzT3BVNygOTCCDifvqtGPuOfZX-l9u8oxxj-asl/s320/Dhaka_taxi_stand.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taxi stand</td></tr>
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Oh, Dhaka. You're like nothing else I've experienced. Caffeinated Wekahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07235662962500264686noreply@blogger.com0