Babylon Cafe on Oriental Parade

It is Saturday and sunny and Oriental Bay is at its best so I have to finally sample its retro cafe that is called Babylon. It is nearly full and there is a gentle hum from happy customers. After all this is Wellington at its best, good food, coffee and a view of the harbour. With a somewhat violent orange seventies decor akin to my blog's backdrop, the Babylon has a past, a present and certainly a future I'm sure.

My toasted bagel and cream-cheese arrives with a smile and the coffee I'm sure is excellent. This the start of an interesting weekend, with the Guy Fawkes fireworks display taking place tonight at 9, right outside where I am now sitting. I will probably be among the throng of thousands tipped to view the show. But before that, I plan a swim at the famed Freyberg pool, named after one of the country's biggest sporting (swimming of course), and much decorated wartime heroes, Lt. Gen. (Lord) Bernard Freyberg, whose picture graces some of the monuments around the area.

The thirty metre pool is well designed and sometimes too popular by half, but today I am lucky and it's not too busy. I pay my oldies' three dollars which gives me a swim, sauna and spa pool so it's good value when it's not too crowded. I do all three of these at a gentlemanly pace and feel virtuous but not too knackered as I emerge an hour later. The parade and beach area are sprinkled with sun-seekers as today is a rare one. Tonight I am sure it will be packed. 

Tonight I have decided to go to a small but vibrant modern dance company of an Englishwoman called Anne Dewey. Her interview on this morning's radio impressed me no end. She was also a dancer with Douglas Wright so that decided me. I think it's a good idea to first check out the venue. It's quite close as is everything, and the dancers are already there limbering up in the small Tararua Tramping Club (est. 1853) Hall situated next to the Quakers' Meeting Rooms. It bodes well I think, and I am not surprised that the women, for it is an all woman show, are there well in advance for the hour long dance. I am happy to forego the NZSO to see this company of innovative dance and I will still have time for the fireworks on the bay.

 It is a balmy spring afternoon, and the GO Wellington buses are all athletically gliding along the clean Wellington  streets carrying their not immense loads to their destinations. Everything goes a civilised pace here, and perhaps that is why the longevity of Kiwis exceeds that of most countries in the world.

I pop into a local hotel, the Cambridge, and see on the blackboard  that tomorrow the All Blacks, the ABs for the cognoscenti, are playing France at nine am. Most of the pubs will be celebrating and a big breakfast turnout is assured to see the ABs probably win, yet again. Although France has beaten them a couple of times I believe, but not of late. I am suddenly tempted to forego my earlier plan and catch the game, but Tim Winton's three hour cinema saga, The Turning, on at the Lighthouse, wins out I'm afraid.

Below is photo of the Rugby tradition that is such an integral part of being a Kiwi. It is like British Royalty in its importance to the average jo-blo. This honour roll is displayed on the wall of the lounge at the Cambridge gaming hotel, proudly owned, I must add, by an ex All Black.

After the dance...

Eight o'clock after the show puzzlingly entitled 'Lazy Suzy Boy' I am still reeling. It was amazing! Talented dancers with very original choreography and quirky brilliant narrative - quite worthy of the great creativity that New Zealand is so famous for. Six stars! I am so happy I witnessed this fabulous piece of modern innovative dance.