Now Voyager: Te Papa

Am off early to town to post the birthday card to Luci. Discover that it is $8 to send 'cos I have enclosed a tidbit, is that ridiculous? Decide to put the $2 stamp and take the risk as it is only the size of a letter card anyway. Am sure it will get there OK. In Oz this is not a problem with slim enclosures, but here there are rules to be adhered to. I'll see see what happens but it must go today to get there in time for her birthday on Oct 2.

So I see Te Papa behind the PO and decide it is high time to resume my love affair with this marvellous museum. And in entering the Dinosaur Exhibition I realise why I have this affair. But first up to the fourth floor to have a coffee and quiche at the the very salubrious cafe. That done, I notice behind me six young women all holding their newborn babes, having a 'bonding' session and discussing their experiences. The museum is a perfect kick-off for three-week old babies to savour the delights of cultural New Zealand it seems.

The sign above me says it all, 'Slice of Heaven' 20th Century Aoteraroa. This country is just that, a heaven to bring children up in, and then they escape to populate the world with their home-learned skills and amazing temperaments. I see a man pushing his babe in a Kiwi designed stroller, a state of the Art design. He is probably an employee of Te Papa bringing his babe to work, under their very advanced work guidelines. New Zealand is an amazing mixture of advancement and backwardness, but I am happy to say the advancement outweighs by far the backward element in this amazing high achieving country.

For some reason I check out Wikipedia on Sir Woolf Fisher, the co-founder of the iconic Kiwi brand Fisher Paykel. I am not at all surprised to discover that her and his partner Paykel, now both deceased, were a couple of Jewish sons of Latvian immigrants. They got together to fill a hole in the post-war refrigerator market and then decided to manufacture their own brand. Result, a billion dollar high class manufacturing company which is the envy of the world. Both men were made Knights of the Realm and died quite young in their sixties but only after having achieved amazing success. Where there is great financial success there will inevitably a Jewish connection. Say no more!

I am off now to savour the prehistoric exhibition.....

A very nice cafe with quiche..