Terrorism, death and love on a Monday morning walk

Terrorism will not defeat New Zealanders – we Kiwi will resist it all. Proud of our Prime Minister, Jacinda Adern, this speech will become the benchmark for other leaders to follow – no autocue, just straight from the heart.

My Monday morning walk today was to visit the local Wellington Masjid – three days after the terrible terrorism in Christchurch at the Al Noor Mosjid resulting in fifty deaths – and still, people, all over New Zealand, Kiwi are coming to pay respects, to offer help and leave flowers.

Al Noor, Christchurch

Masjid Al Noor

My Monday morning walk was to visit the local Wellington Masjid – three days after the terrible

terrorism in Christchurch – and still, people are coming to pay respects, to offer help and flowers. As we arrived a local boys’ school was performing a haka.

I’ll let the photos do the talking of the Wellington Islamic Centre, Kilbirnie Mosque

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

To put this into some numeric perspective – with a population of under 5 million, these fifty deaths in New Zealand is the equivalent of 3500 people dying in a country the size of the USA.

Donate here https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/christchurch-shooting-victims-fund

Spring has arrived in Wellington, New Zealand

Join me on a wander through parts of the botanic gardens  – from native tree ferns to blossom to tulips – in New Zealand’s capital Wellington. Taken during my regular Monday morning walk 2 days ago  🙂

 

 

 

Flowers in Lodhi Garden, New Delhi

According to Lonely Planet this peaceful Indian garden in New Delhi was originally named after the wife of a British Resident, Lady Willingdon, who apparently had two villages cleared in 1936 to landscape a park to remind her of home!

True or not, today it’s named after the Lodhi-era tombs of the 15th century Bara Gumbad tomb and mosque, as well as tombs of Mohammed Shah and Sikander Lodi, and the Athpula bridge across the lake, which dates from Emperor Akbar’s reign.

The gardens were re-designed in 1968 and are well worth exploring – although it took my Uber driver his GPS and about three lots of directions by taxi drivers to find!

Evidently it’s one of the best jogging parks in Delhi and I saw school groups exploring, photographers, and people practicing yoga and meditation in the peace and quiet.

Later I will make a blog or two of the birds and other things I saw there.

 

 

 

 

 

Great day for a walk in Wellington, New Zealand

My Monday morning walk produced lots of great sights … we went up the cable car to the botanic gardens, had coffee and walked back into the city.

we went up the water-driven lift

we always leave from the whare waka

Back in the city there were events in Civic Square to celebrate Māori Language week – Te Wiki o te Māori , so I bought a hangi for tonight’s dinner . . .

hangi with pork and chicken

. . . and then, walking back up Cuba Street I spotted my local Green MP (James Shaw) being interviewed about mental health issues and the need for an inquiry into past wrongs.

Borneo orchids: Orchid Park, Kuching, Sarwak

Sarawak’s State Flower, the Normah Orchid (Phalaenopsis Bellina) is among the wide collection of Borneo Orchids found in these gardens which has a collection of 75,000 plants.

I arrived by bus while on a city tour but you can easily get there by using one of the small wooden taxi boats on the Kuching Waterfront (opposite the Astana and Fort Margherita).

When I was there a group of school pupils were also there so they were happy to have some international visitors to interview and photograph.  As I understand it, all Malay students must attend a club on Saturday with Scouts and the Red Crescent being the most popular.

Since I was there in late June (2013) the garden has had a name change – it’s now the Orchid Park – with new plans for extension including  building a mist-house or cool-house for  orchids from mild climates.

With the impressive State Legislative Assembly (DUN) complex in the background the setting is lovely and is the venue for the annual Kuching Orchid Show.

For more about this lovely city see other blogs I have written or visit their tourism website.

Enjoy these photos from my brief visit.