The Cadbury Easter Bunny

Did you know that the Cadbury Company has a factory in Dunedin? Yeah, I didn't either before I moved here. Some days the air smells like chocolate and you know the factory is making up a big batch of goodies! You can take a tour of "Cadbury World" and learn how their chocolate is made. I haven't made a visit yet, but I'll report back when/if I do.

The Dunedin Cadbury factory opened in 1930 and now produces some of New Zealand's favorite candies including Pinkys, Jaffas, Perky Nana, Chocolate Fish, Freddo, Wine Gums, and Pineapple Lumps. And now that Easter is upon us, the shops are filled with all the Cadbury Chocolate Bunnies and Creme Eggs you could ever want. (Alas, there is not a colorful, sugar-coated marshmallow Peep in sight....)

I always wanted the Easter Bunny to leave some of these eggs in my Easter basket, but it's probably better that they never appeared. Honestly, I've never actually managed to have more than one bite of these sickly sweet, gooey eggs. I'd rather eat a box of Peeps!

You can check out Cadbury New Zealand here:
http://www.cadbury.co.nz/

And just for fun, check out the Peeps webpage!
http://www.marshmallowpeeps.com/

Hope everyone has a Happy Easter!

NZ TV

On some cold and rainy nights we drag out our "entertainment system" (which includes a bulky soviet-era TV and a set of rabbit ears that extend 4 feet in the air) to watch some of the spectacular offerings on New Zealand TV. Reality shows are extremely popular here, including many from the U.S. and England, and there are some ridiculously bad drama/soap operas that we just can't bring ourselves to watch.

Some NZ-produced reality shows gems:

Border Patrol: This show tracks people, mail, and goods entering the country through Auckland International Airport and the Auckland Harbor. New Zealand has very strict customs policies and the inspection of items entering the country is taken very seriously. This includes drugs, weapons, pornography, terrorists, food, animals, fake medicines, insects and even illegal fossils! Some of the more "creative" goods brought or sent to NZ have been meth (known as "P" here) disguised in hot chocolate packets, illegal honey, an alligator head, live fish sent through the mail, and even a whale penis bone. Quite fun to watch actually, humans sure are crafty when it comes to smuggling!

Piha Rescue: This show follows the daily routine of the lifeguards that patrol the famous surf beach, Piha, on the North Island. Swimmers (and non-swimmers apparently) are constantly being rescued just minutes after entering the water, often after ignoring the lifeguards' warnings. But without the skimpy bathing suits and slow-motion running of Baywatch fame, just how many times can you watch lifeguards run into the water and drag in some poor swimmer?

New Zealand's Next Top Model: Like America's Next Top Model, except without Tyra, or Miss J, or good hair and make-up, or even good-looking models....Yeah, it's that bad.

Another interesting discovery on NZ TV are the commercials. There are lots of creative beer commercials (of course), but there are also lots of commercials that warn about the hazards of drinking. These are often very graphic, and involve car accidents, children and/or violence. I'm always surprised by these commercials, even when I've seen them before.

Interestingly, there are lots of commercials for male depression. Apparently depressed men in New Zealand aren't getting the help they need.

My favorite commercial is a tampon commercial about a woman and a beaver. The woman "takes care" of the beaver, taking it to the hair salon, the beach, out to lunch....I find it hilarious!
You can watch the commercial here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxkUE5TtOFQ

And then there is the language and nudity on TV. Lets just say that some things are best left unsaid, or seen, for that matter....

No Mo' Moa

Reconstruction of a Moa
Credit: Zoological Society of London

The Moa was a huge, flightless bird that once roamed all over New Zealand but was hunted to extinction by the Maori. In fact, research suggest that it took only 300 years for the Maori to hunt the Moa to complete extinction after the Maori arrived in New Zealand around 1200 CE.

The Moa was an herbivore that thrived in New Zealand for thousands of years, living in forest, shrub land, and sub-alpine environments. It was once widely accepted that there were 10 species of Moa, however recent DNA evidence suggests that there may have only been 2 or 3 species. DNA testing also shows the Moa's closest relatives are the Australian Cassowary and Emu. The largest Moa stood over 12 feet tall and weighed over 500 lbs!

The Moa was a great source of food for the Maori. Archaeological evidence shows that the meat was cooked in large, outdoor ovens, the bones were fashioned into hooks, pendents and tools, skin and feathers were made into clothes, and the eggs were eaten and the shells used to carry water.

There are thousands of Moa remains, including recent bones, fossil bones, feet, feathers, soft tissue, eggshell fragments, footprint tracks, gizzard stones and even coprolites (fossilized poop)! Many caves have large deposits of Moa bones, including complete skeletons that allow scientists to accurately recreate the Moa's body structure.

Interestingly, although it is widely accepted that the Moa is extinct, there are some speculations that Moa still exist in extremely remote locations, such as Westland on the South Island. Every year there are sightings, but no strong evidence has been put forward to suggest that the Moa lives on.

To learn more about the Moa and see images, check out
http://www.teara.govt.nz/TheBush/NativeBirdsAndBats/Moa/en

Fall

Fall has arrived in Dunedin, with crisp blue skies, and yellow leaves. Take a look!

Bacon Buttie!

I've discovered something that makes the 8:30 am Saturday morning Farmer's Market worth getting out of bed for (besides the excellent fresh fruits and veggies, of course): The Bacon Buttie.


A Bacon Buttie consists of 2 slices of white bread (as in Wonder) packed with hot, salty bacon, caramelized onions relish, mustard and ketchup. The Bacon Buttie is extremely popular and there is always a long line to order one. I think I'll have to start making them at home during the week....

Mmmmm, bacon!

Can You Repeat That Please?

OK, I've been here almost 6 months and I still can't understand Kiwis sometimes! Not only does the accent make it hard, but Kiwis talk fast and often mumble. My friends for whom English is a second language joke that successfully ordering a sandwich at Subway with the all ingredients you actually want is the gold star of understanding the Kiwi language.

Some things here also have a different name than we are used to in the US, making communication even more difficult or possibly embarrassing!

Here are some of those words:

Serviette=Napkin
Napkin or Nappy=Diaper
Torch=Flashlight
Boot=Trunk of the car
Bonnet=Hood of the car
Fringe=Bangs
Root=To have sex (Yeah, don't say you "root" for a sports team here...)
Braces=Suspenders
Capsicum=Bell Pepper
Coriander=Cilantro
Courgettes=Zucchini
Aubergine=Eggplant
Chips=Fries
Crisps=Chips
Flannel=Washcloth
Jandals=Flip-flops/thongs
Jersey=Sweater
Jumper=Wool sweater
Lolly=Candy
Nought=Zero
Zed=the letter Z
Petrol=Gasoline
Rubber=Eraser
Sticking plaster=Band-aid
Valet=A person who cleans cars, NOT parks them

Poolside Haka

The other night we went for a swim at the community pool and witnessed 2 swim teams perform the Haka before their swim meet.

The Haka is the traditional Maori dance that includes shouting, postures, and facial expressions and is performed by a group. The All Blacks, the New Zealand rugby team, has popularized the Haka through their performances before a match. However, the team's war Haka is only one version of Haka among many, and not all Haka are exclusively war dances or only performed by men.

Here is a video of the All Blacks performing the Haka before a match against England in 2004. It also has translations of the song's words.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdMCAV6Yd0Y

Every time I see the Haka performed I get goosebumps. It's such an intense, passionate dance that rattles me to the core. It's quite intimidating!

However, the skinny, white, teenage swimmers performing the Haka on the pool deck were a different story.