Duck, duck, goose

Felt the urge to do something FREE today (Auckland seems designed to extract money from unwary tourists), so went for a wander around Western Springs Park which boasts a spring-fed lake and a huge quantity of ducks, geese, swans, pukekos (blue marsh bird things) and orea (eels).  The land walkers were wonderfully tame, and the orea are accustomed to taking bread from visitors.  It was another beautiful day for the outdoors (they say it rains a lot in Auckland; we have yet to experience that).  The Zoo borders directly on the park with the rear of the lion cage being in close proximity; we didn't know this until we heard an unbelievably loud roar which we thought might be a zoo prank of playing back a super-loud recording of a lion in the wild - but no, this was the real thing!  Wouldn't like to encounter that if I were a zebra.  Or as a Lynn if I were not in a zoo or driving through a game park in car!  The black swan in one of the pics below wasn't after our bread - he just wanted to be part of the action and see what we were doing. 

Joined the throngs doing their last-minute Christmas shopping at Sylvia Park but it was so crowded that it was hard to think let alone make informed shopping decisions.  Came home empty handed.  Ordered Dominoes for our Christmas Eve dinner which we enjoyed on the deck at 'home' overlooking Western Auckland.  Watched Star Wars after opening pressies.