Microblog

New Year’s Day, 2018, we did what we usually do on New Year’s Day: went for a walk. Today was the longest section of the Queen Charlotte. Tonight, 7:00 p.m. it will be 2018 in Minneapolis.

New Year’s Eve, continued walking the Queen Charlotte Track to Punga Cove. The view is from our verandah.

We designated today a rest day. So, we did what we always do on rest days: we hiked.

No photo did justice to Queen Charlotte Sound on the first day of our tramp.

Our descent in a de Havilland Dash 8 into Blenheim BHE, at the top of New Zealand’s South Island, took us over part of the Queen Charlotte Track. Tomorrow we start a multi-day tramp along that track.

Boarded Air New Zealand 7, SFO to AKL and summer

With temperatures sinking below zero Fahrenheit, I was happy to stay inside, enjoy friends, and eat too much.

Walked around a quiet Downtown looking for utility boxes featuring photos by Minneapolis youth, Picturing Peace.

Walked over to our local, Maxwell’s, for a quiet late lunch of burgers and beer.

Popped into the Weisman Art Museum at the University of Minnesota to see a purple Prince-themed bicycle made locally by bike maker, Erik Noren, for the great-great-granddaughter of the bike pioneer, Ignaz Schwinn.

Watched a 747-400 make this low pass then a farewell lap at MSP before landing, the end of 747 passenger operations by any American airline. I have fond memories of Northwest Orient’s “wide cabins in the sky” taking us from MSP to Tokyo Narita and points beyond.

Walked around Downtown in search of mid-century modern. Found a trove at Rosenthal, a store that has been hiding in plain sight in the same building for 122 years.

Explored St. Paul’s City Hall and County Courthouse Art Deco building. The lobby is a war memorial. At the base of the huge statue, Vision of Peace, five Native Americans are depicted smoking a peace pipe.

Posted Boots over New Zealand.

Minnesota Vikings fans walked past a naked-dancing-couple sculpture while I walked home with two chicken thighs from Whole Foods in my backpack.

Family pictures were taken.