AMAI ! (the Flemish equivalent of ‘my goodness’ perhaps), I’m not sure how regular my breathing was during the final of the rugby world cup.
So many times, we have known we have the best rugby team in the world ... so many times, they have failed at the final hurdle, that final rugby world cup test.
For perspective on this fact, you probably should know that rugby is almost religion in New Zealand.
And, my goodness, there were times during today’s final where it looked like the All Blacks were going to do it again. That is ... lose. It was heart-stopping stuff, with just 1 point seperating New Zealand and France for the final 30 minutes of the game. France was playing strongly.
But the All Blacks won and our little nation, of just over 4 million people, surely erupted with joy (and quite some relief). Even there in the Embassy, just as it was beginning to sink in, in the photograph below. There was another room, with a BIG screen and many more people there too. The Embassy was full.
Gert and I stayed to chat a while with some of the lovely people who turned up to watch the big match at the embassy. Apparently there were ambassadors from 5 countries there. To me, they were all there for the rugby, nothing else mattered ... did it?
From there, we wandered on over to the home of a lovely writer. I was photographing a man who is in the process of publishing his first book ... in Greek. If it is ever published in English, be sure, I will let you know because it sounds like one I would enjoy. He was a pleasure to work with and being there for a while, in his world, was a nice time out.
Home, and voila, our tram took us past a robbery-gone-wrong crime scene, with the police tent covering the body.
Then Oliver had time to film my first ever web video and could I?
I could.
We spent 2 hours or more, with him interviewing and filming me ... using two cameras. Amai!! it was intense. It should appear on the website one day soon, although it is destined for the new website which is up but still being loaded. Dank u wel to my Belgian bloke who, so very patiently, built me a new site using SquareSpace. News to follow.
Now, with my glass of red wine almost done, I’m turning my attention towards flying tomorrow. I jet back to Genova Italy in the morning. It’s a 5am start, I believe. A long day of wandering but, by crikey, I’m looking forward to being back there and beginning work on my book ... and organising the dates and the marketing for the first ‘come travel with me’ photography workshop for Spring 2012.
I’m glad I had Saturday. I had a birthday and my lovely daughter cooked dinner for me, and baked a cake of Veronica’s that still makes me smile when I think of it. I rested, as if I had an inkling of the sheer insanity of Sunday. Saturday saw me enjoying Miss 7, hanging out with the Belgian bloke, talking with my sister and her daughter Katie, back home in New Zealand for 3 hours perhaps, there was a family dinner too.
Tomorrow ... tomorrow is coming at speed and I really must pack. I hope your weekend was a sweet one.
Ciao for now.