Saturday In Christchurch
Waitangi Day 2011
So we woke up Saturday morning, and we had a long drive to Christchurch, seven hours to be specific. Luckily after all of the adrenaline rushes and waking up early, we were all exhausted! So mostly we slept the entire way!
Once we got there, we got to go spend a few hours at the Markets. This was really neat. It's like the shops at Peach Days, only this is something that goes on every Friday and Saturday. The stuff is really nice. Neeley and I just walked around and looked. There was a lot of neat cultural things, like the jade carvings, wool baby booties, and the bone carvings. It was really neat to see.
After we went and checked in at the Motel. WE GOT TO STAY AT A MOTEL, and guess what! We didn't even have to hold a button down for our shower water to say running, AND we even had a full kitchen with cooking supplies and everything! Now I don't know if the base was just so dirty that this just seemed incredible, or if it was really nice, but we thought it was really nice. It was called the Gothic Heights Motel. We got all settled in, and I was in a room with Neeley, Nicole, Emily, and Whitney. We had such a fun time!
Anyway after we all got settled in, we weren't really sure what we were going to do. Then Ian (the person who owned the motel) told about the Classical Concert in the Park. He said they do it every year and we should go over. It was just a short walk over from the Motel, so Neeley, Emily, Nicole, and I went over.
Once we got there we found out what Ian had forgot to mention. Sunday was Waitangi Day. Waitangi day is the equivalent to the United States Fourth of July! They were celebrating! This was so much fun! First of all we learned that no matter where you are, people are all the same! The teenagers hang out in the back and try and socialize because they are too cool to be with their families! They all have their phones on them. The parents and families are setting up blankets and chairs and have snacks so they can enjoy the show, and their children come check in. This was really funny to see.
Anyway way, we sat down, and we started to wait for the Classical Concert. We had no idea what kind of concert we were in store for! It definitely wasn't classical.
We waited and then it started! It started with the Haka! A group of guys came out and did the Haka. Following this, several songs were sung in Maori! It was so cool. They did some more dancing and it was pretty New Zealand Tradition. This was very cool.
Following this they introduced the band that would be playing this is what they said, "We would like to introduce to you the Band of the New Zealand Army, The New Zealand Army Band!" ha ha we were laughing so hard! I was expecting them to say a new name, but now it was just what they had just said! Anyhow, the band started out playing and the first song was Star Wars! I kid you not! Star wars opened the classical concert. After, they went into Beethoven's 5th and then some of Mozart. It was going pretty well. Then a few other classical pieces I didn't recognize. Following these they turned into more modern classical. This was very interesting. I like classical music, but I found it very interesting that the entire town would come out for a straight classical. Then they started playing more modern songs that I recognized like Maple Leaf Rag. Following this, they said it's our final song before the intermission, and it is entitled the Final Count Down. Who has ever heard of playing the final count down in classical concert! It was sweet!
Now it was the break, so Nicole, Emily, and I walked around. Don't worry they had funnel cakes, and they smelt so good! They had all of your fourth of July treats there! It made me want to have it be the Fourth of July right away! Anyway, after we went for our walk, we went and sat back down, now they came on and started talking about how they are use to having entertainment even during intermission, so they were going to do their performance. For this they did a Rugby Rap! It's was hilarious! No worries I have it on video! It's crazy how much a part of the culture Rugby is, especially with the world cup being here!
After they had done the military things, they went in to several South Pacific songs. This was very fun! It reminded me of the Curtain Call Theater, when I saw that play there. It was very fun! I enjoyed those songs very much! As you can see, this classical concert isn't all classical it is all very random.
After they went into a medley of songs! These songs were very fun! It had YMCA, walking on sunshine, and other fun American songs! It really was so great! After all of this they had tons of ballroom dancers. They were professionals, and had placed very well in all of the competitions! This was so much fun!
Now the reason we went there, was to see the fireworks, and the announcer came on and said it is now time for the fire works. Tonight we have choreographed fire works to Bohemian Rhapsody. IT WAS AWESOME! No worries I have this on video too for all you who don't believe me!
As you can see it was an awesome celebration! Waitangi Day was so much fun! It made me super excited for our celebrations of the Fourth of July! But I must say, this show was absolutely incredible!!!
Once we got there we found out what Ian had forgot to mention. Sunday was Waitangi Day. Waitangi day is the equivalent to the United States Fourth of July! They were celebrating! This was so much fun! First of all we learned that no matter where you are, people are all the same! The teenagers hang out in the back and try and socialize because they are too cool to be with their families! They all have their phones on them. The parents and families are setting up blankets and chairs and have snacks so they can enjoy the show, and their children come check in. This was really funny to see.
We waited and then it started! It started with the Haka! A group of guys came out and did the Haka. Following this, several songs were sung in Maori! It was so cool. They did some more dancing and it was pretty New Zealand Tradition. This was very cool.
Following this they introduced the band that would be playing this is what they said, "We would like to introduce to you the Band of the New Zealand Army, The New Zealand Army Band!" ha ha we were laughing so hard! I was expecting them to say a new name, but now it was just what they had just said! Anyhow, the band started out playing and the first song was Star Wars! I kid you not! Star wars opened the classical concert. After, they went into Beethoven's 5th and then some of Mozart. It was going pretty well. Then a few other classical pieces I didn't recognize. Following these they turned into more modern classical. This was very interesting. I like classical music, but I found it very interesting that the entire town would come out for a straight classical. Then they started playing more modern songs that I recognized like Maple Leaf Rag. Following this, they said it's our final song before the intermission, and it is entitled the Final Count Down. Who has ever heard of playing the final count down in classical concert! It was sweet!
Now it was the break, so Nicole, Emily, and I walked around. Don't worry they had funnel cakes, and they smelt so good! They had all of your fourth of July treats there! It made me want to have it be the Fourth of July right away! Anyway, after we went for our walk, we went and sat back down, now they came on and started talking about how they are use to having entertainment even during intermission, so they were going to do their performance. For this they did a Rugby Rap! It's was hilarious! No worries I have it on video! It's crazy how much a part of the culture Rugby is, especially with the world cup being here!
Now when the show actually started back up again, they started into 40's songs. It had boogie woogie bugle boy, and then changed into candy man by Christina Agulara, and then a bunch of military songs! It was really fun! They had dancers going, and it was just a really good little presentation.
After they had done the military things, they went in to several South Pacific songs. This was very fun! It reminded me of the Curtain Call Theater, when I saw that play there. It was very fun! I enjoyed those songs very much! As you can see, this classical concert isn't all classical it is all very random.
After they went into a medley of songs! These songs were very fun! It had YMCA, walking on sunshine, and other fun American songs! It really was so great! After all of this they had tons of ballroom dancers. They were professionals, and had placed very well in all of the competitions! This was so much fun!
Now the reason we went there, was to see the fireworks, and the announcer came on and said it is now time for the fire works. Tonight we have choreographed fire works to Bohemian Rhapsody. IT WAS AWESOME! No worries I have this on video too for all you who don't believe me!
As you can see it was an awesome celebration! Waitangi Day was so much fun! It made me super excited for our celebrations of the Fourth of July! But I must say, this show was absolutely incredible!!!
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