Posted on behalf of Dean Michele Cloonan

March 14-15-15: New Zealand and Home on the ?Double 15th?

I arrived in Aukland on Friday March 14th and went directly to my hotel where I showered and then walked to the main branch of the Aukland City Libraries. The director, Allison Dobbie, is a friend of a friend, and this was an opportunity to meet her and some of the other librarians. The library is a busy one, and, in keeping with current trends, there is a nice coffee shop. Next to the shop is a spacious periodicals reading area. The biggest treat for me was the wonderful special collections department. The current exhibit is ?The Book as Art: Contemporary Artists and Fine press Books.? This was an opportunity to see the work of Australian and New Zealand artists. I also saw some of the library?s treasures: a French illuminated manuscript, a first folio Shakespeare, Blake?s poems on American and Europe, and other monuments of western literature. Additionally, there is also a local history and research center that houses important Maori documents.

I went to dinner with three of the librarians, one of whom is the new conservator. We enjoyed a wonderful meal of fish, and I sampled several local cheeses, and, of course, drank New Zealand wine.

On my first Saturday, the 15th, I went to the Aukland Museum which has the most extensive Maori collection in the world. I also attended a cultural event that featured Maori singing and dancing.

Over lunch at the museum I looked at the local paper. Imagine my surprise when I read on the front page that an escaped convict had highjacked a bus at the airport at the very moment I was boarding a super shuttle. It turned out that he took over a bus in the domestic terminal, but the Aukland Airport is small and there was no sign of any disturbance as we left.

Then it was back to the Airport after my 24-hour visit. Allison drove me via a beautiful landmark: a cone that was once an active volcano. From the top of the crater there was a gorgeous view of Aukland in all of its seaside splendor.

I am signing off from LAX where I am living through my second Saturday, March 15 as I wait for my flight to Boston, which is delayed 5 hours. It feels a bit like Groundhog day. In fact, it is Saint Patrick?s Day that is upon us. And of course for that, Boston is the place to be!