Scots Wha Hae

It was the start of the week long Island Bay festival today. An overcast sky and norwesterly wind didn't detract the festival goers and - no doubt due to their stubborn persistence - the sun eventually decided to show up. I'm sure that a touch of Scottish ancestry added to the determination of the festival goers and evidence of this can be seen clearly on the expression of this young piper from the splendid Wellington Pipe Band who led the parade to the park!

On another note..I experienced my first earthquake just after 2 am this morning: 5 on the Richter scale with an epicenter 40 km North of Wellington and (thankfully) 60 km underground! The bed shuddered for a bit and it wasn't even significant enough to warrant a mention in the news! They happen all the time here...(gulp). Wellington lies atop a major fault (one of several in the region) and many expect a major quake at some point: although the scientific community argue about when the "big one" is next due.