some of my favourite places

are in the Hamilton Gardens.

Saturday week ago when I was in Hamilton

it was hot.

It was Brisbane in December hot,

the start of December but December still.

 The best place to go when it is hot, too hot to swim,

too hot to sit in a car for hours to get to the beach,

soo* hot that an ice block will cool you down,

lazy hot is what it is.

The best place to go is the Gardens.

 The Gardens are a journey around the world.

As you wander into the gardens

you pass the Japanese Garden,

amble along the hedged corridor,

enter before the Egyptian statues,

take a right and stroll under the green covered walkway

until you are standing atop the stairs looking at this garden

then, because it is so hot,

you step down each step slowly and

walk towards the case con giardino at the other end.

Then you step onto the cool balcony over looking the Waikato River.

A place to stop, rest and talk.

The perfect place on a very hot day.

Another peaceful place is the English Garden.

It's like a secret garden,

with paths and gates,

sunken gardens,

pagodas and benches to sit on.

To add the funk and a pool,

there's the American Garden.

Maybe it should be the Californian Garden.

I spent time time in gardens like this in California,

cool blue pools,

green trees,

little grass,

and oddly enough no giant picture of Marilyn.



If in Hamilton,

do visit the Gardens.

They are a secret delight in an already green, green city.

There are Indian gardens filled with brightly colours flowers,

classic rose gardens,

Chinese gardens with bamboo tunnels,

paddocks of daffodils,

and lots of quiet places to sit and reflect,

to sit and talk,

to sit and enjoy the peace and cool of the gardens.

* the double oo on soo has the same impact on a normal so as too is to.