From Levin to Jerusalem (or vice versa)

So it would seem that what Dan wants, Dan gets.

Billy Bragg - Jerusalem (2.33 MB mp3: right-click and Save As to download; play using player below)

I think that'll about do it now.

...

Was in the mighty Horowhenua for several days. While the actual place wasn't as bad as it had been made out to be, never have I seen such a bunch of downtrodden people as I witnessed in the streets and malls and coffee shops and Warehouse of Levin. It was truly startling to my poor sheltered, cosseted self, and I had to put the camera away (not to worry, though I did take some pics of other stuff).

I saw a plate which reminded me of a Six Organs of Admittance album cover (click for closer look):

It's a valuable piece, by a ceramicist of note, whose name of course I can't remember.

Also scored this magnificent golliwog, to add to the ol' vintage knitted toy collection:

And finally, to aid in my ongoing investigation into the nature of offensiveness, at SaveMart I found possibly the best t-shirt ever:

...not to mention some hideous ceramics, to add to the ol' collection of hideous ceramics.

I also got to go to the Tender Centre. On the main street of Levin, I assumed that this was a sorta drop-in place where you can go and get hugs, and compliments, but I was wrong. It's a kind-of 2nd-hand store where nothing has a price and you make offers for goods -- rather like a single-shot offline auction.

So all-in-all the weekend was a raging success.