Paul McCartney tells world about the Bay

Roger Moroney

Welcome to my world this week ... my world of pop stars and demons.

Let me explain. Good ol' Macca came to town last week.

He had a gig in Auckland and time up his sleeve so he had a chat with his management and set-up crew and they said 'Yeah, you've got time to do an Art Deco tour or sip a fine wine from those balmy parts'.

So in to town he flew, aboard a nifty private jet, and he spent a day and a night here.

Someone had told him that Hawke's Bay was a beautiful part of the world and that Napier was a pretty seaside spot with remarkable old buildings from another time which had largely survived the onslaught of glass blocks.

And he loved his brief time here.

Paul McCartney, ex-Beatle and the unofficial face of uniquely styled Hofner bass guitars, posted pictures of himself on his social page things and sent them out.

So the world got to see Macca sitting at a fine table on a fine patio with the blue waters of the Bay and the distant coastline north of Napier in the background.

And, hey, all that publicity from one of the greatest faces of the music world and he didn't charge us a cent.

Crikey, I hope someone shouted him a drink or a salad.

He's not the first big name or recognisible face to slip into these parts.

I've been told guitar superstar Eric Clapton called by a couple of times, apart from his brief foray onto the Mission Concert stage.

He is rather keen on fly fishing I understand, and would quietly come into the Bay and meet up with a local chap he had come to know and they would go fishing for trout in the local rivers.

He was spotted on one occasion driving along Marine Parade in a very fine American classic car.

Good taste ol' Eric.

And I've also heard Hollywood heavyweight Clint Eastwood came out here a couple of times to play golf.

They kept their attendance under wraps, unlike Macca, so it has to be pondered ... who else with a name known globally in music or acting or whatever quietly slips into the Bay for a bit of a look around?

In the wake of Macca's visit, and his lauding of the landscape, we are almost certainly going to see some of his cohorts and cobbers.

Because he was genuine in what he said ... he dug it here.

A shame I couldn't find him.

Armed with a copy of Abbey Road and a felt pen for autograph purposes I staked out several pedestrian crossings but no sign of him.

Another well-travelled soul with access to a private jet or two is the man who has worked tirelessly to leave his mark on the world ... although at the end of the day is likely to be scorch marks.

Donald (I can't remember firing him but, hey, as long as somebody did what the hell) Trump.

I don't think he's been through these parts but then you never know.

I read a most interesting story the other day about another well-known face, who also is unlikely to have come here but then you never know.

It was a statement from Pope Francis which was aired on a channel in the Vatican called TV2000.

He said underneath it all, the devil was an intelligent being who walked the world in human form and should not be argued with.

"He always pretends to be polite - that's how he enters your mind - but it ends badly when you don't realise what is happening in time."

Pope Francis said the devil was not like mist. He was a walking, talking person who should not be conversed with. Those who did "would be lost", he said.

I read this and started to wonder if the Pope was having a sort of thinly veiled dig at Trumpy? He pretends to be polite then all of a sudden bad things happen?

Crikey Francis, he'll have his lawyers round in a week or so if you decide to describe what you think this devil chap may look like.

Right, that's that from me for this year (I can hear the sighs of relief from here) so have a good Christmas and get prepared for 2017.

What? We've just had 2017? Where did it go?