It's quite funny that we're moored right against the Hilton Hotel on pier 1 - when we arrived in NZ for the very first time, we checked into this hotel, looking into the space our balcony now occupies.
It looks like they are building a new cruise port opposite, and not before time as the existing one is so annoying - one has to walk through various convoluted passageways and up and down sections to get out of, or get into, the building and then a three-level gangway onto the ship - it could be much more friendly.
Having navigated all that, we're heading the wrong-way round our route for logistical reasons, and this turns into a huge advantage when I decide to mess with the plan. But first we find the Holy Trinity Cathedral we've not scheduled to visit, but it is definitely worth seeing. This place was only built in the 1970s and then added to in the 2000s and 2010s but it is a glorious building with a magnificent organ and beautiful windows. Right next door is the retired cathedral, now called St Mary's which was picked up and transported intact to her current resting place, her painted organ pipes look amazing.
Next we visit the War Memorial Museum which is a combination of indigenous peoples, natural history and war on three floors respectively. All are fascinating and we enjoy the visit, and next the nearby hot houses (medium and high) which contain many wonderful plants from around the world.
Our route then takes us across the Auckland University campus, through a park and back towards the CBD (Central Business District) which is a common element to all Australasian cities. Other cultures might just refer to them as "down town" but they are the Briggate, Ramblas or Oxford Street of that town.
We wander around for a while before taking the express elevator up to level 51 of the Sky Tower, and then another one up to level 60 to view the city from the highest point. We're not having the discussion about bungee jumping from level 50 as I suspect I won't be allowed to do this, so it's best left unsaid! I manage to jump up and down a few times on the glass floors as a compromise (38 mm thick apparently!)
Next we run the road-works gauntlet and head towards the Marina district, which is undergoing massive expansion. When we were here all those years ago it was lovely but not so built up, soon it will be even more commercialised - the way of the world I suppose? We head back towards Noordam winding around the various wharfs and quays past many very expensive restaurants catering for the yacht crowd.
It's time for a late lunch and we're feeling that there's not been enough beef recently so we order burgers from the dedicated burger kitchen and enjoy these on our balcony rather than anywhere else, after which we head up to to nine to enjoy a bit of sunshine and chatter with our railway club, especially the Halifax Four. Mojitos for sailaway should be good today, but sadly a weather front passes by just at the time we're pushing off and rain stops play for most, although I'm in wet shorts so I don't care - it's not cold!!
Later we dress for dinner and then head to the Latin concert in Lincoln Centre Stage - they are playing mostly tango and salsa numbers from luminaries such as Piazola - it's all quite wonderful, but I resist the temptation to throw a lady round the dance floor as I don't have my glorious Lily!
Next is an Australian comedian which is really hard to explain. In fact I'm not trying, lets just say we didn't bother with the second half of the show.
Our dinner is yet another triumph - mushroom soup and maple bacon, then chicken and scallops, finishing with soufflé - absolutely fabulous. We finish with a quick visit to the duelling pianos for fifteen minutes and a quick hello/goodnight with the train gang before retiring to our balcony to write.
It looks like they are building a new cruise port opposite, and not before time as the existing one is so annoying - one has to walk through various convoluted passageways and up and down sections to get out of, or get into, the building and then a three-level gangway onto the ship - it could be much more friendly.
Having navigated all that, we're heading the wrong-way round our route for logistical reasons, and this turns into a huge advantage when I decide to mess with the plan. But first we find the Holy Trinity Cathedral we've not scheduled to visit, but it is definitely worth seeing. This place was only built in the 1970s and then added to in the 2000s and 2010s but it is a glorious building with a magnificent organ and beautiful windows. Right next door is the retired cathedral, now called St Mary's which was picked up and transported intact to her current resting place, her painted organ pipes look amazing.
Next we visit the War Memorial Museum which is a combination of indigenous peoples, natural history and war on three floors respectively. All are fascinating and we enjoy the visit, and next the nearby hot houses (medium and high) which contain many wonderful plants from around the world.
Our route then takes us across the Auckland University campus, through a park and back towards the CBD (Central Business District) which is a common element to all Australasian cities. Other cultures might just refer to them as "down town" but they are the Briggate, Ramblas or Oxford Street of that town.
We wander around for a while before taking the express elevator up to level 51 of the Sky Tower, and then another one up to level 60 to view the city from the highest point. We're not having the discussion about bungee jumping from level 50 as I suspect I won't be allowed to do this, so it's best left unsaid! I manage to jump up and down a few times on the glass floors as a compromise (38 mm thick apparently!)
Next we run the road-works gauntlet and head towards the Marina district, which is undergoing massive expansion. When we were here all those years ago it was lovely but not so built up, soon it will be even more commercialised - the way of the world I suppose? We head back towards Noordam winding around the various wharfs and quays past many very expensive restaurants catering for the yacht crowd.
It's time for a late lunch and we're feeling that there's not been enough beef recently so we order burgers from the dedicated burger kitchen and enjoy these on our balcony rather than anywhere else, after which we head up to to nine to enjoy a bit of sunshine and chatter with our railway club, especially the Halifax Four. Mojitos for sailaway should be good today, but sadly a weather front passes by just at the time we're pushing off and rain stops play for most, although I'm in wet shorts so I don't care - it's not cold!!
Later we dress for dinner and then head to the Latin concert in Lincoln Centre Stage - they are playing mostly tango and salsa numbers from luminaries such as Piazola - it's all quite wonderful, but I resist the temptation to throw a lady round the dance floor as I don't have my glorious Lily!
Next is an Australian comedian which is really hard to explain. In fact I'm not trying, lets just say we didn't bother with the second half of the show.
Our dinner is yet another triumph - mushroom soup and maple bacon, then chicken and scallops, finishing with soufflé - absolutely fabulous. We finish with a quick visit to the duelling pianos for fifteen minutes and a quick hello/goodnight with the train gang before retiring to our balcony to write.
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