Tuesday February 26: 2019
PORT 11: AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND
We made no plans for Auckland because, originally, we were going to spend the day with the Smiths. Then, when we thought we were going to New York for a funeral, we cancelled those plans. Our plans for New York then cancelled, and since the Smiths relying on our cancelling the day with them set other plans. Thus, BGM and I made our own last minute plans.
We had a terrific day. First, we took a long walk down Queen’s Street, a very nice shopping area with all the great international stores. Ended up, for BGM, at a museum which was really quite nice. I thought the building itself was magnificent. BGM thought the docent who took us around (there is a free one hour tour) is the best she has ever experienced.
Auckland is a very nice city. It Is clean, the people are very friendly, and there are great stores as well as terrific restaurants. We ended up having a three hour lunch at Soul on the harbour and had a great time. More about the lunch on the food exhibit attached.
The shopkeepers are all very helpful. The prices are fair. The currency is very colorful. A broadway show “Aladdin” was playing and there was an Eagles concert that night. Unfortunately, we were only in port until 5:30 so could not attend either one.
Auckland is a place where I could spend several days. We understand that one reason Oceania does not stay more than one day is that the docking charges are so expensive.
There are a lot of Asians in Auckland and there are a lot of Far Eastern restaurants. There is at least one great food court which serves virtually every cuisine from the Far East, but BGM wanted to try some of the New Zealand wines so she found a very good, highly rated restaurant on the wharf and that turned out to be a very good choice.
It may not be unique, but it is the first time I have seen traffic lights that, when the lights turn green, pedestrians can cross the street diagonally. The system works very efficiently.
HOT TIP: Reservations are necessary at the good restaurants. One easy way to make those reservations is to ask the ship’s concierge to make them.
Auckland is really a great place to visit, and so far as we can tell, a great place to live. We have one more stop in New Zealand in Wellington, the capitol. So far, we have nothing be raves for our first New Zealand experience.
We give Auckland an A and would love to come back.
Thant Zin Oo, Photographer (Unsplash)
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