Auckland, New Zealand

Day 32 at Sea, February 6, 2011

It’s about 75 degrees here and very humid.  Warmer than usual. Auckland is known as the Queen City or City of Sails.  It’s home to about a quarter of the country’s people.  There are around 4.3 million people here and 45 million sheep.  Of course here in Auckland we don’t see any of those sheep., but we are making our way south so I expect to see more farmland.  We are moored in the most beautiful harbor.  Funny thing though—we are right beside a Hilton Hotel and can see right into the rooms.  Not that we’re looking.  Imagine going to bed overlooking the harbor and waking up to a line of people at the ship’s railing, peering at you. 

Today Ron and I took the city highlights tour and drove to several interesting places. Among them was Auckland’s fabulous museum.  Spectacular.  We spent an hour there experiencing New Zealand history from the Maori people, native to this island.  We also saw the bones from archeological digs and history through the war.  One of the ancient canoes used in battle (Maori people fought one another a lot), made from one tree was hollowed out and held 100 warriors.

From the museum we went up to a volcano and could see all of Auckland from the top.  When the tour ended, we had lunch on the ship, then went to explore the Westfield Shopping Center.  Believe it or not, we have Westfield Shopping Center in Vancouver, Washington,, reminding me that we are in Western civilization.  Sad to leave our beautiful Polynesian  islands in a way, but so much more excitement to come.  

Our show tonight featured Maori natives in a folkloric presentation.  Interesting, but I was so tired I could hardly stay awake.  So goodnight.  More tomorrow.