April 23, 2023
Today, we walked around the Auckland suburb of Remuera, where we lived for three years during the eighties. When it was developed, the neighborhood consisted of large homes on quarter and half acre sections. The size of the sections allowed owners later on to subdivide their lots, building second and sometimes third or fourth homes on the original lot. This infill housing has taken away some of the original charm of the neighborhood but it still remains one of Auckland’s most sought after addresses. Here are some of the original and new homes we passed by during the walk.
When we first moved to Auckland, we lived in this house that Mal’s sister and brother-in-law had just bought and were about to renovate.
From there we moved to a small one bedroom apartment. It was under rent control and cost us $26 a week. The building and the home it connected to have since been pulled down and replaced by these much more upscale homes.
A friend visiting from the United States once commented that Auckland is not so much a city as a series of small towns. Case in point are the shops along Remuera Road that very much seem like Main Street of a small American town.
We also stopped by the shops at the top of our street, where we would often walk to and pick up provisions. Often, we were accompanied by our cat, Salinger. Sadly, Salinger moved on years ago, The shops, however, were still there and had not changed much in the ensuing forty years.
When we lived in Remuera, we had a small Fiat Bambina. It had a 500 cc engine and was not much bigger and not much more powerful than a sewing machine. In fact, on some of the steeper streets, one of us would have to get out and walk up the hill, so the car could make it. On the plus side, it did have a sun roof, so you could stand up and look about.
The updated version we passed, did not look as if it would have the same trouble getting up hills.
Speaking of toy cars, this Land Rover definitely looked like it would be at home in a children’s book.
The suburb runs down to Hobson Bay where we went for a walk along the boardwalk that crosses the mud flats and marsh land.
Mal and Lauren 