Category Archives: Uncategorized

March 30, 2023 There are fourteen ancestral mountains of Auckland (Tupuna Maunga o Tamaki Makaurau). They are the volcanic cones that hold the greatest historical, spiritual, ancestral and cultural significance to the local Maori iwi (tribes). So far, we have climbed twelve of them, including Mt. Richmond, today’s summit. It is apparently named for aContinue reading “Mt. Richmond, Auckland, New Zealand”

March 23, 2023 On what felt like the first Autumn day of the year, with clear blue skies and a slight chill in the air, we went for a walk through the streets of Grey Lynn. We dropped in at our friend Kris’s store, Pearl. Lauren took a break from the walk to try onContinue reading “Grey Lynn, Auckland, New Zealand”

March 20, 2023 We returned to the streets of Westmere and this time we had a guide, with our cousin and neighborhood resident, Annette, joining us. There is quite a diversity of housing in Westmere with many new residences springing up among the original homes. Here are some examples. One of the more original homesContinue reading “Westmere, Auckland, New Zealand”

March 18, 2023 The suburbs on the north side of Auckland, across the harbor bridge, are collectively called The North Shore or just The Shore. On a warm sunny day we decided to go for a drive over the bridge and go for a walk along Narrow Neck, one of the beautiful beaches that lineContinue reading “Narrow Neck Beach, Auckland, New Zealand”

March 16, 2023 Next on our list of volcanic peaks to climb was Big King. The neighborhood surrounding Big King is called Three Kings, as the volcano originally had three peaks. The other two have been quarried for scoria so now only Big King, originally the second highest peak, remains. The name Three Kings comesContinue reading “Big King, Auckland, New Zealand”

March 14, 2023 Continuing our climbs of Auckland’s volcanic peaks, we caught the ferry over to Devonport where we summited Mt. Victoria, named for the British Queen. Its Maori name is Takarunga, meaning “The Hill Standing Above”. An important pa (fortified village) once occupied its slopes. In 1841, a signal station was constructed on itsContinue reading “Mt. Victoria, Auckland, New Zealand”

March 11, 2023 Gibbs Farm is about an hour’s drive north of Auckland on the shores of Kaipara Harbour. It is a beautiful farm but what makes it incredibly special is the collection of massive sculpture that Alan Gibbs, one of New Zealand’s wealthiest people, has acquired for the property. The farm is only openContinue reading “Gibbs Farm, Kaipara Harbour, New Zealand”

February 9, 2023 Our good friend, John, guided us on a tour through his neighborhood of Grey Lynn. Most of the houses in the neighborhood were built between the 1800s and the beginning of the First World War. They were constructed quickly and with little variation of layout as can be seen in this earlyContinue reading “Grey Lynn, Auckland, New Zealand”

February 4, 2023 Otara is a largely Polynesian suburb in south Auckland. It translates from Maori as The Place of Tara, named for a Maori chief in the area. Otara gained some degree of fame in 1995 with the worldwide hit single “How Bizarre” by local hip hop artists, OMC. OMC stood for “Otara Millionaire’sContinue reading “Otara Market, Auckland”

March 2, 2023 Back in Auckland, we decided to continue our exploration of nearby neighborhoods. This day found us in Westmere, where Mal’s dear cousin Annette not only lives but also teaches at the local primary school. Here are some of the variety of houses we saw during the walk. We encountered some interesting fences,Continue reading “Westmere, Auckland”