Category Archives: Uncategorized

April 19, 2021 Today we continued climbing the peaks of Auckland. At 143 meters high, Ohinerau / Mt. Hobson is smaller than Maungawhau / Mt. Eden and Maungakiekie / One Tree Hill (both of which we have previously blogged about) and a much easier climb. It has been extensively modified by human use, first asContinue reading “Auckland, New Zealand”

April 16, 2021 As the sun started to fall we joined our good friend Hamish as he took his two dogs, Bonnie and Chica, for their regular walk up Maungawhau / Mt. Eden. Maungawhau (mountain of the whau tree) is Auckland’s highest peak at 643 feet above sea level and at times the climb wasContinue reading “Auckland, New Zealand”

April 15, 2021 Today we walked along Karangahape Road, commonly shortened to K Road by the locals, over the Grafton Bridge and on through the Domain to the Auckland Museum. K Road was Auckland’s most popular shopping street during the first half of the 1900s and was home to many of New Zealand’s most popularContinue reading “Auckland, New Zealand”

April 13, 2021 The Auckland area is home to 48 volcanic cones, many of which are clearly visible standing above their surrounding suburbs. The most recognizable is Maungakiekie (hill of the kiekie vine) more commonly known as One Tree Hill. The hill got its English name from a solitary tree that stood near its summit.Continue reading “Auckland, New Zealand”

April 12, 2021 Today we decided to go for a stroll through our alma mater, The University of Auckland, where Mal did his BA and Law degrees and Lauren did her MA. We were joined by our friends Judi and Arlette who were both at university with us back in the eighties. In fact, ArletteContinue reading “Auckland, New Zealand”

April 3-5, 2021 We just spent an awesome Easter weekend at the beach town of Whangamata with our dear friends Dave and Jac, their son Nick and his partner Nicole. Whangamata comes from the Maori words ‘whanga’ meaning bay and ‘mata’ meaning stone, and refers to the obsidian which washes up on the beach. TheContinue reading “Whangamata, New Zealand”

After dinner, we decided to go for a walk along the length of Ponsonby Road. For DC residents, Ponsonby Road is best likened to 14th Street, but on steroids. Along its length are scores of restaurants, cafes and boutique stores. Even on a Tuesday night it was bustling. Many of the early street names inContinue reading “Auckland, New Zealand”

March 27, 2021 The Auckland Art Gallery (Toi o Tamaki) is the principal public art gallery in Auckland. The original gallery that was constructed in 1887 in French Renaissance style has been through a number of extensions and renovations, culminating in a massive extension in 2011 that increased the exhibition space by 50%. It isContinue reading “Auckland, New Zealand”

March 26, 2011 Completed in 1932, Tamaki Drive follows the coastline east from downtown Auckland through Okahu Bay, Mission Bay and Kohimarama before coming to an end in St. Heliers. It is about five miles long and, as practically the only flat street in Auckland, is popular with walkers, joggers and cyclists. The beaches areContinue reading “Auckland, New Zealand”

March 23, 2021 We spent our last night and day in the South Island with our dear friends Dot and Georgia and their three sons. Dot and Georgia grow peonies but not so much for their beautiful flowers but for their roots. Originally, they had decided to plant peonies to export the blooms but onContinue reading “Dovedale, New Zealand”