Auckland

Auckland, New Zealand
February 20, 2013

Up at 6 to watch us come into beautiful Auckland harbor.  I love this city and its surroundings.  We docked on the starboard side, so Paul came down to my cabin to video.  We knew Ross was there somewhere....and there he was right under my cabin in the dawn!  He had been there since 4am since he had received conflicting estimates of our arrival.  I think I woke up the entire ship having a rather loud conversation with him.

Paul and Amy took the ferry over to Devonport for the morning.  Ross ran off to meet friends of his who were going out on the Oosterdam, which was docked right next to us.  Jan and Layne came to pick me up and we went over to their gorgeous new offices and then drove around to see some of Layne's new projects....he is a real estate developer....he really has a flair for design and renovation.  Saw some lovely neighborhoods I hadn't seen before.  Then they took me down to Wynyard....an area of disused tanks, silos, warehouses, etc. which has been turned into a beautiful harborside stroll of parks, shops, restaurants, linked by trolley and a new drawbridge to the main harbor.  The old concrete silos are used for functions, believe it or not and the tanks are being painted in various designs with famous quotations.  Very exciting place.

Final stop for the day an new complex of restaurants and shops on Ponsonby Road....created from an old building with new additions at the back.  From the road, it just looks like one restaurant....but there are several including a sushi bar.  There are also produce stalls, a fishmonger, a deli and various small shops.  We settled in to a large table for coffee.  Ross joined us.  Then Karen arrived.  I had the best cappuccino ever...it had an additional shot of expresso!  We munched on something wonderful...somewhere between a scone and a coffee cake.  Indescribable!  Ross went off to pick Paul and Amy at the ferry, dropped them off at an art store Amy had heard of and then they joined us.  So the crowd was complete.  Karen's husband, David could not make it.  Well, it was a work day!  We ordered a wonderful lunch and just schmoozed...catching up on all the news.  Then Ross took us over to his house for  quick peek for Paul and Amy.  I got to hold Paris his beautiful cat....a quick fix of soft fur!  Then it was back to the ship.  Paul and Amy embarked and Ross and I sat on a bench on the dock and talked of this and that.  Then it was time to say goodbye.  Ross stayed on the dock to see both ships off.  Karen and David appeared to wave goodbye and then another friend, Robert.  What a wonderful day with old friends!