Auckland, New Zealand

It's a little surprising just how big Auckland is. It checks in at 1.5-million people or so at last count, and it is growing quickly. That's the biggest city in the country, and nothing else comes close. Some people might be able to say that Wellington is the capital of New Zealand, but Auckland is the place with the most clout.

This is an international city, to say the least. Almost 40 percent of the population was born in another country. That ranks No. 4 in the world in the category. They come for the nice climate. It's never too close to 100 degrees here and it rarely snows. 

Auckland's population growth has come rapidly. Due to some business deregulation, many businesses moved here in the 1980s. What's more, word got out about how beautiful New Zealand is, and people have been coming to see it. When they do, most of the tourists arrive through the portal of Auckland, and leave some money behind as they eventually exit. 

Walk around the city, and you get the feeling that bigger days are ahead. A needed subway is under construction, and other new buildings are going up all over town. The future seems to be unlimited.  

The photo taken is a little tinted, since it was taken from high above the city in the Sky Tower. But the view up there allows a visitor to make a little sense about the city's layout. Come back in 10 years or so, and I'd bet it will look a lot different. 

Auckland, New Zealand: The All Blacks Experience

Think the Dallas Cowboys and New York Yankees know how to market their teams? They've got nothing on the All Blacks and Black Ferns of New Zealand. 

They are the national rugby teams of that country - men's and women's teams respectively. By most standards, they are one of the most successful sports teams in the world - especially when the size of the country  is compared to its competition. The men's team has won three World Cups. The women have done even better, taking six titles in ten tries. 

Every store in New Zealand seems to have some merchandise. It's a good place for citizens to show some national pride. 

There's an All Blacks Experience in downtown Auckland, complete with a 45-minute tour that includes some interactive displays and a chance to learn about the game and the culture. When the tour is done, there's a huge gift shop waiting - complete with this display about the Black Ferns' victories. It's about $40 U.S. to visit, but I'll bet plenty of people pay it. 

Auckland, New Zealand: World War I Memorial Beacon

It didn't take long for the people of Auckland to put up a memorial to the soldiers of World War I. Put it this way - the war was far from over for its debut.

Troops started heading off from Auckland to battle in 1914, and they were joined by all sorts of supplies. By 1915, the carnage was great and most realized this would not be a quick conflict. A beacon went up on Quay Street in Auckland; it was designed perhaps metaphorically to guide people back home after the war. More information was added to the memorial during and after the war.

Things changed in 1969. Considerable redevelopment took place along the waterfront, and the beacon needed to be moved out to avoid the construction. It was placed in storage for safe keeping. The problem was - it was quickly forgotten. 

But it was found in 1999, and restored thanks to a donation from a refugee from Nazi Germany. It went back into public service in 2000, and was placed by the Maritime Museum in 2009. Then in 2022, the monument finally went back to the spot where it was first located. 

A happy ending at last.

 

Auckland, New Zealand: Sky Tower

It's rather hard to miss the Sky Tower, even if it is in the middle of downtown Auckland. The size is the reason why. The tower is more than 1,000 feet tall, which is the second-tallest such structure in the Southern Hemisphere. Only one in Jakarta is bigger. As you can imagine, New Zealand takes a lot of pride in this building. 

The tower is part of a casino complex located in the center city called SkyCity. Planning started in the early 1990s, and construction began in 1994. It took about three years to finish, as the opening was in 1997. The idea for the project was to boost telecommunications (television and wireless internet, for example), although tourism received a push too. 

As you'd expect, there are lots of  safeguards built in to a project this tall. For example, it is designed to withstand winds of 120 miles per house, and can sway about a meter when a nasty storm comes up. It can handle an 8.0 earthquake as well.  

There are some observation decks that give great views of the area, and a revolving bar/restaurant. There is something of a metal sidewalk that goes around one of the observation decks. Yes, visitors are attached so that they don't fall off (but they pose for photos leaning over). Meanwhile, the SkyJump is a line that goes from a platform down to the ground. It only takes a few seconds for thrill-seekers to make the jump. 

For what it's worth, there's a gift shop at the bottom near the entrance. It's surprising that there are mostly generic Auckland/New Zealand souvenirs there instead of items pertaining to the towers. Felt like a missed opportunity.  

Auckland, New Zealand: Queen Street

Those paying a visit to Auckland ought to take a walk around Queen Street. It comes down a hill from the downtown district and ends up at the waterfront. 

Need some good clothes? Go to Queen Street. The same is true for food, drink, souvenirs, and so forth. Banks are based here, and so are department stores. It's the site of parades and other civic activities.  There are plenty of pedestrians around, giving the place plenty of energy.

Around 2006, city leaders voted to give the area a bit of a facelift. There were some problems, especially during construction, but people now believe the reconstruction was generally a success. 

Let's go for a walk: