The city of Auckland is the most populous city in all of New Zealand with around 1.6 million people. In comparison with a city like San Francisco, Auckland is less dense at about 1/5 of S.F. Besides being a cosmopolitan city, it is also home to the largest Polynesian population in the world. The city is primarily built upon the many cinder cones of the Auckland Volcanic Field. These dormant cones dot the landscape and provides for scenery that is uniquely Auckland. Once such dormant tuff cone is Mount Eden, also known in Maori as Maungawhau. Auckland's hot spot is relatively small when compared to Hawaii whose active hot spot is currently the ever spewing Kilauea. As violent as they come and go, these dormant conduits have a soft side to them. Seen here on a nice summer day, hikers and runners enjoy the warmth of the sun and the spectacular view from atop the crater rim, with its highest point marked by a geodetic cone. Most, if not all have been grown over making them resemble the rolling hills of Scotland or Ireland.
Geologically, it very similar to the city of San Francisco, albeit much younger. With the city's strict building code and the protection of forests and natural lands, most of the volcanic features are still very visible to-date. Situated on the Hauraki Gulf, it is a protected sea port. It is one of the few cities in the world to posses two natural harbours - Manukau Harbour on the Tasman Sea and Waitemata Harbour on the Pacific Ocean.
The city sits on an isthmus, surrounded by Hunua Range to its south-east and the Waitakere Range to its west. This piece of fertile land was settled a long time ago by the Maori people. In 1840, a British colony was established in this region, and the First Lieutenant Governor named it after George Eden, Earl of Auckland.
Recently, the Irish band U2 made an appearance on the top of One Tree Hill to kick off their 2019 Joshua Tree tour. The significance of this hill is tied to a local Maori man they met while touring Auckland back in 1984. Tragically, this person died from an accident in 1986. Their song - One Tree Hill - was inspired by this volcanic feature and it is dedicated to him.
2019 Mercer's Quality of Living Survey ranked Auckland 3rd most livable city in the world; sharing the same spot with Vancouver and Munich. Needless to say, this comes with a hefty price tag especially in the housing market. The cost of living in Auckland is higher than the world average. With roughly a million tourists visiting this city per month, it is the main gateway to New Zealand.
The city retains much of its Victorian style buildings. One particular area is Devonport, where the charm and quaintness of the colonial days can still be seen and experienced.
The central business district of Auckland is connected to Birkenhead to the north via the Auckland Harbour Bridge that spans over the Hauraki Gulf. The harbour is home to many sailing ships; which gives Auckland its nickname, the "City of Sails". This bridge is one of the major thoroughfares running through the city and during the months of December, its entire length is lighted up with pulsating LED lights. It is also a major choke-point when it comes to local traffic.
Downtown Auckland is packed with interesting shops and restaurants, especially the area flanked by Hobson and Queen St. Throngs of tourists and locals fill the sidewalks, sometimes to the point of spilling over onto the roadways. At the end of Hobson, one can view some interesting British tall ships moored next to the Hilton hotel.
Another point of interest in the central business district is the campus of The University of Auckland; with Albert Park and the Auckland Art Gallery adjacent to it. This is the perfect place to take a respite from the hustle and bustle of the city; with its amazing array of colorful flowers.
One of the most iconic building in Auckland CBD is the War Memorial Museum. Constructed in a neo-classical style, it sits atop a dormant volcano. Besides holding a large extensive collection of manuscripts and documents relating to New Zealand's war effort, it is also a natural sciences museum. The memorial and its cenotaph (empty tomb) reminds us of the cost of war and the ultimate sacrifices made. We should not take for granted the freedom we have today.
Like with most cities, greater Auckland is divided into many districts such as Takapuna, Grey Lynn, Westmere, Mount Wellington, Mount Roskill, etc. One of the fun parts of exploring the city is to hike up the many cinder cones that dots Auckland and its suburbs.
The following series of photographs show the views from Mt. Victoria, Mt. Albert, Mt. Hobson and Mt. Wellington.
The greatest past time for a Kiwi is hiking and experiencing the great outdoors. The Kiwis are known for their adrenaline-filled sports like bungee jumping and white-water rafting. Not too far from the city is an area known for its beautiful trails and towering cliffs over the ocean called Te Henga, located on the Waitakere Range. The trailhead is a 30 minutes drive from Auckland.
On the east side of Auckland, the Hunua Range offers some excellent hiking trails with waterfalls. Along the Wairoa river, there is a basalt plug that lays in its wake, forming a wide fall of about 98 feet / 30 meters high. This is Hunua Falls, that is owned by the City of Auckland. The fall's volcanic history is visible as there are volcanic tuff rings and lava bombs found around its base and walls.
For tennis lovers, there is the ASB Men's and Women's Tennis Championship held at the ASB Tennis Center in Parnell at the start of each year. In 2019, Bianca Andreescu, the new kid on the block, knocked off veteran Venus Williams en-route to the final but fell short to defending champ Julia Goerges at the end. Judging from Bianca's tenacity and speed, we knew that she will go a long way, and she did by winning the 2019 U.S. Open Championship, the first ever Canadian to do so.
The wide variety of food and people makes Auckland a unique city to live in or to travel to. As a large city, it never really feels crowded. The city is well laid out, with many green belts and public spaces. Its old Victorian charm is blended with contemporary architecture, topped off with a Polynesian flavor; it is a city of its own class. If you feel the urgency to get away from it all, just hop on a boat or take a ferry to one of the many sunny islands!
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