Auckland in photos

Most international visitors enter New Zealand in Auckland, the country’s largest and most populated city (but not the capital – that’s Wellington) with 1.5 million inhabitants. I spent several days here during my last trip in 2009, so this time I was just passing through, with a little over 24 hours in the city.

Walking along the waterfront, Auckland immediately reminded me of Halifax (Canada) which I visited last summer: maritime climate, boats, seafood, and friendly locals. The weather is a little cooler than I expected. It’s not quite summer yet, and the cool winds and partly overcast skies make a light jacket necessary. Even the locals seem a bit confused. I saw a girl walking bare legs in flip flops while wearing a jacket with a fur-lined hood!

Despite being exhausted and jet-lagged, I managed to take a few walks through the CBD (Central Business District) where the juxtaposition of old buildings and modern glass towers brought to mind my hometown of Toronto. That a New Zealand city reminds me of Canada shouldn’t be all that surprising since the two countries lie at similar latitudes and both used to be British colonies (and are still part of the Commonwealth).

I will let my photos tell the story.

Auckland Ferry Terminal

Quay Street

Sky Tower

Queen Street, one of the main commercial arteries

Remedy Coffee, a cosy coffee shop full of books

Giant Christmas ornaments

Small pedestrian street off Queen St.

Pedestrian mall with interesting conic sculptures

Viaduct and skyline

Shopping arcade

Large fig trees in Albert Park

Looking out form Albert Park towards the University of Auckland

Old and new

Britomart Station – the public transport nexus

I hope you enjoyed this quick visual overview of Auckland. Prepare for a long post about Waiheke Island next week!

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