Day 41 – Auckland, New Zealand

On another beautiful morning, Viking Sky sailed into Auckland, New Zealand’s cultural capital, and docked directly on the edge of downtown. It’s always so nice to be able to walk off the ship and not have to shuttle into town.

Welcome to Auckland - We'll Dock Next to the White Building on the Right

Once again, Tim and I embarked on the included tour, “Highlights of Auckland,” to get an overview of this beautiful city. Here’s the description:

Enjoy a panoramic drive of Auckland’s major sights and visit the Auckland Museum to learn about Māori culture. Meet your guide at the pier and embark on a narrated drive, passing many of the city’s landmarks. Amid its bustling streets, modern skyscrapers stand beside restored Victorian-era buildings, coexisting in perfect harmony. In the charming suburb of Parnell, pass quaint colonial-style shops. By the Central Business District lies the Auckland Domain, the city’s largest park. Within its 75-hectare grounds is the Auckland Museum, home to the world’s largest collection of Māori and Polynesian artifacts, including an 82-foot-long Māori canoe carved from a single tree. Here, you will have time to explore the museum’s exhibits on your own, and pay your respects at the War Memorial, located just outside. Afterward, return to your awaiting ship.

We drove along the waterfront and then climbed a hill to reach the Michael Joseph Savage Memorial, which honors New Zealand’s first Labour prime minister with a tall obelisk. The gardens were lovely, and the location provided us with views towards downtown Auckland.

Michael Joseph Savage Memorial

Sarah and the Auckland Skyline

We then drove through the hills of Parnell, Auckland’s oldest suburb, passing by scores of Victorian-era buildings. Our driver-guide pointed out several historic landmarks, including the city’s oldest Catholic and Anglican churches, but I was unable to capture any usable photos from the bus windows. 

Our destination was the Auckland Museum, located on one of Auckland’s many hills, with dramatic views in all directions. Originally known as the Auckland War Memorial Museum, this beautiful, neoclassical building, was completed in 1929. Today, the museum is a cultural center that showcases the diverse stories of New Zealand.

An Impressive Neoclassical Museum Building

Tim and I began our exploration in the Stories of Auckland gallery. Although I don’t always embrace digital exhibits, I was drawn to the monumental installation entitled “You Are Here,” an audio-visual experience that offers an immersive introduction to how Auckland has changed over time. Here, I could “journey through time and space,” starting with the emergence of the landscape, to putting down roots, to building colonial Auckland, and finally to the emergence of the modern city.

"You Are Here" Audio-Visual Installation

Because of my growing interest in Māori culture, I wanted to spend time in the Māori Court, located at the heart of the museum. The exhibits here were impressive and featured such items as the last great war canoe used in battle, a storehouse, portraits, carvings, and everyday objects once used for living, hunting, and fishing. Together, they offered a holistic presentation of Māori life.

Exhibits in the Māori Court

Tim and I were in awe when we removed our shoes and entered Hotunui, an ancestral meeting house of the Ngāti Maru people. The Māori consider these houses to be representations of ancestors, and they are highly regarded. Photos were not permitted inside, and everyone who entered behaved respectfully, simply admiring the intricate carvings and weavings.

The Exterior of Hotunui

We quickly walked through the remainder of the museum, passing through the Māori Natural History and Origins galleries. The upper level is devoted to War and Remembrance, and in the World War II Hall of Memories, Tim discovered the Cenotaph, a biographical, online database of New Zealand veterans who served in wars and conflicts. Here, Tim was able to find the records for Claude William Burchett, one of his relatives.

This Display Is Probably Our Only Sighting of the Kiwi, New Zealand's National Bird

Tim Found a Relative in the Online Cenotaph

In Addition to the Exhibits, I Also Admired the Architecture of the Building

We were able to exit the motorcoach in the middle of downtown Auckland, and we walked down Queen Street to our ship, admiring the many historic buildings along the way. My favorites were the Civic Theater, an Art Deco atmospheric theater completed in 1929, and the Ferry Building, an English Baroque “handsome pile,” as it was called when it was built in 1912.

A Few of Downtown Auckland's Historic Buildings

Civic Theater (left) and Ferry Building (right)

Auckland is a beautiful, friendly, clean, and safe city, and both Tim and I fell in love with it, as did most of the other passengers we talked with. Many of us agreed that we could live here.

This early evening’s sail away was one of the best to date, as Waitematā Harbor was filled with racing yachts, living up to Auckland’s nickname, “City of Sails.” Auckland has hosted three America’s Cup challenges, and some of those contenders may have been on the water today.

A Few of the Racing Yachts in the Harbor

A new group of guest lecturers boarded Viking Sky today, and we attended Suzanne Rieger’s talk on “The Geothermal Wonderland of Rotorua,” where we will be stopping tomorrow. Tim and I won’t be going on that tour, but it was interesting to hear what we’ll be missing.

The Geothermal Wonders of Rotorua

After a wonderful day in Auckland, the culinary team treated us to A Taste of China, celebrating the Chinese New Year and the Year of the Snake. The display even featured two carved watermelon snakes. Amazing! The food was also excellent.

A Taste of China, the Year of the Snake