City of Sails

As the weeks roll by we are getting used to the rhythm of downtown living in New Zealand's "big city". Life is a mix of home schooling activities, running errands and special day trips.

One benefit of our central location is that we can walk everywhere. Downtown buses are either free or nearly so for our trips. We have been going to different parks everyday lately.

Last Sunday was one of Auckland's biggest celebrations ... a free symphony concert in the park with their favourite 'Dame' headlining a full playbill including a full philharmonic orchestra and a wonderful choir 750 voices strong ... along with a mixed bag of piano and violinist virtuosos with a laser / fireworks light show at the finale. A truly magical night for us including Mitchell and Mikaela who got up when instructed to participate in the Blue Danube crowd participation waltz.




We visited Auckland museum and had a chance to see Maori cultural performance and historical artifacts from Australasia and Pacific Oceania. At the end of that day, however, Mitchell figured the railing outside the entrance was his favourite... perfect for practicing urban Ninja routines.



One of our last trips was 45K north to Waiwera's famous thermal springs... a commercial enterprise harnessing natural thermal pools of mineral water and packaging them up in bottles to drink and pools of a variety of temperatures to swim in.

The kids liked the water slides best ...I think the best part of the day was the after the soaking hike we took up in Wenderholm park ... the payoff being spectacular views land and see the pic.


We are off soon to Thailand. We're a little nervous to be leaving the comfort of English speaking lands for the steamy metropolis in 'the land of smiles' ... Bangkok.

So long to the city of sails.


BOSgone