City of Sails

Sunrise, Auckland

I asked Wayne how he would describe the feel of Auckland. He said, “youthful, exuberant, casual.”  I agree.  Even the mortar and brick feel that way with restaurants that seem to spring up in every open space, highrises under construction and new roads everywhere.  A strong Asian influence is evident with sushi bars on every corner.  There is an abundance of laughter among groups, smiles grace every face that greets us, and niceties are in regular use.

Sky Tower

We ate lunch at the foot of the Sky Tower, Auckland’s answer to the Seattle Space Needle.  Today scattered showers came and went, and we opted for a visit to the nearby Auckland Art Gallery, saving the top of the Tower for a sunny day. The Gallery holds a mixture of New Zealand artists, European art and contemporary exhibitions.  It is tiny in comparison to European and US museums we have visited.  The building was recently redeveloped and has received 17 architectural and 6 design-related awards.

You can see pictures at flickr.