EMBARKATION DAY

---

EMBARKATION DAY 3/1

The Link bus system circles Auckland for $1.60NZ. I got an early start and caught the bus a couple of blocks from the hotel. The route circles the city and I got a flavor of the neighborhoods and locals.
First, there are these used bookshops all over town. It says something about a culture that cares so much about reading. Then there’s the art galleries and art schools, almost one on every corner, even the illustrious Texan School of Art has a branch here. Most folks thanked the driver when they got off. Very nice!
Rode the circuit until I reached the Auckland Museum. An impressive building houses three major collections. Level three houses the war collection (the full name is the Auckland War Memorial Museum), armaments and artifacts from New Zealand’s wartime experiences. Level two is a natural history museum telling the evolutionary story of NZ and level one has an amazing collection of Maori artifacts. The woodcarving is so intricate and beautiful it’s amazing. One of the highlights is a war canoe, large enough to carry 100 men, carved from one giant tree and carved from stem to stern! I stayed for the Maori performance on dance and song. It is truly an amazing culture.
By now it was lunchtime and I traveled along to Parnell, the Grafton Street of Auckland without the street performers. Boutiques, coffee and wine bars and restaurants of all kinds line the street. I stopped in and the St. Tropez for escargot and rack of lamb.
A word here about my experience with food. I wanted to try two things, mussels and NZ lamb. The mussels were huge. I needed to cut them in half. They taste nothing like the mussels I am used to and I did not find them the WOW food I was expecting. One was so tough that I couldn’t saw my way through and another had a very small crab lodged inside. I guess that was a bonus but the whole thing went the way of the shell. The rack of lamb was also a disappointment. The lamb was certainly tender but had very little flavor. On the whole I have found the food here disappointing.
As you may know, I do enjoy an afternoon cocktail. Very hard to find in Auckland! Most bars discovered that they could make more money serving wine, beer and straight liquor so if you’re looking for a mixed drink like a Martini, Mojito or Stinger you have the search out the bar that will accommodate you. I found one on the harbor where I watched the TGIF crowd arrive to blow off steam. Dinner was Chicken liver pate and brie on water crackers with NZ wine in my room. Best meal so far in Auckland.
Now it is time to have breakfast, pack and in a very short time I’ll be on the beautiful Statendam.

---