October 1, 2023 Day 4 New Zealand
Firstly I would like to pay my respects to my brother’s partner Ann who passed away. Tommy hosted a memorial for her at Comiskey Park in Chicago (now know as “Guaranteed Rate Field”???) She was an avid White Sox fan!
Today we planned to venture out, using our bus passes, to the city center of Auckland. Being Sunday, there was not too much traffic, and the weather was blustery and cool. Before we left I took a quick walk around the cemetery across the street from the hotel we are staying at. What an interesting collection of headstones! We witnessed a funeral yesterday with traditional island dress worn by the mourners. 
One of the native? headstones. It looks rather ‘Picasso-ish”. Walking back to our hotel I had to take a picture of the huge kiwi on the roof of the neighboring hotel. The hotel is closed due to the catastrophic flooding that occurred in August, 2022. We had reservations to stay at that hotel when we made plans for this trip in 2022, we were supposed to stay there in October, 2022. Nature had other plans! The kiwi survived apparently!
Our bus trip took us around the city and eventually to the city center where we headed to the Sky Tower.
No, that’s not us on the outside walkway above the observation deck (although we plan on that eventually!) This was a poster in the entryway to the tower. Today was too windy, cool and gray, and there was a large group with reservations ahead of us. Instead we headed for the Sky Bar for a beer and appetizers, and a view of the cables that guide those brave enough to do the jump off the tower.
The two wires on either side of the picture are the guide wires for the adventurous! We waited, but there were no jumpers today! The pointy island in the distance is Waiheke island, known as the ‘wine island’ of New Zealand. Walking around the observation deck (inside) I got many panoramic views of the city and surrounding countryside. I was almost able to get the window decal of the harbour bridge lined up with the real thing!
Finally we took the ‘lift’ down to ground level and explored more of the city, walking to the harbour where the ferries to Waiheke and other islands depart. We saw the old ferry building and enjoyed an ice cream while we walked around.
Outside, a small window displayed the wares inside! an homage to Jimmy Buffet!?
Inside, this beautiful window reflected in the equally beautiful tile work surrounding it! And the surrounding architectural embellishments brought to mind colonial (British) influences, juxtaposed with the modern electronic transport modes!
