Auckland had a lot to see and visit, and the time available was not enough to see it all. Unfortunately, the weather was also not on our side. So we had to choose what to see and leave the rest for another time.
The waterfront was a must. It’s so beautiful, and luckily, our hotel was located right there, at the edge of the bay.
I love the ocean, so you can appreciate the beauty and tranquility it brings to your soul even in the winter.
Queen Street, the busiest and historic street, was very interesting, as was the cemetery. Even though it was a recent cemetery, newer than other historical cemeteries you’ve seen, It was impossible to read the graves. Lastly, we went to take a look at the St. Patrick Cathedral and Albert Park.
St Patrick Cathedral
This is a Catholic Church. Jean-Baptist Pompallier, the first Catholic bishop in New Zealand, acquired the land in 1841.
The first construction was made of wood in 1842, then replaced by stone in 1848.
Later, it was expanded and added to the main building. It was consecrated in 1963 by the Eminence Cardinal Moran.
Albert Park
Albert Park was definitely the number one place I liked the most in Auckland. You might think it makes no sense when the waterfront is so beautiful and has so much to do, and I agree, the waterfront is gorgeous, but I think the Park has the most beautiful trees and gives me peace. It was quiet, and I felt so comfortable.
I am fascinated with trees. I wonder if they could talk about what they would say.
What stories would they tell? What advice they would give us?
When I see a tree, I see beauty, nature, and life, among so many other things.
Albert Park is located in the Waiohua settlement called Mangahekea and was thrown out by the Ngati Whatua in the 1740s. After the arrival of the British, that area became a military fortification from around the 1850s to the ’60s. The military barracks of the 58th Regiment were located where Albert Park is today. In the 1880s, it was developed to be a park.
This park was delightful, and I enjoyed staying and looking at the trees, sitting on the bench, feeling the breeze, and seeing people passing. It’s very refreshing; too bad the weather in Auckland is so unpredictable. I had to leave because it started to rain.
In nature, nothing is perfect and everything is perfect. Trees can be contorted, bent in weird ways, and they’re still beautiful.
–Alice Walker