Oh what a marvelous day we had in Auckland. The weather was perfect, 75 degrees max and a National Holiday so we were able to go to a local festival held at a park by the water. Music, booths, rides for the kids, etc. Reminded me of our local fair. Photo of the Auckland tower is a must because it is their local landmark.

This is a sign we saw when we were purchasing our tickets for the bus. It turns out it isn’t a bus for naked people. It means it is a no frill bus for $1.00 and you can go anywhere the bus goes for this paltry sum but no transfers etc.

We, Barbie and I, were together at this point having lost Joan and James(one of the hosts) along the way. We rode the hop on hop off bus and stopped at the Parnell area for lunch and a local beer. Found this marvelous off the beaten path café and had a very enjoyable hour soaking up the local color. There was an International Art Gallery that had a variety of art styles and was very enjoyable to view. Most of the stores were closed because of the holiday and the fact it was Sunday.

To answer Don’s questions. First the theater is quite small but seems to be adequate for the ship. Depending on the day, the movies are shown two to three times a day. Hours also vary depending on activities and the day. Second, we sit at a table for 10. I actually prefer a table for 8 because it is easier to talk to everyone. I think Ellen’s status as leader of our group makes it necessary to have a large table. As a matter of fact next week we are trying out a table for 12 to see if they want to book it next year for the 2012 World Cruise. We did have another birthday our table. Photo of Barbie with her cake.

It had been awhile since the ship had taken on stores. This photo is just a fraction of the stores we took on board.