During my time in Auckland, I stayed at Garden City Lodge (a backpackers') in Parnell, which turned out to be perfect, as it was walking distance to Auckland Domain and Newmarket, yet in a nice upscale and peaceful section of town, with many boutique shops, cafes and restaurants. The weather proved to be quite changeable (literally from one minute to the next), but I had several shows I wanted to see, and some indoor activities, such as a great visit to the Auckland War Memorial Museum.

The museum was one of the first places I went to, after a lovely walk through the Auckland Domain. It's very nicely situated on a hill, with a great view of Auckland harbour. I didn't actually make it to the "war memorial" part, as I was completely knocked out by the Maori and Pacific Island exhibits. Life sized buildings, including a beautiful meeting house and a war canoe, and an astonishing amount of gorgeous carvings, textiles, and sculptures. They had a nice performance of Maori dance and song, which included some information about the fascinating Maori culture. At one point, they asked where everyone was from, and made little jokes about each place. I forget what they said to me (I think I was the only American), but there were a bunch of Aussies, and the Maori warrior said, "Ohhh... Well, we won't talk about the World Cup, will we?? Go All Blacks!" I'm not sure if all the foreigners understood that, but being a rugby fan and knowing something about their traditional rivalry, I thought it was quite funny.

I decided to see the play "Potiki's Memory of Stone" that evening (starring George Henare, a well-known New Zealand actor), which was a very interesting (and quite funny) look at Maori/Pakeha (non-indigenous NZ'ers) relations. It was part of the Auckland Festival, which happily coincided with my stay there. There were many wonderful performances showcasing the best in music, film, theatre and other art forms. On the weekends, they had outdoor markets and live music at Aotea Centre, and the atmosphere was like a big party -- lots of fun.

On that first day, I also wandered around the city, stumbling upon places I had heard about (such as K. Road, a cool part of town with interesting shops and pubs and a punkish, artsy sort of feel). I also managed to see Sky Tower before the play. It's part of quite a big complex, with many shops and restaurants -- and an amazing (and enormous) Maori "totem" in the lobby. Just as I arrived at the observation deck, a person did a bungy jump outside, which was amazing to watch, but it happened so quickly, I wasn't able to catch it on camera. Breathtaking views of Auckland the Harbour and surrounding suburbs. They gave out a map so you could know what you were looking at from all sides. Very impressive. I stayed for a little while taking it all in and just feeling so fortunate to be there.

While I was in Auckland, I was very lucky to be able to see some wonderful shows, featuring people I had known from Xena and Hercules -- and also from other projects with Kevin. Jennifer Ward-Lealand did a stunning performance as Marlene Dietrich in a cozy cabaret setting at the Civic Theatre. Her husband Michael Hurst, along with Willy De Witt, Alison Wall and others, put on a hilarious production of Aladdin. And, in yet another exquisite sense of perfect timing, there was an "All Stars" Theatresports show at the Maidment Theatre, which featured many of their best-known improvisers, such as Theatresports director Clare Kelso, Irene Malone, Craig Parker, Oliver Driver, Mark Ferguson, Alison Wall, and Mark Wright.

And of course I did some shopping, including Victoria Market on a Saturday (very nice; they even have entertainment!) and also the many vendors set up at Aotea Centre. I also was able to meet up with some friends, which was fantastic, and much nicer than just seeing everything as a tourist.

Fortunately, I was also able to squeeze in a visit to Waiheke Island, and though the weather was not ideal, it was absolutely beautiful. Since I didn't have a lot of time, I explored the town closest to where the ferry dropped off, Oneroa, which is a lovely small village with several art galleries and serene beaches.

Many thanks to my friend Nick, who drove us up Mt. Eden for an incredible view. It was quite exhilarating to stand at the very top of it and look out over the edge. As it was late evening and after a fair amount of plum wine, I didn't get pictures, but you can go here for more information and photos.

Rainbow over Parnell

View of Auckland Harbour, from the War Memorial Museum

Maori carvings, War Memorial Museum

Poi Dance

Maori Warrior

Auckland Museum

Maori Tikis

Maori carving