A couple of hours in Parnell

I have said in the past that I like being the age I am. And I do. But some days I wish that aging wasn't quite so limiting. My current comfort limit for walking for example, seems to now be about two hours. Oh, I can go longer, especially if caffeine is administered internally when the limit is reached, but even with that rest and refreshment, more walking starts to be less and less fun. 'The Law of Diminishing Returns' comes to mind. That describes what I feel exactly. 

I bring this up because, since I now can travel around Auckland for free, I have taken to exploring the various regions that make up the city. With this exploration has come a new understanding of how the city is put together.

I thought the other day after a 2 hour walk around Parnell, "I'm currently on Broadway in Newmarket.  I could walk until I hit Khyber Pass Road, take that to Symonds Street in Mt. Eden, turn right and head down the hill, and then take a left on to 'K' Road. From there, I could head down Queen into the city centre. Or, I could continue on K until it crossed Ponsonby, and stop at the Bread and Butter for some baguettes and cheese. Then, I could back track to Great North Road and walk home. I  could easily do it in 4 or 5 more hours."

Ah, but that's the rub. Those 4 or 5 additional hours are beyond the comfort limit. Before I made it home, I might just decide to give up walking for good. And that is not an option. I therefore decided that instead of walking home, I'd have a small flatwhite, watch the traffic go by for a while, and then ride the Newmarket train home. Well, most of the way home. I'd still have to walk a kilometre after I got off at Sturges Road.  

So, enough talking for now. Let's take a look at the pictures I took around Parnell. It's really quite an interesting place. For one thing, I love its curbs. Yes, curbs. It's got curbs with history. Here's one section. No continuous concrete here. Stone, laid one at a time by hand. Now that's a proper curb. BTW, the yellow stripe means 'no parking.'

The area of Parnell I explored was very well maintained. Beautiful buildings. I had wanted to come to Parnell because I had heard it hosted a Saturday Market. It does and I found it in and around the building shown below. 

This is the Library and Community Centre. 

This is just inside the main entrance. In the distance you can see a room beyond the red doorway. 

This is the room beyond the red doorway. It houses a craft show on Saturday mornings. 

The next three photos are of the market that surrounds the back of the Centre. 

 Lots of breads, cheeses, vegetables, beverages, sandwiches and candies available. 

I'm leaving the Community Centre grounds now to wander...

Nice grounds and handsome brick buildings everywhere I looked. 

I hadn't gone far when I came across a tree with the most amazing aerial roots I have ever seen. 

Wow.

I'm in one of the neighborhoods nearby. I wonder if this is a sort of Art Deco?  The gate in front of the door is wrought iron I think. 

There is a college housed in these buildings and many professional offices in the area.

And, I was very surprised to see, the rear entrance of the Auckland War Memorial Museum is just a few hundred meters away.  

We had always in the past approached the Museum from the front or Britomart side. 

I wondered what the Foundation Precinct was so I looked it up when I got home. I found that this project is responsible for this area of Parnell looking like it does today. Apparently, the area was in danger of slipping into shoddiness years ago. Instead, the movers and shakers of the area got together and revitalised it instead. What a job they did!

Here I am back on Broadway in Newmarket. My feet are stretched out under the table.  For just $4. I have rented, so to speak, this little piece of real estate on the sidewalk, and the terms of my rental agreement ("one small flatwhite, please,") did not mention the expiration time of my lease. I can rest as long as I please. 

The froth on my cup reminds me of the swirling clouds around Jupiter's south pole recently revealed by Nasa's Juno spacecraft.  See what you think here. Look for: Beneath Jupiter, on May 29th  at:   https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html

The Newmarket Train Station 'Courtyard'
(This is near the virtual reality shop that I'll feature in my next post.)

As I waited on the platform for the train, I noticed bubbles floating away on the breeze. I followed the trail of them back to their source, a third floor apartment balcony where an electric bubble machine blew them by the thousand into the sky.   -djf