Fujisan

I am on a walking tour today. I felt like wandering. I wanted to explore and take some pictures. The boys are in school for the next several hours and Jeanne has plans to do some shopping. Allie had an appointment in the city so I tagged along and was dropped very close to my first point of interest.   

I had been reading recently about the cemetery that lies at the junction of Symonds Street and K' Road. Its use dates back to 1842. That's interesting in itself. But, in one corner of the cemetary is a public restroom that was mentioned in a murder mystery novel that I read a couple of years ago. (A body was found there.) It was written by a Kiwi and set in modern day Auckland. I wanted to take a look.  

I plan to do a post about it of course, and show you the scene of the fictional crime, but today I'm going to show you some photos of the walk I took after investigating the cemetary.

Queen Street is about a mile long. It starts down at Quay Street that borders the harbour and it climbs to the top of a long hill. I am starting my trip down it right at the very top. Boy, a kid on a skateboard could have the ride of his life down this street. One mile, nothin' but hill and gravity and speed. I wonder how many have tried it, late at night? 

I took this picture from the cross-walk in the middle of Queen Street.  Behind me, it meets K' Road and then becomes Upper Queen Street. 

It's clear in this picture that there is a pretty steep slope to the street here. Look at those awnings across the street as each steps down from the one above it. 

Here's a closer look at this block of buildings. They intrigue me. I'm going across and look more closely at the shops housed there. 

Looking up the hill.

And looking down.  Notice the Fujisan sign. 

Most of the businesses along this stretch are ethnic restaurants. Fujisan is Japanese as you might guess. I think it is the nicest looking of all those that I looked in to as I strolled down this block.
I'll tell you a little something about myself. I like to explore buildings. I'm especially curious when I see steps up (or even better, down), so this staircase caught my attention. (Look how the steps, especially toward the top, seem to be just a little out of square. The building's age is showing. I love it.)  I just had to do some snooping. I went in and asked the waitress if they could accomodate a group of 12 and if so, could I see the rooms? She said they would be delighted to entertain my group and suggested that I follow her. Oh boy...

Here are the shots I took upstairs. Nothing surprising, but I enjoyed seeing it. 

Here is my tour guide. 

I'm going to remember this place. I'd like to bring Jeanne here sometime. I felt a little guilty asking about my 'party of 12,' so I'd like to make it up to them, at least to a degree. 

My very first experience with a Japanese restaurant was in San Fransico in the '80s when I was there working a furniture show. I ordered a bowl of udon noodles in fish broth and covered with an assortment of seafoods and slices of beef. I loved it. I think I would like to have something similar in Fujisan sometime soon. 

There is a lot of  building going on all over Auckland. This is a project I passed soon after leaving Fujisan. I don't know if the workers are all on break, but that staircase was left suspended from the crane and going nowehere. Surprisingly, it was not swinging at all.   

This sculpture is in a little corner park I passed. I think it looks like a shoe that a concrete stairway was dropped on. 

I'm about 2/3 of the way down Queen Street now.  I passed the Civic Theatre which seats 2,378. I've never been inside but I understand that it is spectacular. 

See what I mean?  Allie recently took Amiri to see a musical here. The ceiling has lights set into it in the shape of constellations visible in Auckland's sky. 
(found this photo on-line)

In honor of the Fujisan I think it would be fitting to end my post today with a short video of a Japanese couple I met toward the end of my walk. The instruments they are playing are sometimes called hang drums, although I read that it is more proper to refer to them simply as hang. Enjoy. Also called a handpan    -djf

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzTyrDV6ZMk