Sky World, Auckland

I wonder, are you tired of my reminiscing as part of many posts? I'm sorry if you are, but I can't really help it, you know.  When you're my age, and retired, you'll probably find yourself doing much the same thing. You'll find that so many of today's experiences remind you of past occurances. You'll enjoy it. You'll scroll through years and years of memories in your mental hard drive, savoring again how you felt your first time around.

Here is a copy of a lithographic print, made by M.C. Escher in 1953. I had a poster of this up on my wall in room 259 of Hunt Hall at N.M.U. I still like it. 

What I like the best about it are the two figures on the uppermost stairway. They are on the same step but on different surfaces of that step. That is some complicated gravity going on there. 

http://www.scottmcd.net/artanalysis/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Escher.jpg

Jeanne and I recently revisited an entertainment center on Queen Street in Auckland. It's called Sky World. Take a look at these two photos of it. I have not found the history of the place yet so I don't know the particulars of how it was constructed, but it appears that the architects took existing buildings and added, and conjoined, and filled in and built up to form the structure that it now is.

It doesn't look as tall from the outside as it does from the inside because it extends at least two or three floors down from street level, depending on where you enter it. 

I'm going to take you inside and show you around. When I walk into this place, I always think of Escher's work. Now, it's not really quite as amazing as his imaginary world(s). Gravity exists in only one plane here, but it is a lot more colorful, in constant motion and smells like a combination of all the cafes and restaurants and popcorn stands that fill it. I get the impression of being inside a giant machine of some sort...

 I am taking these pictures fairly early in the morning, about 11 a.m. probably, and there are fewer people here now than there will be later. I would have liked to have seen more figures on the walkways and escalators.

 Crossings from one building to another with the bullet shaped elevator in the background.

 There it is. It is a fast one too.

 I love this view. They incorporated a building's facade into one side of this new, much larger space. 

Looking down from one point. The stairs you see at the top of the picture link to the outside.
I can almost imagine two figures on the stairway, but 90 degrees opposite one-another. 

A walkway across the chasm

 Looking down from the walkway is an escalator, another lower walkway's railing just visible on the left and a ground floor cafe. 

(and part of my camera case) 

If you need a rest room on some of the floors, you'll have to cross some open space to get to it. Notice the top one. When you leave the floor in the building on the left, you will first walk down a curving staircase like a fire escape, then cross the gulf, before you re-enter another building. The top one is seven stories high. If you didn't really need the restroom too badly when you started out, I think you will, by the time you arrive there. 
I like that the stairway portions have clear glass sides. 

 Do you notice that it's getting narrow up here?  We're approaching to top.

Working our way back down.

The machine I refered to earlier in my post might be a Rube Goldberg creation and I am the ball moving in slow motion...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rube_Goldberg_machine

I like this picture too. The round structure on the right is a circular staircase. 

Notice that at the top of the picture, just to the left of the escalator, a figure is descending some stairs. He's coming into Sky World from one of the many entrances that access it from outside. The lack of definition makes him look like one of Escher's figures. 

Jeanne and I will be exiting Sky World through the same entrance he just came in, but we'll be walking down a different set of stairs to exit. 

Did I mention that I love this place?   -djf

Doing Devonport

We have driven through Devonport several times when Allie has taken the family to Northhead. It's a very pretty place. Palm trees tower over blocks of shops, bistros, and sidewalk cafes. The whole place everywhere exudes historic charm. It's a tourist destination. According to Wikipedia, it has been compared to Sausalito, Ca. due to it's setting and scenery. 

But we've never walked around it and explored this little town. Today, Jeanne is busy at home with various projects but I have set myself the task of discovering what I can about the place. 

It's located just across the harbour from Auckland on what's called the North Shore. A twelve minute ferry ride will get me there. If you're interested, come along and see what I saw...

I was able to bypass the ferry ticket counters with their long lines of tourists from the two cruise ships that are in port today. I simply tagged on with my card at one of the AtHOP terminals and headed for the gate. I had about 10 minutes to wait. 

This is the ferry that I took. 

We're crossing now. Another of Auckland's many volcanic cones in the background. 

Approaching the dock in Devonport

Going with the flow, ashore. And how delightful it was to learn that the fare across the harbor, while $12.50 for tourists, is $4.80 for regular AtHOP card holders and free for those of us, like me and the guy in the foreground wearing the yellow shirt who has just finished sipping from his thermos,  who have attained the rank of Senior Citizen. 

This tree was one of the first things I saw. I wish you could see it in person because my pictures don't do it justice. I didn't know that figs could put down air roots, but obviously, they can and this one did, to such an extent that is amazing. 

The figs are small 

For scale, compare the tree to the folks walking by it. 

A memorial to fallen soldiers

The beach is small with gentle waves. 

That's Auckland's War Memorial Museum on the hill. 

I was walking down a back street when I saw the sign for this boat builder. A very nice shop, isn't it? 

Another example of how Kiwis love to decorate public walls.

Another thing Kiwis are good at is providing benches to sit on. As I mentioned earlier, I appreciate that. 

I never knew that palm trees grew berries like that. 

And here is a very comfortable place. I have been walking for some time and I could use a spot of refreshment. Let's go in.

It's The Patriot, and, as you see, offers a sunny and sheltered beer garden. Oh boy.

The interior is cozy.

I bought a small Guinness, and with it in hand, have made my way through the rooms. Look at what a narrow passageway connects us to the beer garden. I like that about old buildings. 

And here we are. That's my small drink on the table. There was a group having a meal just to the right of the limit of the photo.

Heading back to the ferry terminal for my return. 

There is one of the cruise ships on the right. We'll dock at the Ferry Building. That's the brown one on the left side. As you can see, ferries come and go constantly. It's very well organized and easy to use them.    -djf

Stand alone pictures

Today's post is simply of a hodgepodge of pictures. These photos didn't get selected to go in to any of my previous posts but I like them. There is something about each of them that pleases my eye. I thought it would be a shame to not share them. 

Squares, columns and colors

A friendly place with a sense of humor

I've read plenty of novels in which stage doors figure prominently. Here's a real one. 

This is one of my favorites. I like the bricks and the angles. 

That door is narrower than a standard door. 

This is looking in to the Sky City Entertainment Center. It is a six story fantasy land of 12 theaters, restaurants, and many esoteric amusement possibilities. All connected by escalators. (and lifts)

I have done a post on this place and will post it sometime soon. I love it in there. It makes me feel as though I have stepped in to an Escher painting. Odd angles abound. 

I haven't looked back through my pictures for my original shot of this tree on a tree, so I can't be sure, but I think the tree on top of the palm was trimmed. 

I hope you liked my selections.      -djf

“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing. ” ― Walt Disney Company

I don't really know anything about the history of Jemima's Kitchen, but I admire Jemima and her associates for a number of reasons. I admire her pluck in starting a minimalistic restaurant. I admire how successful she has become. I admire how she does business and, most of all, I admire her product line. 

Allie introduced us to this unique dining establishment recently. This first picture was taken as we walked up to it. What is missing from this picture is the smell of hamburgers frying on the grill that lies at the right end of her 8 by 20 foot kitchen. The evening breeze carried it to us. First impressions are important I've heard  and my first impression of Jemima's made me want to quicken my pace and hope that those people currently standing at the counter would move aside by the time I got there. 

 Not an extensive menu. Basically, they cook hamburgers. The burgers are big, juicy, and messy. When you eat a Jemima burger you involve your nose and chin with every bite. 

 Look at he work that somebody put in to dressing up the front of this shipping container. Yes, that's what this is. A 20 foot-long steel shipping container. 

 We've placed our orders and the boys are now playing with a game provided by the management of Jemima's. They are in the open-air dining room. 

Dinner arrives as dusk falls. The lights inside become brighter as the day winds down.

You can see one of the hinged sections that make up the front of Jemima's. 

Avancini balls? I had no clue... 

Allie bought some to share. They are deep-fried risotto. They're okay, but didn't hold my interest for long, not when I had half my hamburger still waiting.  

The boys demolished their burgers. I noticed a steady stream of other customers, many of which had clearly called in or ordered on-line.  

In this shot you get a feeling for the small size of this place.  

After our dinner, we crossed West Coast Road to Pars Park, where the boys played for a while 

As we returned to our car, we saw that Jemima's had closed in on itself and was cleaning up. I guess it's true that 'good things come in little packages.' 

I'm very glad we tried Jemima's Kitchen.    -djf