Mission Bay and Mount Victoria

Today we spent time on the north shore of Auckland. We booked a night kayak to Mount Rangitoto for next Sunday and had a proper espresso at an Italian-owned cafe. In fact, the Mission Bay community must be somewhat of a "Little Italy," as there were at least six Italian cafes and restaurants. We walked along the beach, caught some pictures of Oyster Catcher birds and then caught some seafood chouder at an Italian joint named...'Andreas.'

Then it was too the top of Mount Victoria, a spent volcano now covered with grass, atop of which there was old military fortifications to protect against the expansion of the Russians many years ago. It afforded us the chance to take quite a few pictures of Auckland and I had to take advantage of the Middle Earth-feel to take at LOTR pic. Then, we walked the shops of Takapuna. Tonight we are off to an Italian place and I'll fill you in later. Hope you all are well. Thinking of you.