One of the things we like to do is check out old places and little bits of history in the places we visit. Sometimes they are off the beaten track, but here in Auckland one is right here on a CBD corner.

The Shakespeare Hotel, built in 1898. It is the oldest operating brew pub in the city, having a small craft brewery on site. The bar is at street level, a restaurant and an over street balcony on the second and some hotel rooms on the third.

We couldn’t go past it for dinner after coming back from all the exercise on Maungawhau. Great spot.

Before heading to Devonport Allthego had a short walk around the hotel area looking for a Post Office. Some stamps were needed for postcards to be sent back home. Allthego doesn’t get postcards from people these days so he sends them to himself. Helps you know where you have been when you get back home and open the mail. No luck, but we eventually got some at a souvenir shop and some cards of course.

While doing the stamp search a few local buildings of note were discovered.

The ferry trip across the harbour to Devonport only takes about 15 minutes. It is a suburb of Auckland, but has a history going back to the early days of English settlement and before that Maori times.

There is a 1950s /60s flavour to the streetscape. Old buildings repurposed and restored.

Mt Victoria looms over the town and is a short walk up from the ferry terminal. The dormant volcano is only about 70m high but it had always occupied an important vantage point for Auckland. Firstly, the Maori used it as a homealand. Later, the British established a fort on the top with gun placements that protected the harbour. It was used through both world wars. A cannon is still in the place where it was located in the late 1800s.

Before ascending the volcano lunch called. We had read about the ‘Signal Hill’ restaurant. Signal Hill was the former name of Mt Victoria which had a signal house on its slopes to guide shipping in the harbour. After lunch Homealone passed the ascent opportunity and remained at the restaurant with a cup of tea. Allthego went ahead. Great walk up to the top. Views all around the city and harbour.

A volcano normally has a crater at the top, unusually this one doesn’t. But, it once did. Some time back it was filled in by a water storage reservoir and covered over.

‘Mushrooms’ sit on the grass above the reservoir and provide ventilation to the complex. Water is provided to the town below.

The wind didn’t seem to be abating so Allthego made a speedy retreat back down to the restaurant. We then headed back to the wharf, via another actual post office for stamps, to catch the ferry back to the city. Quite a choppy trip back across the harbour in a new all electric vessel, very quiet!

After getting ashore we went out to the end of Queens Wharf to have a close look at the replica of an old NZ wooden house that sits on the end of the pier. Inside there is a large highly polished sculpture of Capt James Cook on a stool looking in deep contemplation.

The brightly coloured neon lighting depicts the constellations of the southern hemisphere by which both Polynesian and European navigators used to sail the Pacific. A controversial art project that apparently cost a mountain. Interesting concept though I suppose!

It was getting a bit late in the afternoon, wind still blowing and it started to sprinkle rain, a bit chilly. So we hurried back to the hotel, had dinner in our room, a takeaway Subway salad bowl. Not bad after a big lunch!

We then packed and prepared for our departure north in the morning. Car pick up is 10am.