We suppooooose that the perfect antidote to getting burnt yesterday is for it to rain all day today. Isn't it?? Hmm, maybe. Made the best of it though by visiting a few areas of town we fancied away from the City. Firstly took the ferry to Devonport, a quaint village renowned for it's Victorian architecture, boutique shops and cafes. Mount Victoria also offers the best views of Auckland. Just not today. In fact Devonport has the feel of an English seaside town, or more precisely how one would be without the neds and before the rot has set in. Kind of odd
to come halfway around the world to experience but cool at the same time. After this, visited the suburbs of Parnell and Ponsonby, upmarket areas of Colonial chic. We had the best fish & chips in Auckland for lunch (official this time) along with various coffees (non Starbucks - coffee is very good here) and a visit to the Belgian Beer Cafe.
Got back early again for a quick change in order to take advantage of Happy Hour. Bartender: "When you say champagne Sir, do you mean champagne or...?", Iain: "No, I mean the cheap shite you're passing off as champagne for $4." Did the job though. Then on to the excellently named Monsoon Poon, one of our new favourite restaurants (we, rather sadly, often debate this - Cafe TuTu Tango is still tops since you asked). Perhaps the fact that we got a table in a private area made it even more memorable. Graduated to yeractual Bolly and some rather nice cocktails. Hell, they even did a frozen one (see picture). Oh, the food was rather good too - South East Asian Fusion (like Mao's, only good). Iain was warned about the heat of the Bang Bang chicken but, of course, took no heed and suffered after (Still worth it - Iain).
