From Auckland to the Coromandel

http://www.skycityauckland.co.nz/Attractions/Skytower.html
http://www.nzsteel.co.nz/about-new-zealand-steel/history
http://www.lighthouse.awhitu.com/


The real reason we came up - apart from having a break was that a good longstanding friend was being inducted as presbyter into the Uniting Church at Waiuku and Districts combined churches.
Said Friend has been duly inducted and it was her first "official" service today - so we decided to come up as support for her today and then tag on a few days in the Coromandel.
Well the service went well and all was just peachy!!
After the service we headed home where we quickly changed and applied sunscreen and headed of to the big wild yonder - called Waiuku peninsula. First stop a lovely beach (Clarkes Beach) and then on to yet another beach. Along the way we saw the outlying churches where our friend will have to travel to every so often on Sundays.
check out the website of the church --> http://www.standrewscentre.org.nz/

Of course not having had lunch we did feel peckish and decided to sample some of the local cuisine. We knew as soon as we walked through the door that we would be well looked after as Monsignor Ted here promised as a first rate cuisine. I had a Cauliflower soup with Blue cheese - and it tasted better then it sounded. This was augmented with a Mediterranean Salad - which some of you know as Caesars Salad - and THAT was nice.
The food was great to - although we did suffer from the sun while sitting outside.










Well there is nothing more to be said - other then we took another left turn and drove all the way to the light house on the Manakau harbor head. Fantastic views!! The Tasman sea - unusually calm and a beaut to see.





Looking across the harbor towards Auckland City, and yes you can see the Skytower in the left side. Amazing that we made it up there yesterday.










Us two blokes sat on the beach and tossed some ideas round for a suitable heading for this particular shot. I think we decided to call this - "newly appointed local presbyter checks out location for mass baptism" - and you would have to agree - this one HAS got possibilities!!
Wonder if I should email this to the church secretary??





Missed the sunset with late dinner - ah well there is always another day. Tomorrow we drive towards the Coromandel and spend some time there.
Hmmmm we need to get some black sand from the other beach - oddly enough its iron sand and there is this nearby mill that makes steel. Mamabear is keen to visit - so maybe tomorrow.