Auckland, New Zealand

It is not everyday that you see a lighthouse like the one atop Bean Rock in Auckland Harbor. It's so small, so alone, and looks so vulnerable atop its pilings. The house itself is built of wood and was the residence of a lighthouse keeper until 1912. What a job! [2006]

Waiheke Island, Auckland, New Zealand

With these words John Donne proclaimed the value of community: "No man is an island entire of it self; every man is a piece of the Continent, a part of the main." Now, the corona virus has re-framed that perspective: Each of us is an island, a family island at best. Continents have broken apart, and connections to the main have broken down. [2006]

Auckland, New Zealand

Built on a gore in 1911, the Auckland Town Hall's most conspicuous public service is providing the time to everyone in a totally egalitarian manner. The higher the tower and the higher the clock, the more people can see it, and the more thanks the government gets. Right? So, what's a gore? A triangular piece of land. [2011]

Auckland, New Zealand

Auckland's skyline builds, step by step, from the warehouse and old ferry terminal on the waterfront to the eye-catcher known as the Sky Tower. Now that we've seen it through the eyes of a sail-boat skipper, let's go up and see if through the eyes of a "sky jumper." [2006]

Rotorua, New Zealand

What do New Zealand and Hawaii have in common? They are both island groups in Polynesia. What else? They are both ridden by rainbows. [2006]

Waiheke Island, Auckland, New Zealand

When you go sea kayaking, there's only a thin veneer of fiberglass that stands between you and the open ocean: so open that it could swallow you up in two shakes of a yak's tail. [2006]

Waiheke Island, New Zealand

Waiheke is a real island: no bridges or causeways to the mainland. That makes it the perfect place to get away and relax (especially with so many beaches), or perhaps to live. These parents may be employed in the local service economy, but at least one might commute daily to a job in Auckland, a short ferry-ride away. [2006]

Auckland, New Zealand

Merchandising is all about catching the public's attention, so sometimes you have to give people what they don't expect. But we should have expected this! Given that New Zealand is one of those lands 'down under,' it's not so surprising they have turned the world of auto sales upside down. [2011]

Auckland, New Zealand

What a difference a century makes! Here's a scene that's replicated in cities all over the world: the low-rise skyline of the early 1900s vs. the high-rise skyline of the early 2000s. Let's keep the low-rise buildings around: They remind us of our history and they admit light to city canyons. The low-rise is the former Northern Roller Mills building. [2011]

Auckland, New Zealand

Gloria Jean's Coffees may have been founded in the United States (no, not in Seattle!), but it soon pioneered the coffee-house concept in Australia, which is now its biggest market. (Afterthought: New Zealand, too.) [2011]

Auckland, New Zealand

Wharves, backed by warehouses, backed by the business district: that was how the working waterfront used to be arranged. Now, port facilities in most cities have suburbanized just like everything else. So, when you see bulk cargo handling in the urban core, appreciate it as an anachronism. [2006]

Whangarei, New Zealand

Rainy days are perfect for capturing whales on walls. Where? In Whagarei. You may think that is perfect alliteration, but: Whangarei is pronounced Fongaray, with an F. Does that mean whale is pronounced fale in Whangarei? [2011]

Auckland, New Zealand

Do you recognize stamens when you see them? The flowering pohutukawa tree has become a symbol of strength and beauty in New Zealand, so their flowers make a geographically appropriate subject for public art. [2011]

Whangarei, New Zealand

The Hatea River Walk starts in the Whangarei CBD and follows the river upstream to the Whangarei Falls. Let's set a goal for American cities:  If a city has a river, it should have a river walk that cuts across the concentric zones of urban development and leads into the country. [2011]

Whangarei, New Zealand

The year ahead is finally coming into focus, but a haze still envelopes everything but the very-near future. Who knows? Maybe the year will end in a haze, too. [2011]

Rotorua, New Zealand

Whakairo is the art of wood carving in Aotearoa, the country you may know as New Zealand. Since the 1980s, Maori culture has been experiencing a renaissance, and the cultural capital of the Maori nation has become Te Puia in Rotorua. If you love being tatted, take a look at this face and consider mimicking the Maoris. [2006]

Auckland, New Zealand

Looking for a dog-friendly park where your canines can romp around off leash? Head to Western Park in Auckland. It is huge and all ready for neighborhood dog shows. [2011]

Rotorua, New Zealand

Her mobile is not a phone. It's a truck, and it's chock full of fruits and vegetables. She can meet the market as it changes over the course of a day. Food trucks are becoming ever more popular in the United States, but most serve prepared food. Anyone ready to resurrect this idea? [2006]

Waiheke Island, New Zealand

As the wide-eyed wanderer arrives on Waiheke by ferry, silver ribbons come slinking down the slope to say hello. The steel coils are an early warning system: The island is a sculpture garden unto itself, the contours of which all geographers should see. [2006]

Hamilton, New Zealand

If it weren't on a music store, it would almost qualify as fine art. Since it is on a music store, it becomes commercial art. Where is the line between the two? It makes a difference to cities as they try to regulate signage and advertising. Your assignment: 'Name that tune'! [2006]