Monday, August 4th 2003 – Day 167
I decided to do some serious sightseeing today but I had not fully recovered from Saturday. I woke up at 6.00am and could not sleep. Decided to get up and have a coffee from the hostel kitchen. I had my name down for the 9.30am Lionzone tour – The Lion Beer Experience. First I had breakfast in my favorite Diner and I had my usual eggs and bacon.
New Zealand’s largest brewery offers the country’s most innovative, interactive, entertaining and educational beer experience. Visitors to this iconic Auckland attraction have the opportunity to see, touch, smell and taste the ingredients used in the brewing process.
LIONZONE is not a traditional brewery tour; visitors will have the opportunity to learn, about the brewing process, the history of the Lion Brewery and Lion Nathan, through multi-media and interactive experiences. LIONZONE encompasses the working Lion Brewery, the home of Lion Red, New Zealand’s biggest beer brand, and Steinlager, Lion’s flagship international beer.
Recently launched in November 2001, LIONZONE exhibits today’s technology to ensure visitors will experience the passion Lion has for its brands and New Zealand ensuring a memorable personable visit for all.
I got the link bus as it passes the front door of the brewery. I got there too early about 8.30am so I had a late at a local petrol station. At the tour start there were only three others – 2 Aussies and local who had to do the tour as part of his new Hotel job. It was different from the other brewery tours I have done in Ireland. I have done the Beamish and Crawford tour and the Guinness Hopstore tour. I found like a cold Beamish now, hmmm. We had a personal guide to bring us throughout he process. We had to watch about 4 videos connecting the two main beers of the brewery (Lion Red and Steinlager) with NZ sport and success. The ads were fairly sexist but good craic. It was good to see the actual packaging and bottling plant up close but Guinness has this tied down. I remember spending the full day at Guinness but an hour here is enough. At least at the end we got to pour our own pints and have a drink in a nice bar. She, the guide left us to her own devices and I had about three to four glasses. It pours very cold here. It was nice beer though.
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Click on the picture to see it in its original size
Auckland – New Zealand – Lionzone – Statue of captain Cook who brewed the first beer in NZ (04-08-2003)
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Click on the picture to see it in its original size
Auckland – New Zealand – Lionzone (04-08-2003)
I got the Link bus back and had lunch. I decided around 3.00pm to visit
Sky Tower.
In the first 18 months after it opened in August 1997, Sky Tower drew over a million visitors, making it New Zealand’s most popular paid attraction. At 328m (1,076 ft.), it is the tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere, affording unforgettable views over the sprawling mass of Auckland. It has four observation decks, including an outdoor area, a glass lift and glass floor panels, multilingual audio guides, and a revolving restaurant. Access to the observation decks is via three glass-fronted elevators, which can whizz up the building in a speedy 40 seconds.
The Lower Observation level can be accessed by stairs and has a coffee shop. The Main Observation level features the latest technology, with live weather feeds and touch computer screens giving geographical information. The Outdoor Observation area is equipped with high-powered binoculars and is open to the elements. The Sky Deck is the highest public viewing area, with 360-degree views through seamless glass
I have been every tempted to do the skyjump over the past few days. It is not a Bungee but a cable assisted jump. Its costs 145 AUS for 2 jumps and a photo but I decided against it as everyone I saw jumping seemed very bored by the time they got tot he ground. It is a very HIGH but very controlled jump.
I stayed there in the tower until the sun went down over the city. It was 15 AUS in tot he lower decks and 3 AUS more to get to the highest point. It was some great sight over the city. You get a full 360 oc of the whole city and harbor. I must have stayed there 3 hours.
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Click on the picture to see it in its original size
Auckland – New Zealand – Auckland Skytower (04-08-2003)
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Click on the picture to see it in its original size
Auckland – New Zealand – Auckland Skytower (04-08-2003)
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Click on the picture to see it in its original size
Auckland – New Zealand – Auckland Skytower (04-08-2003)
After I visited the Sky City Casino. It receives over 12,000 visitors per day!
The Sky City Casino is the largest in New Zealand, operating 24 hours a day. This vast expanse of 88 gaming tables (blackjack, roulette, craps, Caribbean stud poker, baccarat, tai sai, pai gow, and money wheel), an 80-seat keno lounge, and more than 1,200 slot machines has a somewhat depressing air about it. Everyone is so earnest and intent, as well they might be, given the amount of money changing hands. Still, it’s worth a look if nothing else. The much more upmarket * Alto Casino & Bar, on the third level, is also much more stylish. It’s more intimate and has live music with a strict dress code (jackets for men; jeans, shorts, active sportswear, and sports shoes not permitted). It opens at 4pm and continues through the night. The Sky City Members Club is a more exclusive, invitation-only gaming room.
You may not be interested in gambling, but I think a visit to Sky City is essential at some part of your visit to Auckland. The casinos, in fact, are not the only aspect of this multifaceted complex. There are several excellent restaurants, the Sky Tower, the Sky City Theatre complex, and one of the best contemporary New Zealand art collections in the country.
You may not believe this, but I have never been in a casino before. There are illegal in Ireland and I have no liking for them. Mostly Asian men were sitting down unsmiling as they played their POKIES (as they call them here) or were on tables. No body was lauging or smiling. I can not understand the attration and I actually hate the places. I went down to the back of the tower and booked my ticket to Rotorua for 8.15am tomorrow morning. Teh cost was 40 AUS (20 Euro).
I met my cousin at 8.00pm for a few drinks and I had an early night.