Auckland sits on a narrow isthmus, caught between two bodies of water.
To the north, the Waitematā Harbour opens to the Pacific Ocean. To the south, the Manukau Harbour connects to the Tasman Sea. This geography defines the city. It is New Zealand’s economic center and its primary gateway to the world, home to roughly a third of the country’s population.
I had been told that Auckland was a city to pass through quickly. That proved to be wrong. It simply requires a bit of patience. It is a place that reveals itself gradually, rather than all at once.