Ferry Building， built in 1912 and today a main thoroughfare for thousands of commuters who live on Auckland，s north bank， is the lunchtime meeting place. Here you can pass the time of day observing and getting to know the New Zealanders， or Kiwis as they prefer to call themselves. You will mostly come across towniestownie adj.城市生活的 in Harbourside， people from the urban areas who like to distinguish themselves from the folk， otherwise known as cuckies. The citizens of Auckland consider everything beyond the Bombay Hills region on the southern outskirts of the city as “country.” In addition， the people of Auckland regard themselves as representativesrepresentative n.代表 adj.典型的， 有代表性的 of a superior class. They also see Auckland as the true capital of New Zealand. They just turn up their noses at Wellington. A typical north south conflict， just as in many other countries.
Auckland is also the “city of sails”. This popular saying is certainly verified by a gaze at the magnificentmagnificent adj.华丽的， 高尚的， 宏伟的 Waitemata Harbour on a sunny summer weekend. According to statistics， every 15th person in New Zealand is a boatowner， yet one in every five Kiwis in Auckland owns a boat. A view across the harbor also reveals that Auckland is the “city of islands” as well. Saying that New Zealand consists only of North and South Island， will engender strong disapprovaldisapproval n.不赞成 from the people living on Stewart Island， who see their homeland as the “third island”. Some Aucklander will also reply that a regular ferry service connects as many as 52 islands with the city， all within easy reach. This is precisely what makes Auckland such a charming place to live： its location on a narrow isthmusisthmus n.［地理］地峡， 峡部 with a width of a mere nine kilometers， separating the waters of the Pacific from the Tasman Sea， and its natural surroundings make Auckland unique.
Since the majority of tourists visiting New Zealand want to experience nature rather than hectic city life， they are well advised to begin their tour of Auckland with a trip to Hauraki Maritime Park. Most ferries leave from Queen，s Wharf and it is located directly at the Ferry Building.
The Ferry Building on Quay Street is as good a place as any to start a tour of downtown Auckland. From this point the city is easily accessible on foot. However， if you want to include the outskirts of the city in your tour， you are advised to take a bus or car. After all， Auckland covers an area of more than 100，000 hectares， making it about the same size as Paris.
Over 600 years ago， a large number of Maori tribes settled on this narrow strip of land. The members of the Ngati Whatua tribe are regarded as Auckland，s first inhabitants， the Tangata Whenua. Bloody battles between the various tribestribe n.部落， 部族 were still common as late as the mid18th century. The battles usually took place at strongholdsstronghold n.要塞， 据点， mostly built on volcanoes.
The city first made a name for itself when Captain William Hobson felt it necessary to transfer the capital from the small northerly town of Russell to Auckland in September of 1840. Under the strong influence of the New Zealand Company， Auckland was forced to give up its status as capital city in the year 1865 and pass it on to Wellington.
During this century， Auckland has made the headlines on a number of occasions due to its harbor. Harbour Bridge， over 1000 meters in length， was opened on May 30， 1959. Even today， the bridge is one of New Zealand，s most outstanding engineering feats and has long since become Auckland，s most famous landmarklandmark n.(航海)陆标， 地界标， 里程碑， 划时代的事. Ten years later， the road leading north had to be converted into an eightlane freeway， with Japanese help. Since then， the bridge has had the nicknamenickname n.诨号， 绰号， 昵称 vt.给……取绰号， 给……起诨名 of Nippon clipon. The harbor was also in the headlines on July 10， 1985. Not only did the bombing of the Greenpeace ship Rainbow Warrior shatter the Princess Wharf， it shook New Zealand，s relationship to France as well.
There was tremendous joy and cheering from the hundreds of thousands of spectatorsspectator n.观众(指比赛或表演) who gathered at the harbor to welcome the skipper of the Sreinlager 2， Peter Blake， in January 1990 when he anchored at the same spot as the Rainbow Warrior had done years earlier. The Steinlager 2 was the first yacht to reach Auckland，s harbor during the grueling Whitbread Round the World Regatta， and it went on to win the race.
Christchurch
花园城市——基督城
基督城是新西兰第三大城市，也是南岛最大的城市。位于南岛中部辽阔平坦的肯特百利平原，气候温和干爽，最低气温约1℃，最高约为32℃。得天独厚的地理和气候条件使得基督城草木葱郁，鲜花盛开，素有“花园之城”的美誉。基督城交通便利，除建在这里的新西兰第二座国际机场外，还有通往全国旅游名胜的公路和铁路。
自1850年开始，政府有计划地开发城市，这里成为坎特伯雷的一个买卖市场，当年多为从事畜牧业的人士聚居。后来的居民则多数经营养羊或从事生产奶制品的行业，近年更趋向机械、化工等重工业方向发展。由于早期的移民多数是英国人，市区历史性的建筑都具有英国维多利亚时代的特色。教堂广场是基督城的中心，常有各种街头艺人表演和非正式的大大小小的激烈辩论，俨然英国海德公园的风格。广场正中的天主教堂是一座石灰石的古老建筑，高大肃穆，已是基督城的旅游标志。游客可登上教堂最高点参观，但需收取少量费用。
基督城大部分地区是公园和自然保护区。市中心的哈格利公园树木参天，鲜花竞艳，使整个城市空气清爽，生机盎然，“花园之都”的美誉当之无愧。园内绿草如茵，优美的艾芬河缓缓流过，树影婆娑，乘一叶扁舟，徜徉河上，看船夫手中一支长篙，轻点慢推，看两岸物移景换，轻舟浪漫，如在画中。
The city is named after the cathedralcathedral n.大教堂 college of Christ Church in the University of Oxford. Its Maori name is Otautahi， from the Maori chief Tautahi， who had a settlement on the banks of the Avon River.
Christchurch city is located midway down the East Coast of the South Island， just north of Banks Peninsula.
Christchurch is the South Island，s largest city. It，s a vibrant， cosmopolitancosmopolitan n.四海为家的人， 世界主义者 adj.世界性的，全球(各地)的 place with exciting festivals， theatre， modern art galleries， great shopping and awardwinning attractions.
In the centre of the city you can，t help but notice Christchurch Cathedral， an outstanding example of Gothic Revival architecture. You can climb up to the spire for a bird，seye view of the city and， while there， examine the cathedral bells at close hand. Other greystone nineteenth century buildings， treelined avenues and extensive leafy parks give the city an elegant， rather English atmosphereatmosphere n.大气， 空气， 气氛.