Where in the World? Andrew G. QCA
(Albany, Auckland, New Zealand)
Where is it? (Specific City, Province, State, and Location in the World)
Albany is one of the northern suburbs of the Auckland territory in New Zealand.
It's approximately 15 kilometers northwest from the main Auckland cityscape, it's in the Albany ward, 1 of the 13 districts in the Auckland Council. Being one of the city's newest suburbs, it only recently gained its own township and much of the nearby land around Albany is still rural.
The Māori name, Okahukura, means the 'place of rainbows' (and/or) '[the] place of butterflies' and is one of the many names for the region; It was previously known as Lucas Creek, but was renamed in 1890 after Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany.
It's geographical coordinates are 36° 43′ 0″ S, 174° 42′ 0″ E.
What’s the climate like? (Explain how the seasons work there, if any differ from our own.)
For the region as a whole, Auckland has mostly warm summers with high humidity and winters that receive plenty of precipitation, although rainfall is experienced consistently throughout the year they mainly occur in this time, which unlike winters in the Northern hemisphere, take place in the June, July, and August months opposed to November, December, and January.
Auckland tends to have a very coastal climate, warm without any times of the year with great variance in temperature, although it is known to be hit by weak tropical cyclones and seasonal cold fronts, known causes of hailstorms, many locals recommended suggest you dress for "four seasons in one day" and advocate proper protection from the elements.
The average temperature fluxes slightly throughout the year, within the summer the mean is 23°C (74°F) and the winter average tends to be at 14°C (57°F).
The typical foods served there and if you would eat them (Breakfast, lunch and dinner)
The following are a few of the many different foods that are typically eaten by the citizens of New Zealand, many are eaten due to the abundance of natural resources and the history of the nation, but others are imported and have become integral to the culinary identity of the country.
Seafood:
Due to New Zealand having over 14,000 kilometers of coastline across all islands, seafood of all kind is a common dish and is eaten in nearly every meal.
One of these being the iconic meal of British merchants, fish and chips, which has been adapted and beloved by New Zealanders, Maoris, and tourists alike. Freshly caught fish, mostly snapper and hoki, are battered, deep-fried, and are served with a side of potatoes with, occasionally, scallops and squid rings included.
Another local delicacies from the sea that the people love are Mahurangi Oysters, found and fished for north of Auckland.
Seafood has also been known to be imported to widen the range of seafood that can be eaten and the various ways they can be cooked. Restaurants in New Zealand have been known to serve shrimp, lobster, various crawfish, and exotic fish in addition to the many indigenous fish that occupy its waters.
It can be served in salads, burritos or wraps, as well as soups and larger dishes, giving it the versatility to be in any meal.
Māori hāngī:
Historically, the Māori (native New Zealanders) people cooked in pits which were, essentially, underground pressure cookers that were known for tender meats (wild chicken and fish) with an exceptional, earthy fragrance and deliciously slow-cooked root vegetables, such as sweet potatoes (called kumara) and cabbage, in a method that is comparable to the modern techniques of smoking brisket and they called their special method of cooking their hunted meat and agriculture, "Hāngī".
Hāngī was once the most widely used method of cooking on the island, with the Māori people practicing hāngī for more than 2000 years until faster, more modern methods of cooking came to replace it, but it did not die out.
Instead, now hāngī is saved for special occasions on the islands and still retains most of the flavor of the original methods, but as more diverse foods became available with the introduction of trade and technological advancements brought with British colonization, the food cooked in the hāngī method begun to include domestic chicken, pork, mutton, lamb, and exotic vegetables like pumpkin and stuffing, with even some desserts being adapted for the method, with hāngī-steamed pudding becoming a popular delicacy in the country.
Roast lamb became a favorite of these newly imported foods with the colonists and with the native Kiwis due to how succulent and tender it is when slow-cooked or roasted, and, to this day, remains one of New Zealand's most exported meats and is held in high esteem around the world.
Often served with rosemary, herbs, and seasonal vegetables, roast lamb is a meal that is respected globally and has much of its success to thank from its roots in these early times.
Hāngī food was traditionally cooked in flax leaves, but as modern innovations become more widely available, hāngī is now more commonly used with cloth sacks, aluminium foil, and wire baskets which make it easier for the food to be preserved and taken home.
These baskets are then placed on hot coals at the bottom of a hāngī pit. As the stones heat up at the bottom of the hole, the food is covered with wet cloth and a mound of earth that traps the heat inside, essentially pressure cooking the food in the earth for hours until they are retrieved later with their trademark earthy smell.
Māori hāngī is served most often as a lunch or dinner dish, but the method of cooking can be applied to a number of foods, including desserts and snacks.
New Zealand Desserts and Candies:
For those with a sweet tooth, New Zealand has a divine amount of candies and desserts to satisfy any snack craving. The chocolate fish is a long-time local and international favourite, it is a marshmallow fish coated in chocolate and is entirely indigenous to the island chain.
Pineapple Lumps are also another favorite treat of the island. Squared pineapple candies are coated in chocolate and have remained popular despite having been sold for over 60 years.
Jaffa is a similarly made candy with a hard-coated orange candy with a chocolate center. Even being a staple of the annual Cadbury Chocolate Carnival.
But it's not all just candy and chocolate, New Zealand also has a wide variety of ice cream, with desserts like hokey pokey (vanilla ice cream topped with pieces of crushed honeycombs) and Pavlova (a meringue/fruit salad type dessert that’s topped with whipped cream and more fruit) have found permanent fixtures in many families' meals.
In addition to these, New Zealand is also known for a multitude of amazingly fresh and delicious fruits and berries; including the Native fruit, the kiwifruit, which inspired the nickname "Kiwi" for referring to anyone from the islands of New Zealand.
Which so much variety in what to eat, it's clear to see why so many people flock to the island nation when considering international food hotspots. It's seems like, in New Zealand, they have something to complement every dish!
(It should also be noted that they also have an assortment of drinking choices for people of all ages, as well as imported cheeses and other baked goods to fit into any meal.)
Clothing they wear around this time of year.
Although, in my opinion, this would make sunbathing extremely effective and a much easier affair than in other countries.
And as for the fall and winter, a heavier jacket, more rain-resistant clothing, and an umbrella are recommended to avoid being caught in the rain and cold without proper protection. Closed-toe shoes are also HIGHLY recommended.
At least 3 traditional holidays from the country or region.
Auckland Anniversary Day: January 29th (or the nearest Monday to it)
Auckland Anniversary Day is a holiday observed on the Northern half of the North Island of New Zealand, being the the provincial anniversary of the residents of the former Auckland Province which now includes Northland (where it is known instead as Northland Day), Auckland, Waikato, King Country, Coromandel, Bay of Plenty, and Gisborne, as well as some regions on the East Coast, such as the Manawatu-Wanganui and Hawke's Bay.
It makes the anniversary of the arrival of William Hobson, a British explorer who went on to become the first Governor of New Zealand, who arrived in the Bay of Islands and established the first colony in New Zealand in February 29th, 1840.
Waitangi Day: February 6th
A day celebrated on February the 6th and is named after Waitangi where the Treaty of Waitangi (or the Tiriti o Waitangi, in Māori) was signed and commemorates a significant day in New Zealand's history with ceremonies taking place on this day annually to celebrate the signing of the historic treaty. The Treaty of Waitangi is New Zealand's founding document and was originally sign on February 6th, 1840.
ANZAC Day: April 25th
Anzac Day occurs on 25 April. It commemorates all New Zealanders killed in war and also honours returned servicemen and women. The date itself marks the anniversary of the landing of New Zealand and Australian soldiers – the Anzacs – on the Gallipoli Peninsula in 1915.
Waitangi Day and ANZAC Day are now "Monday-ized," meaning (and this applies across the nation) that if these public holidays land on a weekend, it'll be celebrated on the day intended and the following Monday will allow people to get the work day off.
How locals of the area greet one another and strangers (as well as gestures to avoid making there).
Eh/Aye– compulsory addition to the end of sentence to signal a rhetorical question
-Ie-"tened words, for example, pressie means present and cuzzie means cousin
Heaps - used instead of "lots"
"Gap it"- to leave the situation at hand
Hard case– someone who has a big personality or might do things in an unusual manner
"No worries!"/"No wakas!" –No problem!
Dairy - a corner store
"Good on ya, mate!" / "Chur, bro."- A congratulatory phase used to tell you that you've done well.
"She’ll be right mate."– "It’ll be alright."
Ta – thanks
Togs– swimsuit
Jandals– flip-flops
Sunnies– sunglasses
Suss– to figure out
Wop-wops – the backcountry (middle of nowhere)
Piker– someone who backs out of doing something
Tiki Tour– to drive around casually taking the scenic route
Pack a sad– to get upset and sulk
And as for gestures, you should avoid any sort of "peace signs" or facing the palm of the hand towards yourself. These things are often seen as rude and offensive. It's much better to simply smile or shake someone's hand or not do anything at all than to accidentally offend someone.
At least 5 activities that people participate in there.
Albany is home to a wide range of attractions and accommodations for guests looking to travel and explore the area, a few of the many activities near Albany include ATV and quad-biking, go-karting, nature walks, and island tours, as well as a variety of indoor activities.
Albany has become a large shopping and retail attraction in the Auckland area. Its future "Albany Town Centre" has grown vastly grown in population and quickly developed its urban areas with various shopping hubs that opened first in the late 1990's and continue to expand to this day with New Zealand's biggest shopping center, Westfield Albany, being one of these locales.
Opening in the August of 2007, the mall has over 140 shops built into it, annually employs over 3,500 workers, houses a 1,800 seat cinema, and parking for 2,300. The mall also provides "free space for community organizations for awareness and fundraising activities."
Albany also is home to one of Auckland's newest sports arenas, North Harbor Stadium. It's been known to bring in crowds of over 25,000 spectators and is the home of the local rugby team.
It was even one of the few stadiums used in the 2011 Rugby World Cup. And it has gymnasium that many Olympic representatives of New Zealand have trained in, as well as a number of tennis courts and other sports equipment and facilities.
There are also a number of of skateboarding and BMX clubs that have parks and race tracks nearby, and are often community hotspots for those looking to compete and train in these extreme sports.
Pictures..
Development Plan
Geographical Map
The red circle represents where the city should be in the gray Auckland area.
Aerial View
Works Cited
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10411174
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albany,_New_Zealand
http://www.tourism.net.nz/region/auckland/auckland---albany
http://www.tourism.net.nz/new-zealand/about-new-zealand/auckland-weather.html
https://www.massey.ac.nz/massey/student-life/accommodation/auckland/auckland_home.cfm
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/shopping/news/article.cfm?c_id=318&objectid=10459307
http://publicholiday.co.nz/nz-public-holidays-2017.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auckland_Anniversary_Day