Occasionally Auckland Sketchbook escapes the city to somewhere interesting — and close. This time the sketchbook got a workout in The Bay of Islands . Only 3.5 hours by car and a world away from work. The sketch above was made in down-town Paihia, it doesn't look it, but it is literally behind the main street. The view is the back of an old homestead called Williams House . I was attracted by the orchard of very old fig trees on the left that had me imagining eating juicy ripe figs. Sadly they weren't in season but it must be a fun place at harvest time. Right over the other side of the bay you will find his falling down old house on Matauwhi Bay. For a while there the water had a turquoise glow until the sun went into hiding. This is Pompallier House and Clendon Cottage in Russell sketched with my back to the sea. I may have used a little too much artistic licence in moving them close enough together to fit on my page so don't look too closely. Anyway, I have sketched Po...
The Occidental is one of Auckland's oldest pubs*.
Built around 1870 on the corner of Vulcan Lane and Auckland's famous Queen Street, back when the stream Waihorotiu was only partly covered, and drains ran down each side of Queen Street.
At some stage an art deco building was built in front of the pub obscuring part of it's curving facade which only makes it look more unique today.
From what I can find the pub was built by an American sailor and modelled on his previous establishment, also called Occidental Hotel in San Francisco. Like the American original, this pub also housed a museum of '...absorbing interesting specimens of the pictorial art, defunct wonders and comical conceits'. Sounds interesting!
According to the New Zealand Historic Places Trust the '...establishment was very popular with merchants, traders, speculators, artists, litterateurs, sportsmen and even 'the loafer''.
I frequented it in the late 80's when it was a hangout for students and punks (and punk students obviously). Today you're likely to join business people and tourists at the bar for one of the many Belgian beers on offer.
*Hey, New Zealand is a young country!
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