It was the Clutha District Council that came up with the slogan "Where everyone says hello". Well, that could have been applied to Auckland yesterday.
The sky might have been cloudy and there was a hint of rain in the air but it seemed all was good in the world. In the City of Sails, anyway.
People were even rather courteous on public transport.
They let you pass rather than thinking you were personally responsible for all that was wrong in the world.
That is what an All Black victory in the biggest game in this country for more than 50 years can do to people.
There was plenty riding on the game against the Australians. If the All Blacks went out and played a stinker, the whole tournament would have had a cloud of depression over it that not even Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajokull could have produced.
But, thank goodness, it did not happen. And the way the All Blacks went about their work, it was never going to happen.
The Australians did not play badly. They just were not allowed to play well by a team of determined and talented players. It was a performance right up there with the best.
Athletic Park in 1996, Sydney (the first game) in 2003, Paris in 2004. Add Eden Park, October 2011, to that list of recent great performances by the All Blacks.
Much was made of Quade Cooper being off form. And perhaps he was, but the thing with him is those tricky chips and runs work in the lower grades, as the defenders are not as good. There is more space and players are not mentally or physically as quick.
But not in test rugby. There is no time for the show-pony stuff and everything simply must be done correctly.
That is what the All Blacks did on Sunday night. Did the basics well. Set piece, defence, kicking - all was done right.
If anything, the scoreline could have been higher.
After a great opening 20 minutes, the All Blacks - the backs, anyway - rather went into their shells and kicked away too much ball.
But with no bonus points up for grabs, that is what had to be done to win the game and protect the lead. Put the ball down the opposition end and tackle, tackle, tackle anything that moves.
The Australians simply ran out of ideas and missed fullback Kurtley Beale big time.
So now the French await.
If the French play as badly as they did against the Welsh, then the All Blacks will win by plenty. Simple as that.
Many say the Welsh were heroic after going down to 14 men when captain Sam Warburton was sent off.
But it is not hard to be a hero when the ones you are fighting have so little to offer. A real hero like Superman took on real villains. The caped crusader did not come up against a rabble like the French were on Saturday night.
But, as French coach Marc Lievremont said, his side is in the final. He did not care how they got there.
France should be better on Sunday night, but it would appear the resolve and determination of the All Blacks is an almost unstoppable force.
It is hard to see that disappearing in seven days. But stranger things have happened.
Like people smiling at you in Auckland.
Questions:
Anyone else love those 9pm kick-offs? The Longest Day movie made in 1962 was just short of three hours. You could have watched the John Wayne epic four times on Sunday after breakfast and still got to the ground in time for the game.
For the second time in a row at the Rugby World Cup, teams from the same pool have made the final.
So who does New Zealand want in its pool next time?
Steve Hansen, All Black coach. Got a good ring to it?