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Published: March 30th 2009
As the song says, "it's a bright, bright sunshiny day" in Wellington. Wellington, the Capital of New Zealand, is a picturesque city sitting on the edge of a stunning harbor surrounded by rolling hills with great vistas. There was so much to see, yet so little time, so we decided on a few of the highlights.
The day was really a whirlwind, starting with the Parliament Building Complex including three building with distinct architectural differences: the Edwardian neo-classical Parliament House, the Victorian Gothic Parliamentary Library and the unique 1970’s style building called the "Beehive". Politicians must really like this one as they cannot be backed into a corner here.
Old St Paul's Church is one of New Zealand and Wellington’s most important historic places, and is a magnificent example of timber Neo-Gothic architecture. Built in 1866, this Anglican church is a plain white wooden building with a charming interior featuring large timber arches. The beauty of the wood is enhanced by the light filtering through the lovely stained glass windows. The church has strong links with the American Marine Corps which was stationed there during WWII. The "48 stars and stripes" hangs in the sanctuary and there is a
special display of Marine history in New Zealand featuring personal stories, archival photos and movie footage which have been interwoven to commemorate stories of individuals, families, and communities. It was especially moving to know that the U.S. Military is honored.
Moving on, we rode the famous red cable car to the Botanic Gardens at the top of a hill overlooking the city and just a few minutes from the Central City business district. The gardens are home to some of the oldest exotic trees in New Zealand, complemented by a duck pond, begonia house and natural reserve with a pathway back down the hill. While at the fountain and duck pond, I was watching a little boy with his mother sitting on a nearby curb as they were watching the ducks. Mom took out a cookie for him to nibble on and immediately the ducks scrambled from the pool and headed toward the child. He tucked his cookie under his arm and was keeping it to himself.
After the gardens, we moved on to the top of Mt. Victoria. From the windy terrace on the one sess a magnificent panoramic 360 degree vista of the of the city,
the harbor, Cook Strait, the forest, valley and surrounding hills. On the terrace is The Byrd Memorial commemorating the American aviator Richard Byrd, who in 1929 made the first flight over the South Pole from his base in New Zealand. The adjacent forest was used for the filming of the forest scenes in Lord of the Rings.
The Te Papa is the National Museum which holds a wealth of information about the history and culture of the country, but I must admit being sidetracked by the visiting Monet Exhibit which was stunning! The Te Papa is situated on the waterfront, so upon leaving, we enjoyed a meandering stroll along the waterfront back to the ship.
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