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Published: February 15th 2007
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Having spent the night on the outskirts of Wellington last evening, Gina and I found it amusing that our secluded cottage offered an outdoor wood-fired bathtub for our enjoyment. Being adventuresome, I stoked the fire prior to cooking Gina dinner and let the vat of water stew for about 2 hours. While the whole experience was entertaining enough that I may consider installing a similar contraption in a future home, I must admit that the smell of smoke permeated every inch of our skin, hair and clothes.
This morning we woke to the
Baaaaaaaaaaaaaa of distant sheep - a not too uncommon experience in New Zealand. After a quick stretch and good morning kiss, we began our usual routine of showering and repacking our bags prior to heading for the local Telecom office to upload our backlog of travel blogs. A short time later we found ourselves back in the Pulsar heading for downtown Wellington, the capital of New Zealand.
Gina had once again diligently planned out our tourist activities for the day as we’d only have one in Wellington before catching a ferry across to the South Island. As she rambled off our destination targets for the
day, I serendipitously took a freeway exit that put us on a collision course with the New Zealand Parliament complex. Seizing on the photo opportunity, we parked the car and started off towards the massive structures which house the Executive and Legislative branches of government. Having snapped a few photos, I suggested we take the free tour offered on the hour.
Passing through the metal detectors, we noticed signs indicating that we wouldn’t be allowed to take anything with us on our tour - even cameras. Disappointed, we continued on, checked our belongings and joined about twenty others who had gathered in front of a large plasma display which was looping a documentary on Parliament.
Hopefully this wasn’t the tour. Moments later, a scrawny fellow emerged from a concealed door and introduced himself as our guide: Eeron.
The pack of tourists followed closely behind as Eeron pointed out history in the halls of Parliament and answered naïve questions from the foreigners. To our surprise, Eeron mentioned that today happened to be the first sitting day of Parliament - starting their newly elected 3-year term. As he expounded on the ceremonial process that would begin in approximately 2
hours, we were quietly passed by an entourage of men encircling a stately looking woman in red. Then suddenly, a short-haired brunette in a red sports coat with crooked teeth emerged from the entourage and riddled us with questions, “Is this a tour group? Are you having a good time? Where is everyone from?”
It was the Prime Minister. Less then a minute passed and her group carried on.
Giddy with excitement from our brush with an honorable, we concluded our tour by passing into the chamber of New Zealand Parliament. Eeron informed us that New Zealand abandoned the two-house English
Westminster Model (i.e. House of Lords and House of Commons) in 1950 and replaced it with a single legislative body. In 1993, the New Zealand model was further reformed to make the legislative body representative. That is, instead of a 2-party system (Liberal and National) comprising Government (majority) and Opposition (minority), the Parliament would reflect New Zealand’s popular vote allowing parties with varied platforms to be represented, if the populous so desired. Currently, 6 parties are represented in Parliament, though the older parties (Liberal and National) still hold a majority of seats.
After our civics lesson,
Eeron informed us that the public viewing gallery would be open at 1:45PM if we wanted to return and watch the pomp and circumstance of Parliament’s opening session. How could we pass up such an opportunity?
With two hours to burn, Gina and I set off to find some lunch and tour the area surrounding Parliament. We wandered by the US Embassy and I quickly snapped a photo hoping not to attract the attention of any Marines. Feeling left out, Gina wanted to take a photo as well and positioned herself squarely in front of the bulletproof enclosure housing a metal detector and guards. From inside, a man motioned not to take any photos and Gina waved back mistaking his gesture for a friendly wave. Not a second passed and the man leaned into his microphone, “No photos, please. Sorry.”
Tail between her legs, Gina accepted her fate and we carried on. We stopped at a few churches before making our way back to Parliament to claim our gallery seat. At 1:53PM, a buzzer sounded and MPs (Members of Parliament) began filing into the debating chamber. Seven minutes passed and the Sergeant at Arms, carrying a huge jewel
encrusted gold battle mace entered from a side room and announced, “All Rise, the Speaker of the House.”
Gina and I sat for half an hour watching the wheels of government turn - what a unqiue experience.
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darby
non-member comment
amusing?
you've been talking about that bathtub for months, glad you finally got stewed... literally instead of figuratively for once.