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Published: April 21st 2017
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Wellington
19th March Wellington
A small city with a big reputation, we had bypassed here on our North Island tour so it was good to see New Zealand's capital city albeit briefly.
It is infamous for its weather and also lies on a major fault line (those pesky earthquakes again).
Passengers disembarking here were transferred to the West Pac Stadium because of damage by the latest earthquakes and new passengers were held in the same venue.
The weather could not have been more benign, arriving on a glorious sunny morning, the city is draped around bushy hillsides encircling the harbour.
The first Europeans arrived here in 1840, a Colonel William Wakefield bought and acquired land from the Maoris.
Later the land purchases were deemed illegal and as in many parts of New Zealand land right struggles ensued and has plagued the country for years.
It was Sunday when we arrived and so the because of the good weather the locals were out and about, the quayside stalls were buzzing and people were coming out to play.
Downtown the city is compact with decent museums, galleries and boutiques.
We
were aiming to visit the museum Te Papa but were initially delayed by a good cup of coffee and people watching on the way.
Street entertainers were also just coming out to perform.
Te Papa, if you only visit one place, the National Museum will not disappoint!!!
Its name means 'Our Place' or Te Papa Tongarwera translated as 'the place where treasured things are held' and you could think of it as a massive six storey treasure box.
It's logo is 'Come, Explore, Enjoy'
The museums philosophy emphasises the living face behind its cultural treasures.
The museum recognises the partnership that was created by the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi.
Te Papa works in partnership with Maori and to this end the marae is the focal point of the Museum.
Some of the highlights include a Maori meeting house, the figurehead from Captain Cooks Endeavour and much more.You would need several hours or at least a couple of days to do the place justice.
One of the more interesting exhibits was the 'Gallipoli', which was heavily subscribed to,
about NZNational Forces in wartime.
We made do with the exhibit of the Treaty of Waitangi, it has a giant glass replica of the Treaty which hangs in the Signs of a Nation Exhibition.
Te Papa's marae is a fully functioning communal centre and run to Maori protocol, it is the heart of museum life and a living exhibition showcasing Maori art and design.
There were some exhibits closed but still enough to see, an all to brief look again into the Maori culture.
In the short time we looked around it was a brief glimpse into the lifestyle of both the European immigrants and the Maoris.
A lovely walk around the harbour area, a plate of food, lots of New Zealand avocado and we were ready to return to Queen Victoria.
A lovely evening Sailaway.
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