A few years ago I
spent twelve months in New Zealand, six
months of which I lived in Wellington. One of the smaller capitals in the
world, located in the south of the North island, this vibrant city is bursting
with culture, charm and charisma but can take a little bit of adjusting to. Not
only is the placement odd with water on one side and hills on the other, the
wind here can easily reach 100km per hour and the atmosphere is more of a
quirky town than metropolitan city.
Working full time and settling into a
new apartment I hadn't dedicated much time to explore this lovely little city.
Don't get me wrong I'd ticked off all the major attractions, visited the big
museums and ridden the cable car, but living here gave me the opportunity to
find what really made Wellington special.
I set myself a challenge; to take
photos of all the things I thought represented Wellington. Instead of
walking by trying to get to work or run an errand, I was going to take the time
to absorb everything and understand the city’s personality a little better.
I hoped that taking a
closer look at what the city has to offer, I would gain a
greater appreciation for a place I hadn't instantly fallen in love with.
And so on a blue skied Sunday
morning, armed with my camera I set out to capture what I felt best represented
Wellington and to discover how the city had charmed so many before me.
I walked up and down Cuba Street on a daily basis and sometimes forgot everything it has to offer. From buskers to quirky shops and original art deco buildings it's a bustling street full of surprises. From high street chains to small owned businesses' it's a great place to shop for something unique. The abundance of cafes and restaurants are a perfect place to enjoy a coffee and people watch in the sunshine, alternatively stop by to eat in the heritage-listed building, formerly the Bank of New Zealand, for a Burger King!
Two of my favourite stops along Cuba were
Iko Iko, for fun homewares and stationery, and Wellington Sea Market for the
BEST fish and chips. You can literally spend all day here if you wanted or an
enjoyable few hours at the least.
The harbour is a natural progression from Cuba Street and the hub of
Wellington. Full of locals and tourists alike there is always something to see,
you may even catch the occasional mad swimmer braving the cold water! Every Sunday there’s a farmers market, Harbourside
Market, with food trucks selling delicious treats and farmers flogging fresh
produce. Sometimes they even have puppies from the local pet adoption to play
with. The Underground market is open every Saturday displaying handmade crafts,
antiques and unique gifts alongside traditional wares and fairtrade coffee. It’s
held in the underground car park on the harbour and makes for a great bimble.
Once you have looked around the market stalls and had a chance to grab a coffee a short walk will bring you to the famous Te Pap museum. The displays here are fantastic, learn about the Maori history, see hyge marine animals or explore war time and science.
I spent many an hour sat in their café enjoying a cup of tea and attempting to keep my travel journal up to date and I could never bypass the gift shop, full of hand crafted wares and earthquake proof blu tac.
Wellington as a whole is a city that encourages art in every form. The
harbour is littered with old, new and unusual pieces to inspire. Connecting the
harbour with the city, a huge silver ball made from ferns, the national symbol,
hangs suspended in the air. It seamlessly combines city and sea as it
magically floats between the City Gallery, Council buildings and Library.
Away from the harbour, further into the city and up one of its many hills lies the renowned cable car. Shiny and red it impressively glides (well, it sometimes struggles) up a steep hill, A gliding 119m to the top, depositing its guests at a look out at the top. There’s also a small museum about the history of the tram that you can peruse for free. There’s a beautiful view of the entire city and harbour from here. I’d recommend staying up there to watch the sunset as the reflections from the buildings are breath-taking. The top of the hill also leads you into the botanical gardens. I love the botanical gardens and this path winds downhill through different themes; past little old buildings and the occasional graveyard, if you so choose. Great at any time of the year, as there are often events going on for you to enjoy.
Wellington holds many secrets and surprises; despite the occasional gale force wind is a beautiful place to live. Its character is shy and inviting, its smile bright and wide. This small city welcomes you with open arms and I can understand why so many people have a special place in their hearts for Wellington.
There are still many more places to
explore in this city but this was a good start!
Keep travelling,
Steph
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