February 25
Wellington
Wellington is the capital of New Zealand on the southwestern
tip of the North Island. Auckland was chosen
as the capital city in 1840 but influential South Island gold miners
campaigning for a more central capital, managed to have the seat of government
moved to Wellington in 1865. Today the
city is the political center of New Zealand, as well the center for the arts
scene and nightlife. It is also an
important center of the country’s film and theater industry. One of the tourist
highlights is the Wellington Cable Car, a funicular railway, between the main
shopping street and a suburb in the hills overlooking the central city.
Having ridden the Cable Car on our last visit, we elected to
do our own walking tour of the city in the morning (our usual postcards hunt
for the grandkids). In the afternoon we did a crazy Range Rover Safari up and
over the hills of Wellington to the coast to view New Zealand fur seals. We did not realize, however, that when the
paved road stopped, we would continue driving on the beach “road” which had
been recently washed out by a storm, to where the seals love to sun themselves
on rocks in between meals. It turned out to be a wild adventure; not for the
faint of heart! And one we would pay for
with aching bones the next day!
Enjoy the pictures…again a mix of clouds and sun which we
encountered most of the time in New Zealand, along with cooler temperatures, as we move further south of the equator.
Cheers!
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A view from the highest point in Wellington looking dow to the city and port.
Your probably can't make it out, but our ship can be seen in the port. Suburban sprawl
is moving up the side of the mountain. |
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| A view from the same vantage point out to the coast |
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Wellington is the windiest city in NZ and they are beginning to work with
the wind turbines as an energy source. |
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| Unlike the USA, New Zealand has deer farms! |
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| Some are friendly and the tour guide brings along bread to feed them |
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| This is a little female...so cute! |
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| Part of the herd |
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| Believe it or not....a group of workers from Pisa, Italy built this lighthouse! |
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| Nap time |
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| These guys posed for us |
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Winds can reach up to 125 miles/hour! That could be another reason
the lighthouse leans. |
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| The inside of a puau shell used for jewelry and decorative items |
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| A volcanic rock area along the beach...what a ride! |
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