Thursday, September 20, 2007

Wellington

The capital of New Zealand! After living in a relatively small town for so long, it was a bit of a shock arriving in Wellington. Buildings well and truly taller than 3 stories, people wandering around in suits, rush hours, Starbucks on every corner, traffic jams, you get the general picture. So I just walked around gawking at everything for the first couple of hours thinking, "Wow, isn't everything big..." with my jaw gapping, as I hadn't been in a good sized city for almost a year.

Part of the huge Wellington Harbour.

There is lots to do in Wellington. Lots of galleries and museum to peruse and ponder in. Cuba Street was a nice highlight - saw some arty types doing street theatre, buskers playing and people being bohemian, you know, little cafes and that. I got the feeling in parts that if you were not wearing a waistcoat or some fancy headgear, a beret perhaps, you were positively frowned upon, but that might have just been me or my in-head dialogue at least.

An iconic sculpture on Cuba Street. The bucket's would fill up and tip into the ones below in a haphazard fashion and if you weren't watching it sounded as if someone was vomiting loudly, the age of which depended on which size of bucket was tipping.

A cool sculpture in the air. Very clever. Some of that new science happening, I'm sure.

There's a rickety old venicular that climbs one of Wellington's many hills that was worth a visit. Some pleasant views from the top, with a lovely descent through some botanical gardens back down the political centre, where the Houses of Parliament are, erm, housed. The actual Parliament building, nicknamed the beehive, is pretty wierd looking to be honest, see below. The area also boasts one of the worlds largest wooden buildings. Nice.

The Beehive. Where PM Helen Clark lives! Or works. Whichever.

The general vibe that I got from Wellington was pretty good. Everyone seemed to be quite relaxed and nice and friendly, not normal behavior for people trotting about in their nations capital I wouldn't think. Although the weather gets a bad wrap 'cos it's windy most of the time, it's a really nice place to be, with a strong sense of identity.

The botanical gardens looked very pretty, lots of spring plants springing about being spring-like. You know, flowers and all that girly sort of nonsense.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...


Shanxi loses Fosan unexpectedly advocate be suspicious of handsome choose and employ persons brings fan to exeunt
In first match, for a long time did not appear in the Zhang Xuewen of field to behave bright look, biting breakthrough, active go all out grab your spot to explode ceaselessly canopy, and Shanxi fan is right native land " small flying a person adept in martial arts and given to chivalrous conduct " expect to also be after silent for a long time collective erupts. Call with Zhang Xuewen " Gemini star " Duan Jiangpeng grabs an eye likewise, first 3 3 cent balls in be being cast, get 12 minutes. Of this brilliant to once guiding Shanxi to be hit military successes " Gemini " assorted head section closes chop 19 minutes, shanxi with 37 than 36 temporarily banner.
Review the 2nd, more resemble be Aienjia " chaffy dish time " , in the quick attack that grabs bring up the rear in Fosan team, aienjia chases after body old hat to be brought so that full-court screams, back-to-back Shanxi is grabbed again in aggression, right now picture and the exceptionally likeness before 5 seconds, aienjia another write down calm board old hat ignites the whole audience again. Meanwhile, shanxi encourages foreign aid of lucky female basket Maya Maer also appears in first bank river sports center, cause a disturbance.
Difference of the 3rd bilateral cent is in all the time 3 and 5 between wander, although Aienjia is defending upright expression grabs an eye, but aggression method still is shown drab, a few times Lv Xiaoming kills basket to issue unmanned however follow-up, fitness quite the Aienjia of beautiful is chronic however wander outside 3 minutes of lines, be drilled by the [url=http://wholesalenikeshoes.page4.me/]cheap jordans for sale[/url] bishop Zhang Degui is changed subsequently. And help Shanxi is right now critical of score is Bensaiji the Ge Zhao treasure with Shanxi group the steadiest performance, cast in play the hair that do not have empty almost, team of the 3 Shanxi after the section with 95 than 101 temporarily backward.
Before minor details 3 minutes, shanxi team gets 4 minutes only, cent difference is pulled for a time arrive 9 minutes greatly. After had paused, duan Jiangpeng moves to hit the target outside 3 minutes of lines, fosan team Mi Xier retaliates 3 minutes likewise, back-to-back Ceng Lingxu another write down 3 minutes, enlarge cent difference again. Right now Aienjia is changed loathly also, bring spot fan is malcontently.
To this, practice of Shanxi team bishop represents, aienjia shoot a basket is very poor, do not enter even penalty shot, team whole is hit very much not fluent, he returns the opportunity that a lot of sky are cut however is outer line standing, change so can the Pan Jiang of shoot a basket, the hope can help team miniature score. But defending still is too poor, integral play is not good.
Data side, 5 people get on Shanxi team double, charles gets 9 bank 33 minutes, duan Jiangpeng gets 28 minutes, aienjiade covers a cap 6 times to 13 minutes, lv Xiaoming gets 12 minutes, send secondary attack. Ren Junwei of player of record of Fosan team Taiyuan gets entire line 29 minutes highest, have 11 bank additionally, whole group in all 6 people notch on double, 48 backboard compare whole group Shanxi tower above 14, it is the key of get victory. (Be over)