After all that driving and experiencing the rather exciting challenge of driving the windy, narrow and steep streets of Wellington, we decided to use public transportation for our one day of tourism here. We caught the bus just up the street from Art and Josemi's and went first to the major art and historical museum downtown, Te Papa. We wisely decided to take a paid tour and Phil--our 1/2 Chinese, 1/4 Maori, 1/4 English guide--did a wonderful job talking about geology, history, and culture. We had a bite of lunch in one of the museum cafes, took a simulated submarine ride down into the ocean trench extending north from NZ and met up with a small band of cave trolls.
We wandered around the water front a while; there was some amazing public sculpture around, including a sphere suspended between the buildings that appeared to float in air.
It was really windy--which we understand is the norm in Wellington--but sunny and beautiful. Then we headed uphill on a cable car to the Wellington Botanic Garden. Big rose garden, swaths of agapanthus/Century plant (which they consider to be weeds), and whole hillsides of different colored hydrangea. Really beautiful. Also incorporated an old cemetary.
We walked down the hill into town, waited a very long time for the right bus, and eventually made it back to Art and Josemi's house. Took the car out to top off the tank and went home to a delicious dinner of fish, quiche, onion pie and salad. Josemi had made an orange cake for desert. Here are our wonderful hosts.
We had to finally curtail another fascinating and wide-ranging conversation to finish packing and get some sleep before our early departure the next morning.
We wandered around the water front a while; there was some amazing public sculpture around, including a sphere suspended between the buildings that appeared to float in air.
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