The Travelling Nutmeg: 3 hours in Wellington
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| Stunning architecture |
Wellington is a coastal city along the south of New Zealand's North Island. Whew that was a long one to get out! The journey by bus allows you to take in the countryside with its herds of sheep and cows that are the fattest and healthiest I've ever seen. In fact just seeing so many freely sauntering through the fields was a shock in itself. Every now and then there's a glimpse of the ocean and South island itself. I almost forgot about my little island until I happened upon a traffic exit to you won't believe it...
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| Credit Grenada Village Community |
a hidden suburb in the mountains of New Zealand. Of course, stopping wasn't an option but it was a touching reminder of where I came from, pun intended. As we drove into the city there was an immediate vibe the people here worked hard and played harder.
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| Work poster celebrating both Maori and New Zealander employees |
Now with only 3 hours to spare and a group tour to include, we hustled to our first stop Te Papa Tongawera.
This Museum can only truly be appreciated when unrushed and so I can't say I truly engaged with each display. A return visit is already in the works
You are given an ipod and headphone reminiscent of WalkMan days to listen along interviews with the artist of the pieces you engaged in.
I especially enjoyed the Art Studio: Colour section which included this mechanised display by Rebecca Baumann of Australia. It is called Automated Colour Field (Variation 8) from 2017.
Each colour block was mounted with a clock mechanism so that some cards flipped on the minute and others on the hour. In total there are 140 flip clocks.
Lunch soon approached and it seemed only right to take in the harbour as chilly as it was. There were only two kinds of mammals unbothered by the weather. Bikin short wearing runners and these hungry guys...
A walk along the quay was actually quite entertaining. 90s hip hop from the cafes, pop up shops of crafts, a broken piano and Scottish pipers whose bag pipes were definitely not broken. It was just the right balance quirky. And honestly this visit by Stephen Colbert helped me to ease in the difference much quicker.
If you want to speed things up to include the Cable Car ride or a visit to Mount Victoria then you can download the Onzo, Flamingo or Uber app and ride one of these around the city. Simply leave it at your destination and the rental fee is worked out through your account. Unfortunately we couldn't get it to work so off to walk we did.
We walked along Lambton Quay which is commercial with a healthy sprinkle government buildings. It was also a mix of European and Contemporary architecture like this arch at Harris Street
This is Maori for Container of Treasures and is the National Museum of New Zealand. It was established almost 20 years ago to celebrate Maori identity and existence on their land. And manages to do this on all six floors.
This Museum can only truly be appreciated when unrushed and so I can't say I truly engaged with each display. A return visit is already in the works
Nature sections on Level 1 and 2 educate you on the origin of flightless birds, creation of limestone caves, formation of different volcanic rock and the literal shaking of an earthquake house. Many of the displays are kid friendly and interactive ensuring a deep learning experience.
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| Photo Credit tepapa.govt.nz |
I accidently and remorsefully skipped Level 3 which details human effect on the environment and Level 4 which displays Maori origin and history with documents such as the Treaty of Waitangi (Aotearoa New Zealand's founding document). I know right?!
I spent a significant amount time on Level 5 at the Toi Art display. It was the first time I entered a space that allowed you to photograph and interact with your art. I found a lot of pieces relatable as they were quite contemporary in nature.
You are given an ipod and headphone reminiscent of WalkMan days to listen along interviews with the artist of the pieces you engaged in.
I especially enjoyed the Art Studio: Colour section which included this mechanised display by Rebecca Baumann of Australia. It is called Automated Colour Field (Variation 8) from 2017.
Each colour block was mounted with a clock mechanism so that some cards flipped on the minute and others on the hour. In total there are 140 flip clocks.
There was also a "healing booth" by Tiffany Singh that explored the effect the colour on human emotion. I figured why not evoke some Vogue while I was at it. I thought of trying out Suggestion #14 "Lie down on the gallery floor. How does that change what you see?". Then I realised if I stared at those lights I may never see again.
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| Thanks for the psychedelic lights Tiffany |
This social media display by Janet Lipo consists of a wall of hundreds of profile pictures while the soft croons of Beyonce' Halo covers played in the background. It was a painful reminder of how this digital landspace has changed the way we see each other. How we have become objects for the pleasure of each other's entertainment. But this was the biggest take away: to be motivated by love.
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| Janet's message to each patron |
Lunch soon approached and it seemed only right to take in the harbour as chilly as it was. There were only two kinds of mammals unbothered by the weather. Bikin short wearing runners and these hungry guys...
A walk along the quay was actually quite entertaining. 90s hip hop from the cafes, pop up shops of crafts, a broken piano and Scottish pipers whose bag pipes were definitely not broken. It was just the right balance quirky. And honestly this visit by Stephen Colbert helped me to ease in the difference much quicker.
 |
If you want to speed things up to include the Cable Car ride or a visit to Mount Victoria then you can download the Onzo, Flamingo or Uber app and ride one of these around the city. Simply leave it at your destination and the rental fee is worked out through your account. Unfortunately we couldn't get it to work so off to walk we did.
We walked along Lambton Quay which is commercial with a healthy sprinkle government buildings. It was also a mix of European and Contemporary architecture like this arch at Harris Street
The heights, textures and colours are a breathtaking combination.
But the ultimate reward was glimpsing the Beehive, the official parliament building. Until I see Ms. Ardern, this is considered unfinished business.
Similar to Palmy, the city is filled with many different eating options but I settled on a simply yet tropical Mango sorbet. Easy for on the go and refreshing for the heat.
The foodie and historian in me can't wait to return to this city. So many views and stories to take in. Look out for an updated visit soon.
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