Gina was outside with the bus. We drove through central Wellington. Gina dropped us in front of the New Zealand Parliament Buildings/Ngā whare Paremata.
The legislative Parliament House was very impressive. We got to see where the Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, gives press conferences. The legislature wasn't in session (they were on a retreat in Napier). We got to stand in the Chamber. My favorite room was the Maori-themed Select Committee Room. The Banquet Room was walled in NZ marble and wood.
The executive wing is nicknamed The Beehive/Te Whare Mīere. It's a cool building.
Next we visited the Supreme Court of New Zealand/Te Kōti Mana Nui.
Then we walked to the National Library of New Zealand/Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, where we saw the original Treaty of Waitangi (the most important NZ document) and the 1893 Women's Suffrage Petition (resulted in women getting the vote). Pedestrian walk signs in the area have a silhouette of Kate Sheppard, the suffragist who spearheaded the movement.
The Old Government Buildings are made of wood, but made to look like stone. The interior hanging staircase is gorgeous. The buildings currently house the Victoria University of Wellington.
We walked to lunch at The Thistle Inn. It's the oldest continuously operating pub in NZ. Our server gave us the full history of the place.
While at lunch we heard that the NZ Prime Minister, Jacinda Ahern, is stepping down in less than a month!
After lunch I wandered around Wellington, checking off things I wanted to see from my spreadsheet:
I stopped at La Champagneria for a glass of Quartz Reef NZ sparkling rose. It was quite refreshing on a warm day.
Next I went to The Welsh Dragon Bar, the only Welsh pub in the Southern Hemisphere and reportedly in a building that used to be public toilets. I enjoyed seeing the Welsh decor, which included several Tom Jones album covers.
I walked along Oriental Parade along Oriental Bay to Oriental Beach. There were a lot of people enjoying the sunshine and lack of wind. I took my shoes off and waded in the warm water.
I walked back to the hotel and took a short nap.
For dinner, I walked across the street to Coene's Bar & Eatery. It had good reviews, a casual menu, and was right on the Wellington Harbour. I started to sit at my window seat and heard my name. Robin and Bruce were there and had just ordered. I joined them at their table. We had a lovely meal (enjoyed my fish & chips) and lively conversation.
We walked across the street to the hotel and said our goodbyes after a fascinating day.
Photos: Oriental Bay
Great clouds and beach scene
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