Who would have ever thought I would be spending a birthday way down in a farthest corner of the world? And what better place in New Zealand to play host than Wellington. This city had a warm cultural and artistic buzz right from the start.
We began with a view from up on Mt Victoria and then went for a beer in an ex-fire station called St John’s Ambulance. My friend Mark from back in Paris sent us to this place which is right in the heart of things down in the harbor. The beautiful building was filled after work inside and outside with people soaking the last bits of sun from the lawn. It was another shock to see some stylishly dressed workers, as opposed to the fleece and jeans kiwis we've been hanging out with on the road. We stuck out enough that a group of three people came over to make sure we had a good agenda in Wellington and were properly welcomed.
We continued our exploration the next day by starting with Wellington's top attraction, the Te Papa national museum of New Zealand, which literally means "our place". The beautiful museum was rich in natural history and kitchy kiwi facts. Steph went off for an hour to get to the bottom of her curiosity about the Waitomo treaty between English settlers and indigenous Maori tribes. But the centerpiece for both of us was a colossal squid, preserved on show, with eyes the size of soccer balls!
What is it with cities that have trams? Wellington, Melbourne, Milan, Amsterdam and San Fran are all civilized hotbeds for art, culture, fashion and of course, cafes.
Steph packed a handy picnic (ham, cheese, salt & vinigar crisp sandwiches) for us to eat in the harbor while one of the town's many buskers strummed Bob Dylan and canoes paddled by. The afternoon was then one big exploration of town. We found the high fashion department stores on Lambton Quay and the independent arts shops on Cuba Street. We then took the famous cable car up to the top of the botanical gardens. Jamie, another buddy back home, suggested we head up since this used to be one of his daily commutes to university. Steph fell asleep in front of the Crater Observatory on the top.
What was already a top birthday ended at restaurant called Matterhorn. It reminded me of Freeman's in New York. The attitude was so effortlessly good and unpretentious. The cosy dim restaurant is also a bit tucked away without trying to be too secretive. This was a treat. So we both chose a succulent Merino lamb with a delicious sauvignon blanc. Not a bad day at all !
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