Great day for a walk in Wellington, New Zealand

My Monday morning walk produced lots of great sights … we went up the cable car to the botanic gardens, had coffee and walked back into the city.

we always leave from the whare waka

we went up the water-driven lift

Back in the city there were events in Civic Square to celebrate Māori Language week – Te Wiki o te Māori , so I bought a hangi for tonight’s dinner . . .

hangi with pork and chicken

. . . and then, walking back up Cuba Street I spotted my local Green MP (James Shaw) being interviewed about mental health issues and the need for an inquiry into past wrongs.

Photos of public art in the Wellington Botanic Gardens, NZ

 

Grab a free map of the sculpture walk to see these, and many more great pieces of art, Wellington’s Botanic Gardens.

I took these photos on a recent walk … and thought others may like to see them. Take the cable car from the CBD up to the gardens and wander around these lovely gardens.

Punting from historic boatsheds

Historic boat sheds

In 1850 swamp covered the beginnings of Christchurch and settlers had to walk through bog to get home after the market. Those early British settlers must have been sorely disillusioned when they first saw the soggy land which was to be their home on the other side of the world.

Between 1000 and 1500, Maori (who had arrived here from the Pacific) had a settlement in this area, called Puari. It stretched east from the Otakaro River and was home to around 800 Waitaha people who gathered eels, whitebait, native trout, ducks, and flounder.

Scaup .. a native diving duck

Curator’s Cottage. Botanic Gardens

Paradise shelduck – named the painted duck by Capt. James Cook

The Deans family renamed the river to Avvon – after a small Scottish river near their old home – later the spelling was changed to Avon by the new settlers who had followed the Scottish brothers. Now, the bog long drained, every weekend Cantabrians (we who live in Canterbury, New Zealand) and tourists go boating on the same river.

The centre of this fun is of course the historic Antigua Boat Sheds. One of many boat sheds which were established along the river in the 1870s/80s. Many generations of locals have spent time messing around in boats hired from them and, I too learnt to row in the gentle waters of this spring fed river.

The Antigua boat-sheds were built by a couple of boat builders and it is one of Christchurch’s oldest buildings. Open all year, and with a cafe full of home-cooked food attached, it makes a great setting for all sorts of events – from weddings and cocktail parties to children’s parties- as well as a family fun day in the park.

As well as canoes and paddle boats for hire and you can also have  Welcome Aboard punt you upstream, through the beauty of the botanic gardens, – perhaps even sipping champagne or tucking into a hamper of food which is optional. I once again enjoyed relaxing on a punt during my time in Christchurch earlier this year – it was as delightful as ever.

Thanks to Welcome Aboard for your hospitality on the punts, gondola,caterpillar, and trams.

 

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Riding a caterpillar in Christchurch!

As well as riding the rails recently, in Christchurch New Zealand, I also rode a caterpillar: no, not the turn-into-a-butterfly type caterpillar but an electric one in the city’s Botanic Gardens – this is Caterpillar Garden Tour is one of the attractions operated by Welcome Aboard

tarc

Known to Māori for hundreds of years, Christchurch was officially settled by the British in 1850. Plans for the Botanic Gardens began 13 years later in the area that at that stage were largely made up of wetlands and sand dunes, and in 1863 an English oak was planted to commemorate the marriage of Queen Victoria’s eldest son Prince Albert – this is the same year that my maternal family arrived from Cornwall, followed in 1872 by my paternal Scottish ancestors. Like those early trees, our roots are deep in the plains and peninsula.

the Avon provides a great setting

Nestled in a loop of the Avon River the gardens are a popular place for locals and visitors value that the area was ‘reserved for ever as a public park and to be open with the recreation and enjoyment of the public’ when Christchurch was in its infancy.

Scott and Shackleton worked from this spot

A magnetic observatory  has stood here in the gardens since the beginning of the 20th century. This is not the original building but is on the very spot where explorers such as Scott and Shackleton calibrated their instruments before heading to the South Pole.

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Birds bathing in spring waters

It’s fun to sit and watch some common birds bathing in a natural spring beside the Avon River in the Christchurch Botanic Gardens (New Zealand)

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And if you prefer to slowdown your viewing . . .

Snowy Christchurch – beautiful pics

Down in Christchurch to write some travel stories – however snow is the topic de jour!

Enjoy these pics: while I’m in the warmth of the beautiful  Classic Villa here in the Cultural Precinct  in the city centre – off to have lunch soon at theRobert Harris Cafe beside the YMCA .. both which are both open .. as are the Boatsheds! No matter what we MUST have coffee of course!

A different view of the Peacock Fountain today - Christchurch Botanic Gardens

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