Friday, 18 November

Tauranga, NZ

Tauranga is the largest and busiest port in New Zealand. It is situated on a peninsula that juts into the Bay of Plenty and the Pacific Ocean. It is connected by bridge to the upscale beachfront village of Mount Maunganui, home to many spas and beaches. Its headland is Mt Maunganui, an extinct volcano that can be easily climbed in a couple of hours. But the main draw of Tauranga is that it takes one hour to drive to Rotorua, blessed with volcanic lava pools, hot springs, and mud baths. LFLat Sea will get there eventually, but for now it is time to return south for a second day in Wellington City 

Monday, 14 Nov 2022

Wellington, New Zealand

My shore excursion this morning takes me back into the CBD and harbor areas of the city. I will pass by some areas and buildings that I visited yesterday, but most of the tour will cover areas I have not seen. 

The tour begins with a guided visit to the National Museum Te Papa; you can find a photo of the exterior in the previous blog. This is a large, 4-story, world-renowned museum that takes the visitor through the various histories of New Zealand:  natural, indigenous, colonial, and modern. Exhibits range from the scientific analysis of animal, fish, and plant life--including the largest squid ever captured, with three brains and eyes as large as a basketball--to the discovery of the uninhabited islands by the Maori, originally from Hawaii and Polynesia, to the modern relationship between European and Maori cultures.

Maori Aggression Statue, with Detail Below

     

Maori Chieftain House

Maori War Shield

The next stop is Old St Paul's Catholic Church (1866), one of the earliest in Wellington and constructed entirely of wood. It no longer holds regular services, but is still consecrated and can be used for weddings and other ceremonies. Its most important purpose is as a tourist attraction.

The Wellington Tram is one of the city's most iconic symbols. It is used by locals for commuting to homes in the hills above the city, and by tourists for the views of the harbor and city from the top.

Lower Tram Station in CBD

A Tram Approaches the Lower Station Through a Tunnel of Light

Tram Approaching the Upper Station

The Upper Tram Station

Views from the Top (Above and Below)

There is an entrance to the Botanical Garden at the top of the tram line, but the garden itself winds its way down the hill (like the one in Funchal, Madeira), so that we tourists ride our waiting bus to the lower part of the garden that is more easily accessible. The bus parks close to the blooming rose garden, the begonia hot house, and a snack bar, where a mid-day muffin is quite acceptable.

We then drive up the narrow, curving road to Mt Victoria, the highest point in the Wellington area. Here we have more views of the city and harbor, and especially of the airport on the other side of the city.

Back down in the city we pass a fish restaurant with a not-very-friendy-looking model on the roof.

Finally we return to the Westerdam in time for lunch and a late afternoon departure from beautiful Wellington Harbor