{"id":28345,"date":"2016-07-21T08:38:54","date_gmt":"2016-07-21T06:38:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/peregrinusmundi.com\/une-semaine-decouverte-wellington\/"},"modified":"2020-07-06T10:14:33","modified_gmt":"2020-07-06T08:14:33","slug":"a-week-of-discovery-in-wellington","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/peregrinusmundi.com\/en\/a-week-of-discovery-in-wellington\/","title":{"rendered":"A week of discovery in Wellington"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Wellington appears in a pretty bay after a very long journey along the west coast of the North Island. I have been in New Zealand for two weeks now and it is time to go visit the country’s capital. Less populated than Auckland, Wellington lies in the bay of the same name from where the ferries leave for the South Island and is surrounded by the Miramar peninsula and mountain ranges. In the Maori language, Wellington is called Te Whanganui-a-Tara meaning “The great port of Tara”. Wellington is also nicknamed “Windy Welly” because of very frequent gusts of wind sweeping through the strait connecting the bay to the sea and making Wellington one of the windiest cities in the country. Although quite small for a capital (which makes it so charming), Wellington has an important artistic, nocturnal and cultural life. Te Papa, the country’s largest national museum, is located by the sea and Weta, Peter Jackson’s studio, is on the Miramar Peninsula.<\/p>

I disembark late in the afternoon in gray weather to drop off my things at an hostel that looks like an old impersonal hotel. I hesitate a little since I decided to stay a week in the area. The mantra “Don\u2019t worry, be happy” chases away my negative thoughts and I resolve to introduce myself at the reception. Night falls and I stroll along the seaside which bathes in a half-quiet, half-animated atmosphere. Despite what little I see, Wellington instantly appeals to me.<\/p>

The week passes quickly and taking advantage of the sun, I walk in the districts of the city. Wellington is situated in an absolutely magnificent environment. Surrounded by the bay, mountains and the peninsula, the capital has a small, charming city center made up of the business district and designer boutiques and a mixture of buildings dating from the 19th century to the present day. There is also the New Zealand parliament, affectionately known as the “Beehive” because of its unique architecture, as well as the Embassy Theater, which hosted all of the first sessions of the Lord of the Rings<\/em> trilogy and The Hobbit<\/em>. I went inside to admire the posters of Peter Jackson\u2019s movies. Little moment of emotion!<\/p>

The Wellington waterfront has an incredible atmosphere. Formerly a seaport, the seaside has been completely renovated to offer residents an incredible space for relaxation. The ascent of Mount Victoria, 196 meters of greenery delimiting the downtown district and that of Oriental Parade offers a superb view of the bay. Oriental Parade is a neighborhood made up of a mix of beautiful Victorian hillside villas with the only beach in central Wellington. There is even a fountain in the sea!<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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