Fire, Flood, Pestilence

Cuba Street

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuba_Street,_Wellington

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bucket_Fountain

We had enjoyed a good few hours relaxing in Wellington's beautiful harbourside location; we could have easily spent the rest of the afternoon and evening there enjoying the sunshine, the arty atmosphere and the glorious uplifting shades of blue all around us.

But as we had booked a few shows that week in the Cuba Street area of Wellington, we thought we should go and check out the venues in daylight first.

Cuba Street is recognised as "a prominent city street in Wellington, and has been widely called the centre of the city's unique, vibrant culture scene",

"The street, internationally famed for its "bohemian nature", boasts scores of cafés, performance venues, shops, restaurants, record shops, bookshops, heritage architecture of various styles, and a general "quirkiness" that has made it one of the city's most popular tourist destinations"

We certainly agree that it was quirky, alternative, a tourist magnet for young and old alike.

We were only walking through on that day but we would definitely return and spend longer there on one of our other days in Wellington.

According to Wikipedia, Cuba Street's history "is one of the most notable of all of Wellington's streets"

"Contrary to colloquial assumption it appears that the street is not named after Cuba, but after an early New Zealand Company settler ship, the Cuba, which arrived in Wellington Harbour on 3 January 1840".

"Several cafés and restaurants in that area, take this misinterpretation in their stride, having names and colours that reference the island".

"Cuba Street runs across land that was once next to Te Aro Pā and gardens of Māori iwi who lived there before colonisation".

"The street's historic buildings, spanning Edwardian, Art Deco, and various weatherboard styles, were completed from the 19th-20th centuries".

"From the 1970s to early 80s, the street became the red light district of Wellington, and a sign of solidarity against the severe anti-male homosexuality laws which New Zealand retained until 1986".

"The street's rainbow crossing and images of local drag queen and activist Carmen Rupe commemorate this".

"The section between Dixon Street and Ghuznee Street is a pedestrian mall, with bustling streets filled with shops and shoppers at all times of day".

"The area is divided into distinct parts: Lower, Central and Upper Cuba, which have their own unique  architecture and are fairly distinct and different in style from each other".

"Lower Cuba is certainly more pedestrianised".

"Part of the large inner city suburb of Te Aro, Cuba Street has increasingly become the home of Wellington's artistic culture since the 1960s, and has been called the city's "creative heart"".

The Bucket Fountain, Cuba Street 

"The Bucket Fountain is an iconic kinetic sculpture located in Cuba Mall, which is part of Cuba Street".

"It consists of a series of "buckets" that fill with water until they tip, spilling their load into the buckets and pool below".

"The fountain was designed by Burren and Keen and erected in 1969."

"Much of the water does not reach the buckets below, but instead splashes onto pedestrians and onlookers".

"On windy days (every day we were there in Wellington) water is carried several metres from the fountain".

"People often add dishwashing detergent to the water, which then overflows with bubbles all over the mall".

This is common on Friday and Saturday nights apparently though we were there on a Saturday night and we did not have the pleasure.

"Wellington City Council upgraded the fountain in 2003, and some buckets were turned around so they intentionally tip their water onto the pavement".

I must say we found that fountain totally hypnotic.

When you see it at first, you don't think of it as art but as a quirky installation such as you might find near a children's playground but then it captivates you and before you know it you have been watching it for a good half hour. 

According to Wikipedia, "Kinetic art is art from any medium that contains movement perceivable by the viewer or depends on motion for its effect" - well that fountain certainly does that.

The Cavern Club - Wellington

https://www.cavernclub.co.nz/

Not long after our arrival in Cuba Street, our daughter and her fiancé had to return to Bats Theatre to set up for the evening performance.

We stayed a little longer and even enjoyed a cup of tea for me and a beer for my husband in one of the many Cuba Street bars.

We had booked ourselves into Australian Comedian Matt Harvey's hilarious show 'I got bit by a monkey' at 8:00 pm which was at a venue called the Cavern Club.

We had been to the Cavern Club in Liverpool the previous summer whilst visiting friends in Merseyside so we were curious as to how Wellington's Cavern Club would compare.

It was smaller than the Liverpool one but it did look like it and the atmosphere was perfect; it definitely captured the 1960s beatlamania era.

"Inspired by the 60's and 70's, this is a venue dedicated to songs of bygone eras and good ol' fashioned rock'n'roll!" Claims the website.

"Come along and have a cheeky wee boogie while treating your taste buds to a cocktail from our delicious menu".

"Located slightly away from the main hub of Courtenay Place, the Cavern Club just might be Wellington’s best kept secret".

For now at least.....

"Stand-up comedy shows featuring a selection of the best up and coming comics from the local scene" are available at the Cavern all year round".

But during the Comedy Fringe season "the Cavern Club entertains its patrons with "Comedy gold and comedy coal".

"Each night is a guaranteed gamble".

"With a mix of new performers doing their best, and established acts trying something new, Comedy at Cavern is the great place to spot the next big thing!"

"With a changing line up each week, there'll be a bit of something for everyone".

If you're an aspiring comedian, local to Wellington and interested in performing, email the Humorous Arts Trust at contact@humorous.co.nz to book a spot.

Matt Harvey - "I got bit by a Monkey" 

https://www.broadwayworld.com/new-zealand/article/Matt-Harvey-Brings-I-GOT-BIT-BY-A-MONKEY-ONCE-to-Wellington-Fringe-2020-20200127

We had seen Matt Harvey the previous evening at The Best of Wellington show so we had an idea of his comedic style prior to seeing his solo show.

"After sell-out shows at the 2018 Melbourne Fringe Festival, 2019 Fringe World (Perth), Adelaide Fringe 2019 and 2018 Fringe at the edge of the world in Hobart, Matt shared his storytelling sensation of personal events to the wider world". 

"How would you get out of getting mugged"?

"Ever been propositioned for a road trip in a bus station bathroom?"

"What's the wildest animal you have been bitten by?"

"Ever been arrested?"

"Matt Harvey has done a lot of dumb things, and he knows that most of his audience has too".

"After an hour of listening to Matt's hilarious stories, you will definitely feel better about choices you may have made at certain periods of your life".

"Matt gets his audiences to explore  moments when they are most alone, most desperate, and most stupid".

It is totally hilarious, there is no doubt that Matt Harvey's first Wellington fringe experience was a roaring success, I would certainly recommend adding him to your 'to see' list if he is performing at a comedy festival near you..

Sunday 1 March 2020

Wellington Harbourside Market

http://www.harboursidemarket.co.nz/

As everyone was free that day until late afternoon, we could indulge in a few more tourist activities in beautiful Wellington.

We started our day with breakfast at Wellington's amazing Harbourside Market. 

This must surely be the most beautiful location for any market anywhere in the world. 

"The Harbourside Market is the oldest and most popular market in Wellington".

"A market of some sort (initially situated in the centre of Allen St and Blair St, just off Courtenay Place) has been serving customers in the Harbourside area since 1920".

"In 2002 when the market began in its current position it was often referred to by several different names; Waitangi Park Market, Te Papa Market and Chaffers Market".

"The market is now known as Harbourside Market", probably as it feels right to call it that due to its unique location.

"The Waitangi name it was given before, dates from when the area next to the current basin reserve was a shallow lake which suffered from flooding".

"After a series of earthquakes and subsequent drainage and reclamation of land around this part of Wellington’s coast, its potential as a good trading place grew in response to proximity to the city’s ports and the Te Aro railway station".

"Well before Harbourside Market began operating, much of the produce commerce was centred around Blair and Allen Streets, just off Courtenay Place, where wholesalers and growers came to trade in the warehouse buildings which still remain today".

"Blair Street was home to the Wellington Fruit and Produce Exchange which formed a central hub of the Wellington Produce Market".

"The warehouse buildings were accessed from street level, which allowed vehicles to enter and offload produce directly onto the market trading floor".

"Proximity to the Te Aro railway station as well as the port was also conducive to the market trading in this location. In particular, the southern extension of the rail network from the Lambton Station to the Te Aro station shortened the length of time it took for fresh produce to arrive into the city".

"A notable date in the area’s history was a massive fire on 26 November 1928 – the fire was so big it was fought from both Blair Street and Allen Street and caused extensive damage, and many buildings were destroyed and had to be re-built".

"The 1942 earthquake also had a profound effect on the area – several buildings in the area were demolished in response to a building programme; however, Allen and Blair Streets were redeveloped – many of the buildings escaped being demolished and now form an area of bars and restaurants in the original market buildings".

"The market has operated in its current location since August 2002, where every Sunday up to 25,000 people attend the market".

When we were there that beautiful sunny morning it was full of people; the atmosphere was vibrant and jovial and the breakfast options were wonderful.

My husband's bacon sandwich was the best I had tasted in a long time so sadly for him we ended up sharing it.

There were stalls and stalls of excellent fruit and vegetables including juicy, ripe stone fruit from Central Otago which this time we did buy rather a large amount of. 

We also bought lettuce, tomatoes, potatoes, freshly baked bread which was still warm and a few other market treats which we thoroughly enjoyed for the rest of our time there.

Now that we are into our second year of covid lockdowns and social distancing, we will always remember our trip to that market as the last mass gathering event we attended before we started feeling frightened and concerned for our safety.

As we were quite heavily laden with fresh produce after our jaunt to Wellington's excellent Harbourside Market, we had no choice but to drive back home to unload the car before continuing with our tourist schedule.

Once there though, we did succumb to a cup of tea with a bowl of plump red cherries and excellent freshly baked brioches from the market, before setting off on our next adventure and we unanimously agreed that we had just been to what must be one of the best and most beautifully located markets in the world 

Wellington Cable Car

https://www.wellingtoncablecar.co.nz/about-cable-car-english-page

For the best views in Wellington, a trip on the city's iconic cable car is a must.

"Wellington Cable Car is one of New Zealand's only running funicular railways".

"It is situated at the end of the Cable Car Lane, off Lambton Quay in the heart of Wellington's central business district and provides residents and tourists  a unique form of public transport from the city to the suburb of Kelburn and the Cable Car summit".

"In the 1890s Wellington was the fastest growing city in New Zealand and with the city becoming increasingly crowded speculators saw the opportunity to develop new suburbs beyond the town belt".

"In 1895 a group of Wellington businessmen had formed a company and purchased Upland Farm in the hills directly above the city centre for the purpose of residential development".

"At the same time the successful Wellington businessman Martin Kennedy had secured an extension on his lease of 5 acres of land just below Upland Road which included the current grounds of Weir House and the Cable Car station at Salamanca".

"The original Kelburn & Karori Tramway Company formed in 1898, was sold to the Wellington City Council in 1947 and was incorporated into the City’s passenger transport operations".

"In 1991 with the deregulation of the bus industry, the council sold its bus and trolleybus operations to the Stagecoach Group".

"The Cable Car and overhead trolley-bus wire network however, remained in Council ownership and Wellington Cable Car Limited was formed as a Council Controlled Organisation".

"The Cable Car uses regenerative braking so as the cars slow down, or if there are more passengers going down than up, it generates electricity and exports this into the local network".

"Wellington Cable Car is defined as a distributed generator, by the local lines company".

"Regenerative braking improves the energy efficiency of the Cable Car and reduces wear and tear on the braking system parts".

This was extremely interesting information for us as we always tried to support any form of regeneration and sustainable forms of tourism on our travels, not always easy to do obviously but we did try.

Wellington Botanic Garden

https://www.newzealand.com/uk/feature/wellington-botanic-garden/

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wellington_Botanic_Garden

The Wellington Botanic Garden covers 25 hectares of land on the side of the hill between Thorndon and Kelburn, which is the top of the cable car and our final destination.

When we first arrived in Kelburn, we actually thought that the rain forest feel of this area was very similar to  the rain forest surroundings of our accommodation in Wadestown.

"From the top of the Wellington Cable Car, and just minutes from the central business district, lies 25 hectares (64 acres) of beauty, peace and tranquillity".

"Established in 1844, the Wellington Botanic Garden is home to some of the oldest exotic trees in New Zealand"

"The garden features 25 hectares of protected native forest, conifers, plant collections and seasonal displays".

"It also features a variety of non-native species, including an extensive Rose Garden which reminded us of the beautiful one we saw in Christchurch".

New Zealand clearly does rose gardens well.

"The Wellington Cable Car runs between Lambton Quay and the top of the Botanic Garden, and it is the most direct way to get from the top part of the garden to Wellington's Central Business District".

"The walk down along the winding hill paths of the Garden through stunning native forest terrain, rendered that one of the most beautiful walks we had ever been on".

"As we meandered our way down on that glorious summer day, we noticed a large Victorian-style glasshouse, the Begonia House, the Lady Norwood Rose Garden and the Treehouse Visitor Centre".

"We also crossed a large children's play area, a duck pond, and a sign about glowworms which sadly are only visible along paths in the Main Garden on some nights".

"Large sculptures and carvings are located throughout the garden, featuring works from Henry Moore, Andrew Drummond, Mary-Louise Browne, Regan Gentry, Denis O'Connor and Chris Booth".

"TheSun Dial of Human Involvement we found particularly interesting and incredibly accurate".

"The constant stunning views across the city and harbour" were totally mesmerising and they definitely added to the natural attractions of that beautiful  Botanic Garden on that gloriously sunny day".

"The historic Bolton Street Memorial Park section, with its heritage roses and now famous grave stones of the city's founding pioneers", was particularly poignant in the early evening light".

Wellington Botanic Garden is classified as a Garden of National Significance by the Royal New Zealand Institute of Horticulture and is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful gardens I have ever visited.