Wellywood Backpackers ... #191

The distinctive zebra painted building in Tory Street Wellington makes an easily recognisable landmark, and is the home of Wellywood Backpackers.

Wellywood Backpackers is a place to stay when looking for value-for-money accommodation in New Zealand’s cultural and entertainment capital - Wellington.

Theaters, cinemas, public transport, Te Papa Museum, café’s, and of course, Wellington’s vibrant night-life are all within a ten minute walk.
At Wellywood Backpackers, we believe that staying in ‘budget accommodation’ shouldn’t mean having to lose some of those simple pleasures in life.
The backpackers has FREE High-Speed Internet, Spa Pool, TV Lounges, and many other amenities. They also provide a comprehensive fire, and integrated security system, including an all night security manager.

"With the ability to cater to the individual traveller looking to explore Wellington’s many unique attractions, as well as providing spacious rooms for school groups, sports groups, work groups, or just if you’re in town with a group of friends, let us share with you both our ‘home’ and our passion for our beautiful city."

Oriental Evening ... #190

The eastern end of Oriental Bay looking across the Harbour towards the Hutt Motorway which is below the hills on the horizon. This photo was taken at 7:30pm last night ... people were out walking, running, cycling while we sat in the evening sun and ate our dinner .. fish & chips and hamburgers.

Swimming in the shallow (30cm) water in front of the man reading a book and with his legs resting on the wall, was a stingray... about 1 metre from wingtip to wingtip.

Another magic evening in the capital city of that great little country somewhere in the South Pacific !!

Compassion ... #189

The Suzanne Aubert Compassion Centre is in Central Wellington, not far from where the first soup kitchen in Buckle Street was established in 1899. From here the Sisters of Compassion are continuing to support the marginalised of our community by:
Providing meals
Friendship and hospitality
Spiritual ministry and fellowship
Being advocates for the disadvantaged
Visiting those in need
Bringing hope and dignity to those who ‘just survive’

Their Mission: To Know and Express the Compassion of Jesus Christ. The work of the Sisters is well supported by the local community. There is much volunteer input, co-operation with local authorities and other help agencies. The Centre has no predictable income, and is reliant on the generosity of those who share its philosophy.

Mother Mary Joseph Aubert, who arrived in New Zealand as a missionary in 1860, is widely recognised as a determined and extraordinarily compassionate woman. A brief quotation from the New Zealand Dictionary of Biography seems apposite:-
“In 1899, in response to requests from medical men, Mother Aubert brought three sisters to Wellington to undertake sick visiting in the slums. By support from many quarters they were able to feed the needy by gifts, mostly in kind, for Wellington took them immediately to its heart. In 1900 they began to take in the most neglected, bedridden cases. Like all her works, this was gratuitous and undenominational. From this time, however, she relied only on benefactions inspired by Providence. “It is my bank and it has never failed me yet.” she said later. (Previously she and her helpers had had some Government aid or had sold produce or medicines.) A soup kitchen for unemployed men was opened, and in 1902 a day nursery, the first in Wellington. In 1907, with about 14 children from Jerusalem, she began at Island Bay a children's home and a residential nursery.”
It is in part thanks to her vision that more than 7,000 infants, children and young people were cared for in their early years by the Sisters of Compassion.

Flying Pieces ... #188

The practice of sending messages by homing pigeon during World War I is being rekindled in order to bring a billboard to Wellington. About 380 intrepid birds have been released gradually during the past fortnight from Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre in Blenheim, each carrying a piece of the billboard message rolled in a cylinder attached to its leg. The last 90 were let loose yesterday in the official ceremony - some by pre-schoolers. The billboard, which promotes the aviation centre, is believed to be the first in the world to be delivered in jigsaw pieces by carrier pigeon.

The puzzle is being put together this week with the last pieces being placed onThursday when Weta Workshop's Richard Taylor and three men dressed in World War I garb assemble the pieces on a billboard site at the corner of Dixon and Victoria streets. The weather today was hot and this guy in a heavy khaki WW1 uniform was sweatimnh it climbing up and down the ladder to place the pieces on the billboard

The heritage centre, whose collection is managed by a Peter Jackson-chaired trust, has one of the largest collections of World War I planes and memorabilia in the world. The Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre promotes aviation history through its world-class collection of World War One fighter planes. Planes are displayed in life-like exhibits created by Weta Workshop. The Centre is widely acknowledged as one of the world’s best World War One aviation experiences.

Chief executive Jane Orphan said homing pigeons were used as a tribute to the vital role they played in wartime communications. More than 100,000 pigeons were used during the war with a 95 per cent success rate.

Prize Giving ... #187

This is the time for the end of year prize giving events for all the main colleges in Wellington. Many of them use the Wellington Town Hall which is a fine example of late Victorian municipal architecture, and is currently and historically an important building for the city of Wellington. The building is a landmark civic building, of which there are few comparable buildings in New Zealand. The night usually lasts about 3 hours with prize giving, speeches, cultural & musical performances. This one was for Wellington East Girls College

Sunday Bonus ... #186

As a bonus for Sunday ... here is one of some "young" people heading out for their Sunday activities. I met them at Bordeaux Bakery on Thorndon Quay where they had just completed their pre-training activities of coffee and pastries. They were all in the mood for some mid-day exercise with friends. keep it up team.

Political Pigeons ... #185

Political fodder ... and the sentiments of this poem perhaps say more about the transient nature of the political environment than the world of our feathered city dwellers.

Pigeons

They paddle with staccato feet
In powder-pools of sunlight,
Small blue busybodies
Strutting like fat gentlemen
With hands clasped
Under their swallowtail coats;
And, as they stump about,
Their heads like tiny hammers
Tap at imaginary nails
In non-existent walls.
Elusive ghosts of sunshine
Slither down the green gloss
Of their necks in an instant, and are gone.
Summer hangs drugged from sky to earth
In limpid fathoms of silence:
Only warm dark dimples of sound
Slide like slow bubbles
From the contented throats.
Raise a casual hand -
With one quick gust
They fountain into air.

Richard Kell

PL8 SPK ... #184

THS 1 SPKS 4 ITS SLF

Garden Island ... #183

The gardens on the traffic islands are going through their summer make over ... the gardners have been working the rotary hoes over the soil in preparation and today they are planting the new flowering varieties.... slowly working their way south along Lambton Quay ... and again we see the guardians of the gardens protected by the "guardians of the city" .. the ubiquitous safey cones.

Arlington ... #182

The Arlington Council flats and apartments in Hopper Street ... at the southern end of the city

Architectural sTutters ... #181

Light louvres ... sustainable arcitecture ... maintenance nightmare ... timber tower ... wooden wonder

The brief for an aesthetically stunning building using Environmentally Sustainable Design principles (ESD) was set early in 2004 by Wellington Waterfront Ltd for building designers Studio of Pacific Architecture. One of New Zealand’s largest electricity generators, Meridian Energy is a leader in sustainable development , as evidenced by its commitment to only using renewable sources of generation to meet the country’s growing energy demands. In December 2004, Meridian Energy identified the need for a larger premise, and initiated a project to develop office accommodation that met both its immediate and long-term operational needs and which reflected its commitment to renewable energy and sustainability. The Meridian Energy building planners have adopted the ESD principles as a means to ensure the building meets a range of sustainability considerations throughout its entire life cycle. Not only is a comfortable and productive working environment a prerequisite, but waste minimisation and a reduction in energy and water use have also been sought, along with the use of eco-friendly building products.

The four-storey (18 metre high) Meridian building’s L-shaped configuration is specifically intended to create a sheltered northwest facing Kumutoto plaza that will seamlessly connect to the Kumutoto Precinct via an enclosed thoroughfare. The lower floor (5.3 metres high) has been designed as a retail space, and is dominated by glass walls that provide uninterrupted views through the building to the harbour, or back towards the Kumutoto Plaza. The striking saw-tooth roof integrates the overall building with the surrounding structures on the wharf.

The designers’ efforts to optimise energy use and comfort all year round have included extensive use of natural light and ventilation, as well as insulation. Solar gains are controlled by active shading systems which use external louvres and interstitial blinds within glazed facades, while photo sensors control the blinds and motorised louvres. The air supply is sourced entirely from outdoors, meaning the primary ventilation is provided by natural means. These innovative features are integrated into an overall passive design through the thermal mass properties of the building’s concrete shear wall core and other exposed concrete surfaces.

Friendly Attention ... #180

A disturbance of some nature at Frank Kitts Park on the waterfront ...that warrants a "once over" by the Police

End of the Day ... #179

The yacht marina at the Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club at dusk on a "calm" Wellington evening.

The Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club was formed in 1883 and has been closely associated with Wellington yachting for over 100 years.In July 1993 the Club launched the Sailing Academy. As a fulltime professionally run sail training facility, it provides a unique resource to the Wellington region. The Academy operates out of premises 115 Oriental Parade (boat harbour, next to Freyberg Pool, city side) with the two training boats berthed at the door. This offers a step-on, step-off facility to maximise sailing time. The Academy also provides the specialist wet weather clothing for all participants.

Karamu St ... #178

Photo taken looking south to the entrance to Karamu Street, Ngaio where I live. The abundance of trees and "green" is clearly evident. Also note that most of the house are timber construction ... and no double glazing !. The city is over to the left of the frame.

Thoughtful Observation ... #177

An awsome magic Wellington Day ... sun, light breeze ... WOW.
Contemplation and relaxation outside Mac Breweries Bar & Cafe on Taranaki Wharf. The New Zealand Stock Exchange and the post grid is just out of shot to the right.

Swim between the flags ... #176

... or in this case "chat between the posts" .. a couple enjoying each others company, the sun and fresh air on the waterfront .. oblivious to the world around them.

Hikoi ... #175

Following the arrival of the hikoi, about 400 mainly Maori protesters gathered at Parliament before marching down Lambton Quay to the Te Puni Kokiri offices where a haka was performed.
The crowd was calm and peaceful and there was a low-key police presence. The protesters - awash with flags and placards, some reading "stop racism" - then reassembled at Midland Park before returning to Parliament, where fireworks were let off.

A number of MPs spoke at the hikoi including Taito Phillip Field, Pita Sharples, Keith Locke and Labour's Parekura Horomia and Nanaia Mahuta. The two Labour MPs were booed by the crowd while embattled MP Taito Phillip Field was cheered after he told those in attendance he did not believe Tuhoe residents had been treated well.

The hikoi began last week in Ruatoki, Bay of Plenty, where police conducted their raids on "terror" suspects. But the protesters are a day too late to stop the Suppression of Terrorism Amendment Act, which passed its third reading by 108 votes to 13 late yesterday. Labour and National supported the legislation, while the Greens, ACT and the Maori Party opposed it.

The new law extends the power of the United Nations to designate terrorist entities that will also apply in New Zealand. It creates a new offence of committing a terrorist act, which is punishable by life in prison.
It also removes a defence of funding a terrorist entity if the donor was motivated by human rights or democratic concerns. After terrorism charges were rejected by Solicitor-General David Collins last week, the Government said it would ask the Law Commission to review the Arms Act and the Crimes Act as well to consider whether the police should have wider powers of interception to prosecute cases of alleged domestic terrorism, rather than rewrite the Terrorism Suppression Act.

Another Wicked Camper ... #174

Another Wicked Campervan captured at the Blue Bridge Ferry Terminal opposite the Railway Station .. this one is political commentary ... the other interesting one was the Beatle's Campervan

Christmas ... one branch at a time ... #173

The slow process of building the Christmas Tree in Midland Park ... one branch at a time; one worker; two supervisors .. and a latte in a cafe ... BUT no snow !!

Armistice Day... #172

11 November – marks the anniversary of the Armistice that ended the First World War and commemorates the sacrifice of those who died serving New Zealand in this and all wars and armed conflicts.

Armistice Day Yesterday
These photos were taken at the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior at the National War Memorial in Wellington. As part of these ceremonies, two minutes silence is observed at 11 a.m. on 11 November in memory of those New Zealanders who died while serving their country.

History of Armistice Day
The eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month marks the moment when hostilities ceased on the Western Front in 1918, with the signing of the Armistice.