I am again behind with blogging so this is from 3 days ago.

The weather cleared so we took the cable car.  First we went through a tunnel.

The cable car is used as transportation for residents as well as for tourists.  The track splits so the car going up can pass the one coming down.

Here is the cable car leaving to go back down.

We could see out to the water, but the view from the top was still pretty cloudy.

Here are a few photos at the top and of the garden as we walked through the Botanic Gardens back to the town.  Is this a flowering palm?

Jan is walking under a fern tree that hangs over the trail.

The trunk of the Tree Fern is really cool.

This is a Morten Bay Pine.   That is very different from the Morten Bay Fig.

How about this pink hydrangea?  Pretty nice.

This sculpture is called the “Pink Lady.”

This sign that was around the Seddon Memorial said we were not allowed to go near. Seddon was one of the first Prime Ministers of New Zealand.

We went to the Bee Hive and had a tour of Parliament.  I learned a lot about the New Zealand’s government.  Did you know that the ruling party can vote out the Prime Minister?  Wow.  Wish we had that system.

The Bee Hive Building houses the executive branch.

After our tour we walked back to the harbour.   We passed the shop where I purchased my new jacket.

We went back to Te Papa and I went back to see Gallipoli exhibit.  I was too overwhelmed to sty there.  I viewed a couple other exhibits and then went up to the 6th floor to see a view of the city.

I got a message from a friend about not missing going to see Old St. Paul’s Cathedral. It is one of New Zealand’s greatest heritage places originally built by the Anglican Church between 1865 and 1866 on what was originally the site of Pipitea Pā, a Māori settlement on Wellington’s waterfront.

The church was constructed from fine native timbers and is an impressive sight from the outside.

Inside, it is simply breathtaking. Soaring arches lend the appearance of an upturned galleon, a shapely form enhanced by transepts and other additions which were seamlessly incorporated as the congregation grew. Spectacular lighting gives the interior a rosy glow.  It has a very spiritual feeling.

A woman in the church pointed out the American Flag to me and asked me if I noticed anything.  The flags displayed in the nave include the flags of United States Flag and  U.S, Marine Corps which was stationed in Wellington during WW II.  The flags were presented in 1948.  They are an expression of thanks and recognition of the important friendship the two countries formed as they enduured WW II together. The church retains close links with the New Zealand Defense Force.   The US flag is the one with only 48 stars.

After visiting the church, Jan went back to Te Papa and I walked to St. Gerard’s Monastery.  The door was locked but when I rang the bell, a young woman opened it. There are a group of students there learning to be missionaries.

This is the view of Oriental Bay Harbour from outside the missionary.

I walked from their to the top of Victoria Park Lookout.  From there I could see Evan’s Bay and Lyall Bay.

Mark, a man I met on the way up, pointed out the containers on the other side of the city.  They fell down doing the last earthquake (which was about 9 days ago) and they are still down.

Mark and I walked up a bit higher for another view.  I took a panorama of Evan’s Bay.

Then we watched the planes landing on the peninsula.

Behind this plan landing you can see a ship in Karake Bay.

Mark walked with me back into the city so, of course, we had to take a photo before saying, “goodbye.”

Although we will never have contact again, it is so much fun meeting and talking with people when I travel.

Wellington appears to be a very livable city.  I love the harbors and wish I had been able to take the ferry boat all around the harbors before I left.  There are many restaurants, theater, movies, and it is very walkable city.  I really enjoyed my time here.  This is likely the city in New Zealand that I would choose as a place to live.