Last Day in Wellington

In Wellington, on Wednesday morning, I walked the several blocks to the train station and boarded the train for the fifty minute ride to Upper Hutt. Robyn had researched and then given me the name of a local violin maker and repairman, Ian Ralston, who I had been in email contact with from home. Ian graciously picked me up at the station and took me to his house and backyard workshop. The next couple of hours were delightfully spent with Ian and his wife Judith in violin talk as well as heartfelt conversation and sharing. I felt like I had known them much longer than just those few minutes. Ian sent me out with a lovely “for hire” violin of rich, full sound and said we would settle up when I brought it back!  Judith then took me the long way back to the station cruising me around town to view a local Lord of the Rings spot and a limestone carving class in a nearby park. (Side note: Ian has been an extra in all three LOR movies--his biggest part being a rock throwing tree in the second movie.) Sadly, he is now fighting bone cancer. If you are a praying person, keep them in your prayers.

I caught the train back to Wellington in time to meet Mark and his orientation group at the impressive Wellington Te Papa Museum for a guided tour full of New Zealand pride:
--the Maori peoples--your iwi is where you are from and includes the nearest mountain and river; I called myself “Sandra from Mt. Rainier and the Deschutes River”
--ancient to modern history--including information on the much disputed 1840 Treaty of Waitangi between the Maori and the British
--wonderful birds and animals and plants
--greenstone (jade) treasures

Our official tour ended on the top floor at a beautiful modern interpretation of the Maori marae (meeting house) incorporating the many cultures now represented in NZ. We left and walked the waterfront back to our downtown hotel.

One further thought on Wellington: the waterfront area is one of the most people friendly waterfronts I’ve ever enjoyed. It is full of parks, eateries, and businesses and is frequented by people of all ages sitting, reading, walking, jogging, bicycling, skate boarding, using scooters, kayaking, and even swimming! We would love to go back.