Politics & Piety in the Capital

Antrim House: More Than Just an Old Flame!

Our grand tour of officialdom kicked off at the rather distinguished Antrim House.

This old place, once a private residence, then a hotel, almost fell to fire. Thankfully, restored and now proudly serves as the main office of "Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga." A delight to behold, though our access to major parts of the building was limited which was a tad disappointing!

Old Government Buildings: Wooden Wonder or Georgian Grandeur?

"Made entirely of wood?" You could scoff at that claim, "Never!" From afar, it looked every inch the stately Georgian masonry mansion.

But, oh, how appearances can deceive! This magnificent structure, no longer the pulsating heart of New Zealand politics (the Education Department was the last to pack its textbooks), is now part of Victoria University of Wellington, housing the law school.

It was utterly fascinating to see the ingenious ways the building has been made "earthquake safe" – if such a thing truly exists.

Wall Paper Over Time 😂

One of the absolute highlights had to be the historical wallpaper display. Examples of "flower power" 60s into 70s prints were hardly surprising, though some of the earlier patterns didn't quite hit the mark for "Two's Company".

New Zealand Parliament: Where Ideas Go to... Get Signed?

The establishment in New Zealand seems positively open to discussion, actively encouraging it through invitation. Surprisingly only one signature is needed to get an idea or question in front of the government! The catch? You just need to find someone, any one of the MPs, to take your brilliant idea on board. Easier said than done? The Parliament building itself was impressive; the Beehive is iconic, the library is wonderfully stately.

Beehive / Parliament / Library Helen 😊

The parliamentary chamber is steeped in history and its setup, though more modern, clearly reflects the House of Westminster, just on a much cosier, less dramatic scale.

No shouting "Order! Order!" although Ayes to the right and Noes to the left remain above doors but no longer used.

Old Cathedral: A Symphony of Wind and Wood

What a fabulous structure! By this point, the wind had decided to gust more, although it had been on tour with us all day, becoming quite strong and sounding about ten times more boisterous within the old wooden cathedral.

This fabulous old building provided a place of peace and worship for US servicemen during the Second World War.

As a touching tribute, the battalion left a flag as a gift which still hangs proudly in the centre of the church today, a silent testament to history and gratitude.

The Old Bank: A Sweet Ending to a Wellington Whirlwind.

After our final tour around Wellington, the call of sustenance became too strong to ignore. A lovely cup of coffee from Smith's Grocers along with a slice of ginger cake for Helen and a chocolate and mint slice for James, was exactly what was needed.

Chocolate & Mint 🫣

And so to our hotel, finally “boots” off and relax, Wellington done!