Wellington, the capital of cool

WellingtonBest time to visitAll yearYou need 4 daysYoursquove read reams on the charm of this cool little capital mdash nestled between the rural heartland of New Zealandrsquos North Island and the wild waters of the Cook Strait But to get hooked in the magic web it spins you really have to visit Wellington It is one of those cities that thankfully has not succumbed to the highrise epidemic is infinitely walkable and has a waterfront that sparkles whatever the weatherThe picturesque waterfront at Wellington PicsSonia NazarethI wander along the beachfront promenade in quest of the concrete plaques and inlaid wooden ldquobenchmarksrdquo that quote NewZealandrsquos sharpest literary minds expressing their thoughts on their city The plaques are cleverly hidden and in their pursuit other observations unfold Whatrsquos immediately striking is that the cafeacutes and restaurants here are largely oneoffs flying the flag of the quirky the nonmassproducedA stones throw away are public toilets that resemble giant sea monsters infinitely more photographed than the boats thatshimmer at the bay A piano with the kind of scintillating colours yoursquod see on a coralreef dive is mounted along the oardwalk for anyone to try A little old man no bigger than a hobbit hops atop a waiting stool and beguiles passersby with his clever compositionsThree trolls manning the entrance of Wet cavesThe cityrsquos an artistAnd thatrsquos just it about the city Everyones a poet a musician a writer or involved creatively somehow with life The pace isslow and therersquos enough time post whatever makes you your money to pursue your passions to both mdash become and be When the waterways are blue and the sun is high the waterfront with the Oriental Bay beach strip glowing beside it is glorious enchantmentAnd not all the writers in the world even though Irsquove found several writers plaques by this time can put into words the feelings that a bright day which dispels some of the windchill can conjureInnovative local toilets in WellingtonCuba Street a short walk away with its bookshops and cafeacutes graffiti and street installations vintage stores and funky galleries is a prize for those in quest of thequirky boutique and bohemian The young the tattooed the rakishlydressed the brazen mdash stroll down the street like an army of people who live against the clock ever happy to interrupt their journey for a random conversation over a gorge on a broccoli mdash tomato scone and a glass of Craft beerPlaques from the Wellington Writersrsquo Walk along the waterfrontMovie maniaSoren the taxi driver who drives me from Cuba Street to Weta Cave like most taxi drivers I encounter in these parts brimsover with local insights Weta the multiAcademy Awardwinning company which has produced movies such as The Hobbit Avatar and The Adventures of Tintin has addicts and aficionados like Sorenbiting their nails with excitement Inside the hallowed portals a video plays on loop for anyone who wants a peek at how the movies that emerge out of here are made In an outer chamber guarded by gigantic garden trolls memorabilia on sale ranges from guns that feature in video games to ginormous statues of GollumYou will never tire of gazing at Wellingtonrsquos sightsA freshlydevised Workshop Tour leads travellers into an exhibition w ithin the functioning Weta Workshop The appropriatelyelfin lady guiding us through wields sword both as pointer and admonishment against anyone who might resort to the use of acamera strictly forbidden inside Coats of armour cars of dizzy ingenuity guns of all dimensions props and displays from assorted movies mdashdangle enticingly around us ldquoYou dont need to be a fancydegree designer to become a creator at Weta you need to be talented and superpassionaterdquo our guide says with a winkGollum at Weta the multiAcademy Awardwinning company which has produced movies such as The Hobbit Avatar and The Adventures of Tintin grafitti at Cuba StreetBack to historyAnd what runs through this city are its stories Te Papa mdash the granddaddy of museums tugs one through the portals of Maori history amid everything under the sun including the sun mdash with its interactive displays and handson exhibits If you ever wanted to experience a contemporarytake on the marae maori communal meeting place or be treated to the stories and songs of a living culture therersquos no better introductionThe nearby Museum of Sea and Sky that focuses both on nation and city is small and personable enough for one to feel the energy behind the displays The Katherine Mansfield House where the writer was born mdash and what she recalls in her writing as ldquothe awful cubby hole in townrdquo recreates her times through a reproduction of historical garments and artifacts all interspersed with walltexts detailing writings from her books Objects mdash like the rocking horse and the old piano that adorn the rooms lead you thoughtfully back in timeColonial Cottage mdash an early pioneer home is window into the life of 19th century New Zealand The distinct colonial sensibility of its architecture and ornamental gardens serve as reminders of the ties that the residents had to England But as marvellous as the stories it tells is that you can picnic in the carefully manicured gardens overflowing with native plants that have their own specific curative properties Sage for sore throat Lavender to deter insects Feverfew for headaches ldquoCan I picnic here without paying a feerdquo I enquire ldquoPublic spaces are meant to be enjoyed equally and by everyonerdquo the museum guide says aghast at the idea that anyone should be pushed to pay entrance fee to a museum to relish its gardensOne with natureThe lesson in civility that Wellington offers comes thus from many things From the community driven weekend markets The sophisticated wine trails The free WiFi around its centre The easilyaccessible Welly Walks iPhone app that allows you tonegotiate its hidden gems But it comes especially from Zealandia This nature sanctuary and conservation area ensconced in the hills two km west of town with its scenic tracks is home to more than 20 native bird species Kiwi the flightless takahe the ancient Jurassiclooking tuatara the playful tui mdash all are frequent visitors to this other EdenWhatrsquos marvellous is not just all the flora and fauna is carefully contextualised in multimedia exhibitions but that visitors tiptoereverentially around the park silent and with awe Grateful just to be voyeurs to splendid nature as it unfolds Taking with them their own trash Leaving minimal footprint Whispering lest they disturb the birds and animals whose natural home it is And it is this considerate ecologicallyaware spirit which makes my experience in Wellington greater than the sum of its wildlydisparate parts