Wellington Waterfront


Today Streetwala takes you to a beautiful waterfront - a street with water on one side and rest of the city on another. The sea waterfronts have evolved from harbouring commercial significance, to cultural significance, to economic significance, to a thing of beauty and hence Joy forever.  

If you are from Mumbai you know the significance of Marine Drive - it's not only a beautiful street to walk but even a good drive. The windy, dusky and cool street. And it's free!!

The waterfronts are not only sea facing but those next to lakes, rivers, ponds, etc. On our recent trip to New Zealand we stopped over at a friends place in Wellington and she took us to the magnificent Wellington waterfront on a gorgeous Sunday morning.

Wellington has this very cool windy weather - which was good but not always. A little warmth and Sun just cheers up the place. So this Sunday Wellington weather came out into its full glory with this gorgeous warm sun which brings a nice tan and warms you a little. It was Summers in New Zealand unlike the rest of the world. So it had to be it warm till it heats up more. 

It was like a fair with colourful, arty, fun, cultural, playful, goody, foody stalls. Though we were in a hurry but the Streetwala couldn't help but go around and see everything. 

The warm sun was so inviting that people were sitting on the steps next to the sea side watching the water or the sun reflecting from water. It was a gorgeous view and the Yachts of the romantics lapped on the water. 

There was music in the air. There was music of all kinds - 

A guitar player

An electronic guitar player

A piano player 

Yes there was music in the air!!!

There was a craft like an art show. A lady drew a painting with a puppet - yes a painting puppet. 

See this miniature puppet version of the lady who drew a girl from her memory. She had a suitcase bag like a matchbox home. 

This was an art long dead - the art of a puppet. Puppet dancing, puppet singing, puppet painting, puppet acting, this art from the childhood. 

Look at that little girl so enjoying this. I believe this would be one of her earliest memories. She would remember this beauty forever and it will reflect in her work. 

What were people doing. They came out of their pretty little homes to take walk. 

The corners, to enjoy the Art, mechanical art, the artifacts, the metal sculptures some signifying

Liberty and brotherhood, and some

Independence and Individuality. 


This particular naked back of a man was intriguing to us woman folks. We were curious why naked. Is wearing clothes against the freedom of mankind. Clothes were the most horrible invention of mankind - it was ok to use it for protection and fashion but to turn it as a symbol of shame was bad. To wear clothes or not should not be a judge of your character. That's not real freedom. This was real freedom. To look good. People have been hiding their beautiful bodies under clothes and then they end up hiding their ugly bodies under the sun. People with beautiful bodies can not hide them. It's the ugly people who hide. This was a revelation to me. 

But if you tried to look at the front, the naked man had an astonished expression which gives more food for thought. 

Until I started looking at people and to what they are doing. 

Some are walking, 

Some are cycling,

Some skating,

Some Rowing!! Can you imagine how cool is that. A perfect city to live in. I heard they have this beautiful tradition where graduating school girls jump in the sea at the waterfront. Read here!! 


Some being a baby,



Some just chilling with a waterfront brunch on a cosy wooden benches.

Or simply lazing on the benches and spaces with quotes written on them. 

It was a truly evolved citizen friendly town. 

And there were the gorgeous buggies to prove that it was a cool town with such fancy buggies to ride. 


And there was this huge ship - Anti Poaching. To protect sea life!! How wonderful and caring!! 


But what is this. Why are The Three pigs queuing here!! Oh what's this message written here!!!


Food across the bridge!!!

Oh yes the colourful trollies of food!! The mobile food. Streetwala Is incomplete without a mention of street food. And this is the heaven of the same. 

Wagon after wagon of the food

Hot Dog ✅


Noodles ✅


Fresh bread ✅

Juices ✅


Coffee ✅


Non Veg ✅


But even VEGAN (what's with this Vegan fad) and I am not sure why the face of this Kathakali dancer is displayed to confirm its Vegan. Probably to attract religious Hindu Indians. 

So Indian food ✅

Indonesian Food ✅

Eating Lots of food!!


But no stopping, because next is shopping. La la La la!!

Well a day where we have checked everything!! But there is more. It's time to take a keepsake back with us. We observed that on each metal bridge in New Zealand - there were lot of locks hanging.

On close observation you could see inscriptions scratches of love initials. This is another tradition which had been passed across generations, across borders from sand to trees to stones to walls to benches, to express love!!

The declaration of love and a small wish to lock it and solidly it to make it eternal. Oh what a beautiful day and a beautiful walk!! 

Mark it on google street and visit on a sunny Sunday,

Comments

Haddock said…
Waterfronts are really good. Enjoyed the same in San Francisco when w were there.
Neha said…
Waterfronts have a whole city evolving around them. Would love to visit San Fransisco one you mention. Thx Haddock for visiting.

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