Summer evening ride in the city

Tuesday 5 January was such a lovely day, that we had early dinner, and went into town with the bikes to have another look at the pohutukawa in Parliament Grounds. When we came here on Christmas Day, it had not yet started flowering. Unfortunately, because we’d had warm weather between Christmas and New Year, and then two days of heavy rain, the pohutukawa was already past its best. We should have gone on New Year’s Day to see it in its full glory. I was disappointed, but it still looked pretty good.

Richard John Seddon, NZ Premier 1893-1906, seems to approve of the massive pohutukawa,
even if I was disappointed at having missed seeing it at its best (photo by John)

It was nearly 7 pm, and the city was quiet. Those people who’d had to return to work today, after the Christmas break, would most likely have gone home early to enjoy the warm sunny evening.

We crossed the road to ride around the old wooden government building – now the Victoria University Law School – which was looking beautiful in the late sunshine.

Victoria University Law School (photo by John)

We rode along to the waterfront, passing the floating steam crane Hikitia, alongside Taranaki Wharf. It seems that there is always some maintenance being carried out on it. It has had scaffolding up the side of the crane for months now. The historic crane is maintained by volunteers.

The historic floating steam crane Hikitia. Note the Christmas tree next to the wheel house
 (photo by John)

We carried on towards Oriental Parade. Some of it was in the shade by now, but there were still a few people on the beach, and plenty of people walking along the parade.

Oriental Parade was in the shade at this time (photo by John)

We stopped at Kaffee Eis for an ice cream, and enjoyed it sitting on a bench until the shadows of the Norfolk pines and the Band Rotunda crept up on us.

The sunny side of the Bluewater Bar and Grill, in the “Band Rotunda”.
It must have one of the best views of all the Wellington eateries (photo by John)

The fountain in Oriental Bay (photo by John)

We biked to the end of Oriental Parade, then returned to the car in Aitken Street via the stadium concourse, and down the spiral – wheee!

Reflections from the building next door light up the side of the National Library (photo by John)