by Nadia Promi

Created on: July 17, 2008

I just returned from Wellington having spent there several days. Although it was cold and windy, I truly enjoyed the city and left it regretting I couldn't stay longer.

Wellington was built on the shore of the strait and it is called the City of Strait as compared to Auckland which is known as the City of Sails. To put it simply, Cook strait is a stretch of water between the North and South Island, linking the Tasman sea in the west and the Pacific ocean in the east. Old people say that in anger, Cook strait is ugly. The water becomes grey and wild, flecked with foam driven by a mean wind from the south, while drizzle and rain hide the islands from view. Mighty waves crash against each other overlapping the rugged coast of the islands. But Cook strait can also be a strait of rare beauty. It can give you some unforgettable experiences on a fine, crisp and still winter day, when looking out over the strait it is possible to see the highest peak in the jagged Kaikoura mountains of the South Island.

A friend of mine said that she likes Wellington because you can walk across the city and get nearly everywhere on foot. I agree. Or maybe, because Wellington can offer a warm, charming Mediterranean feeling even though it is cooler, the houses are not made of stone and the waves in the harbor seem to be more dangerous than those along the Mediterranean coast. People also like Wellington because here you can sense a bit of the cosmopolitan atmosphere, although it is relatively a small city barely reaching the number of around 200 thousand people in the city itself.

I stayed in a hotel in Tinakori Road which is a long uphill street starting at the historic Thorndon, the part of the town where old, colonial style villas are being preserved. Antique shops, galleries, cafes and small restaurants are simply gorgeous, seducing with their stylish, refined appearance and warmth. A long stroll along Tinakori Road will lead you to the Upland Road and Kelburn. You may decide to dine in an authentic French restaurant, such as the Bistro Breton, where you will be treated with a range of delicious French food and wine in a friendly environment. It is about ten minutes walk from the old-fashioned cable car which operates every ten minutes during the whole day so, if tired, you can take a cable car instead of walking up road. From the top of the hill you can enjoy the breathtaking views over the city and the harbor. The return journey down to the heart of Lambton Quay may be taken through

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