It’s a bit of a mystery why a far-flung Capital City like Wellington in New Zealand would actively celebrate a rebellious plot against King James I of England/ King James VI of Scotland in 1605. Nevertheless the appeal seems to be because of the emission of huge amounts of pyrotechnics and fireworks. Who doesn’t enjoy a good explosion?
I was down in Wellington for a conference recently and took these snaps during the prelude to the Guy Fawkes Night celebrations on Wellington Harbour. The vibrant harbour bars and restaurants were packed full of people all waiting with a sense of anticipation for the fireworks. Wellington is one of the most underrated and beautiful little cities.
Small in size, Wellington makes up for this with bucketloads of character and that very hard to define quality in a city: Soul. There’s a thriving music scene, great shopping and people who are passionate about food and who turn out world-class food in restaurants. Also the coffee is to die for. Although one down-side which has meant I haven’t moved there yet – an inordinately large probability of a 8+ richter scale earthquake, which seismologists predict will happen in the next 100 years. Still – the more I go there the more I fall in love with the charms of the place and want to move there.
Also, people are pretty friendly and down-to-earth there – and the whole city seems younger and more vibrant than Auckland, which is a bonus. Here are some photos of one night of pyrotechnics in Wellington.
Content Catnip 