Wandering around Wellington, NZ

The tour was over in time for us to have lunch. We stopped in Le Moulin, a French bakery we had passed several times that is only open on weekends. I wondered if like the owners of the food trucks if the bakery owners cut back on their business during the pandemic and have not yet ramped up to how it was pre-2020. We each bought a meat pie (like an individual chicken pot pie, but often with beef) and ate them in our room with plastic utensils. A cheap and tasty meal, if not a pretty one.

I saw a flyer for the Nairn Street Cottage, a house that is only open on weekends that highlights the history of a family over multiple generations. Best part, it was a few blocks from where we were staying. 

I was so excited! 

Until I saw this:

The house has been closed since the 2016 earthquake as it is getting restored. While Google Maps said it was closed, the website did not.

We kept walking up the hill, but trees blocked what should have been a stunning view of the city.

We regrouped and came up with a new plan: walk to Old St. Paul's.

Our walk took us through the shopping district, past the future home of the LEGO Store (which we had seen the day before when we took the bus from the airport). The sign says "Opening Soon," not soon enough for Don to get a stamp in his LEGO passport.

Along the way we passed a shop selling suitcases, a Belgian restaurant that looked transplanted from Leuven, and the rounded Parliament building. 

The unassuming outside

Old St. Paul was a consecrated church from 1866 to 1964. Over the years the initial building had transepts and extensions put on over the years, serving both to increase space as the congregation grew, and strengthening it against the famous Wellington winds. It closed 98 years later in favor of a fancy, larger church. It was bought by the government in 1967 and fortified in the 1970s -- making us immediately think about Ewing Presbyterian Church, where we were married 30 years ago, and is now the 1867 Sanctuary, a place for the general public to use to honor the arts and for their special life events.

It was free to visit, but donations were strongly encouraged. Stronger than most places that hinted at a donation would be nice. They had a credit card reader and a box. The box was filled with currency from around the world.

The jaw dropping interior

All that remains of the old organ

The 1977 organ that replaced
the 1877 organ.

The stained glass windows 
replaced the plain windows
over time. They honor
prominent Wellingtonians.

The altar

The sanctuary is filled
with historical reminders

The lectern is a brass eagle, 
originally a bible
would have spread across
its wings.

Hidden in plain sight is a 48-star United States flag next to the US Marine Corps flag. The New Zealand docent was impressed I could identify it as such from the other side of the room, but still had to think about its significance. Wellington was a base for the US Army during World War II (1939-1945). In 1948 this flag was given to the church to recognize this relationship (Hawaii and Alaska did not become states until 1959). The entire church is filled with stories, as long as you are patient enough to read the brochure and listen to the docents. Or, it is the perfect place to seek some peace and quiet when the weather is more typical--we learned Wellington is the windiest place on the planet, which also makes it the cleanest because the wind blows away the dirt. The docents allow you to simple rest and meditate, too. 

We learned the organ was moved in the 1970s to the new St. Paul's, which prompted us to visit the new location afterwards.