Category Archives: Wellington

Shift

Posted on August 6, 2016 by d4vid

Okay, there’s this weird thing that happened in the history of the English language called the Great Vowel Shift.  It’s the reason English pronounces vowels differently than all the other European languages.  (It’s also the reason in Shakespeare plays where … Continue reading →

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Gallipoli

Posted on August 6, 2016 by d4vid

There was a superlative exhibit on World War I’s battle of Gallipoli at Te Papa.  Each “room” of the exhibit was dedicated to story of someone connected to the war.  The Weta workshop crafted giant oversized statues of each war … Continue reading →

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Palace

Posted on August 6, 2016 by d4vid

The Embassy is the Wellington movie palace where all of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films premiered. I loved the decor, especially the hallway leading down to the bar area.  The seats & service were much like an … Continue reading →

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Ugly

Posted on August 5, 2016 by d4vid

Peter Jackson named his FX company after a truly hideous indigenous New Zealand insect called a “weta” (which a Maori word meaning “ugly”.) Had a chance to go to the Weta Cave and a tour of their shop. Photos weren’t … Continue reading →

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Shire II

Posted on August 5, 2016 by d4vid

Nerded out and took a tour of Wellington film location for The Fellowship of the Rings.  Here on Mt. Victoria is the road where the four hobbits come tumbling down the slope out of Farm Maggot’s crop. And the spot where (under … Continue reading →

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Kids

Posted on August 4, 2016 by d4vid

Was able to meet up with five of my favorite ex-ODW coworkers.  They were all TDs back in Shanghai.  I call them “the Weta kids” because they left en masse for Weta. More slightly bizarre Kiwi Mexican food, but the … Continue reading →

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Comfy

Posted on August 4, 2016 by d4vid

Stayed in this comfy, apartment-like hotel in Downtown Wellington my last couple of nights.

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Vigor

Posted on July 23, 2016 by d4vid

The culture here in New Zealand seems to be a fascinating hybrid of Scottish and Maori. One branch of the Young lineage comes from Paisley, which was also one of the places in Scotland that saw a huge amount of … Continue reading →

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Aotearoa

Posted on July 23, 2016 by d4vid

Visited the excellent Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.  Appreciated this map inlaid on the floor as it matched my perspective:  looking from New Zealand back up toward China to the left and California to the right. New Zealand … Continue reading →

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Madness

Posted on July 23, 2016 by d4vid

  Found out that the Sofitel I’m staying at just opened three weeks ago.  Probably haven’t gotten too many complaints yet about the wallpaper staring at guests.  Looks to me like a wall of…what’s the collective noun for “Cthulhu”? An “eldritch … Continue reading →

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Accent

Posted on July 23, 2016 by d4vid

If a Kiwi is saying something to you that sounds like “ear big”, trust me.  They’re saying “airbag”.

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Promising

Posted on July 22, 2016 by d4vid

 Well, just starting off and this is already proving a Very David Vacation ™.  The view out my window of the Sofitel was an Anglican cemetery.   

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Windlord

Posted on July 22, 2016 by d4vid

  Can’t even get out of Wellington airport without seeing a life-sized Gandalf riding Gwaihir.

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