Wellington's Cuba Quarter - Cam Theme - 58

If you are in Downtown Wellington - there are four distinct areas of the city to explore:

- The Lambton Quarter
- The Courtenay Quarter
- The Waterfront

and of course
- The Cuba Quarter

Cuba Street has a funky bohemian vibe to it - full of creativity.

bucket fountain Cuba Mall Wellington

Most of the buildings are quite old and in desperate need of earthquake strengthening, but that is what gives this part of the city its 'edge'.

Having asked some friends to tell me their first thought when I mentioned Cuba quarter - the bucket fountain was the outright winner. The moving bucket fountain is a popular kinetic sculpture in Cuba Street. The buckets/scoops fill with water until they are heavy enough to tip over and create a chain reaction by filling the buckets below – in a constant cycle of motion and splashing - don't get wet...

bucket fountain

So here are a few of my photos from a walk up and down Cuba Street in downtown Wellington...


There are 11 photo sets in this "CAM" series and one guest photo.

Click on any image for a larger view.

Previous posts can be viewed by clicking on the "BLOG ARCHIVE" section to the right.
If there is a particular subject you would like to see - it just may already be on my blog.
Check the top right of this main page to search it out.

Old facade in white and blue

I can't recall where this photo of blue and white was taken on Cuba Street.
Judging from the sunlight - if you were to be looking up the street to the west - then it would be on the left.
Ornate plaster work just appeals to me - when compared to some modern glass facades

Ask most locals from Wellington where some of the best eateries are and 'Logan Brown' will probably be high up on the list.

Logan Brown restaurant

It used to be a bank and now serves great food - with service to match.
Check out their website

http://www.loganbrown.co.nz/

192 Cuba Street – on the corner with Vivian Street.

Looking east down Cuba Street towards the waterfront - way down

it's only when you explore this quarter of Wellington by foot that all its interesting finds reveal themselves.

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Abstract can only be good for you...

Abstract Designs is a Wellington based Company designing and producing products for the home. 

Their range includes Jewellery, Homewares, Garden products, Lampshades, Cuff Links, Giftware – all  designed with a New Zealand flavour, making them popular for gifts both in New Zealand and overseas.

Near the bottom of Cuba Street - closer to the waterfront - I chanced upon this bench and was surprised to see it recycled from skateboards

seat made of skateboards

pretty nifty idea I think

The Pohutukawa tree is a symbol of summer in New Zealand

...interesting to find this one forlornly surviving the rapid change going on around it in Cuba Street

Old building - new paint

Iko Iko

IkoIko - From a humble start as a tiny stall in Wellington’s Wakefield Markets – 'The best little gift shop in the world' was born in Cuba Street some 15 years ago, Iko is known for having something for everyone.

Looking west up Cuba Street

Modern apartment buildings try to blend in

Something about this facade caught my eye...

Lazule  at 151 Cuba Street is home to some of New Zealand's biggest and diverse selection of Sterling Silver Jewellery.

A family owned and operated business by mother and daughter duo -Joan and Olivia Utting.

It was started by Olivia when she was 17 years old, and was located in the old Wakefield market in Wellington - then known as Hallelujah Jewellery. 

The Albemarle – Found just off the corner of Cuba, at 59 Ghuznee Street.

I’ve driven and walked past this grand old Edwardian building many times and often wondered about its history. Wonder no more… The 1905-vintage Albemarle Hotel is an unreinforced masonry building, soon to be earthquake strengthened and refurbished by Developer Ian Cassels. (That man deserves a medal). From a hotel to a brothel to a boarding house and used latterly as the Mayfair Gentlemen's Club, there is certainly some entertaining history.

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GUEST PHOTO:...

This is a photo entitled

Hillbrow from 'Sonny boys shabeen'

Hillbrow from 'Sonny boys shabeen'

by Leanne Dryburg.

This from Leanne: 

This picture was taken in Dec 2012 in Hillbrow which is currently South Africa's most dangerous suburb.

I was in a 'Sonny boys shabeen', enjoying a cold black label quart. It was an interesting day...

It is cosmopolitan and I love the way this photo captures bits of it including the traders, shoppers, schoolgirls, police vans, revamped buildings, neglected buildings, smart cars, everyday cars, adverts for a 30 minute abortion, adverts for a prophet, the streets are littered with rubbish, but also leaves from the 100 year old trees. People, by day, seem to get on with their business, but its not somewhere you would walk the streets at night.

...:GUEST PHOTO

Orchids Aplenty - Cam Theme - 57

I don't know about you, but I really like orchids
growing them on the other hand has proved difficult.
But that hasn't stopped me buying them.

If you happen to be in Singapore from 13-20 November, the 20th World Orchid Conference is happening.
The next World Orchid Conference is in Johannesburg, South Africa in 2014

There are 2 kinds of orchids:

epiphytes - these are the most popular and grow from trees.
                  they require a moist, warm climate
                  most popular being Dendrobiums

orchid Dendrobium

terrestrial - these grow directly from the ground
                  they are easier to grow and their flowers last longer
                  most popular being Cymbidiums

orchid Cymbidium

so, if you ARE an orchid boffin, I'd love to hear from you giving names to the images of orchids I have here. All these photos were taken in the Begonia hothouse at Wellington's Botanic gardens




There are 11 photo sets in this "CAM" series and one guest photo.
If you would like to see more images of orchids - or Wellington  - click on the labels tab at the bottom of this blog

Click on any image for a larger view.

Previous posts can be viewed by clicking on the "BLOG ARCHIVE" section to the right.
If there is a particular subject you would like to see - it just may already be on my blog.
Check the top right of this main page to search it out.

so we've had orchids looking like tiger lillies and now these ones - 

which (to me) look like bearded iris flowers, but they're not

looking at it close up with my camera lens, I like the result...

orchid close up

it's an interesting mix of complimentary colours

whilst I'm definitely not an orchid officianado, I do have this titbit to share:

yellow orchids mainly come from Thailand

yellow orchid

where these yellow ones come from, I wouldn't have a clue

but I quite enjoy their difference to other orchid varieties in the hothouse

so flick me a comment if you know the details of this plant...

this photo of an orchid cluster is here coz I like how the darker background makes them stand out

and of course they're good looking orchids

foliage doesn't usually vie for attention as much as the flowers do

I wasn't sure these larger pink orchid blooms would photograph well

orchid Dendrobium - pink

the blooms seem to hover in this photo and the green background of ferns compliments it nicely I think

Here is a cluster of trumpeting orchids that I liked the look of

I decided to crop it to get rid of the background leaves of another tropical plant in the hothouse, thereby focusing on the small orchid flowers themselves
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pink orchids

since these orchids were growing from the ground up - 

I can safely say they are terrestrial orchids.

spotted terrestrial orchids

there wasn't a name tag nearby that I was aware of when taking the photo but here it is for your viewing pleasure. 

I just like the spotted pattern of these orchids

these orchids look more like Tiger Lillies I thought

orchids looking like lillies

they were definitely terrestrial variety - so apparently easy to grow