Page 19 - Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens - January '21

Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens, Page 19

Windy Wellington from page 18 main entrance was on the
left side, which was to be
the world (a temple in Japan is reported to be the largest), the center of the two wings;
and largest in the Southern Hemisphere. Today the building however, when it became
houses Victoria University of Wellington’s Law School. time for the next phase,
The parliament complex grew from the original capital not enough space was
building, which was completed in 1922. In fact, the available for what would
building was approximately 60 percent of the original have made a symmetric
planned size when the first phase was completed. The building, and the addition
had to be changed. Today
the parliament building is
a rather strange concoction
of architecture, with the
long, low original section, The New Zealand Parliament complex, including the unique “beehive building.”
and a 12-story building with
a copper roof in the shape of a natural beehive, which
became the addition. It’s unique, to say the least.
About 200 yards up Molesworth Street from the old
government buildings is the world-renowned Backbencher
Pub. The bar’s name is a reference to parliament; it is
Wellington cable car is one of New Zealand’s most popular billed as “the house with no peers.” The pub attracts local
tourist attractions. politicians due to its convenient location across from the

Discover the Wellington’s old government buildings

Oxbridge Advantage

“beehive building,” and features colorful caricatures of
political figures made famous from a popular satirical
television program.
No trip to Wellington would be complete without a
visit to Old St. Paul’s church. This wood-frame building
is located on top of a knoll, which is enclosed by fenced
grounds with numerous large trees on the site. Construction
started in 1865 and from 1866 to 1964 it was the parish
church and cathedral for the Anglican diocese of Wellington.
On May 10, 1964, 98 years after its consecration, Old
St. Paul’s ecclesiastical function was moved to the nearby
New St. Paul’s. Several years later it was purchased by
the government, partially restored and converted into a
building for interdenominational and secular purposes.
Today, flags hang from the rafters of Old St. Paul’s.
In addition to the various religious and state flags is a
48-star version of “Old Glory.” It was presented to the
church by American servicemen who were stationed just
north of the city during WWII. Story has it that during the
war, several servicemen convinced their superior officer
to allow them to attend church at St. Paul’s.
The soldiers were warmly welcomed by the families
after services, and the men were eventually invited back
to the families’ homes for Sunday lunch. Needless to
say, when the word got out, the Sunday church attendees
An Oxbridge education goes beyond the classroom. grew to several truckloads. The people of Wellington
appreciated the protections that our forces were providing
With hands-on learning approaches, Oxbridge students tackle real life to the island, and they showed it through geniality and
generosity. Many romances and marriages are said to have
issues in real time. In and out of the classroom through academics, sports, sprung up from the Sunday church and luncheon activities.
In an adjacent city/suburb to the north of Wellington is
and community involvement, the Oxbridge experience is interactive, the Southward Car Museum. This is a remarkable place
to visit even if you’re not a motor head. The museum
adaptable, relevant, and anything but common. contains well over 250 vintage, veteran and classic
automobiles, motorcycles and bicycles, along with
three airplanes, all of which have been restored to mint
condition. Included in the collection is Mickey Cohen’s
bulletproof Cadillac, an 1895 Benz Velo and a 1915 Stutz
Indianapolis race car. Many of the cars had unfamiliar
names and styles because they made their way from
Europe, east to New Zealand, never entering the states.
Whether shopping along Lambton Quay, exploring the
parks, gardens and observatory, riding the cable car to the
top of the mountain, kicking the tires at the auto museum,
An independent, co-educational school for grades 9-12
or discussing world politics with the locals, Wellington
and its people never fail to captivate visitors.
Don Kiselewski writes from his personal experiences,
Join us for a Virtual Open House having traveled in 122 countries and cruised the oceans,
Tuesday, January 12, 5:00-6:00 pm seas and rivers of the world. Palm Beach Gardens Travel
Register at: oapb.org/visit Leaders, his family owned and operated agency, is
located at Mirasol Town Square, 11360 North Jog Road,
Building A, Suite 102-6, Palm Beach Gardens. The agency
has been serving the travel needs of the South Florida
Accredited by FCIS. Member of NAIS area for over a quarter of a century. Contact him at (561)
3151 N. Military Trail, West Palm Beach, Florida 33409 • 561.972.9826 694-9696 or Aussie@PBGTravel.com.
Photos by Don Kiselewski