A Middle earth holiday early 2010

As I draft up my next blog I thought I would post some pics of  last years Christmas trip which passed a few locations used in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. These were taken early 2010 before the Hobbit had been green lit. We spent most of our time in Rotorura but the chance to visit Matamata was too good to pass up. Oh the first pic is a King Kong ref, but you can see the South Island in the distance.

So Mrs Wismann humoured me.

My favourite Wellington cinema

Since moving to Wellington back in 2006 to marry my Kiwi partner I have been spoilt by the abundance of wonderful cinema's in the area. This is a city where suburban cinemas have survived by showing a healthy mix of art house and popular fair.
My favorite cinema is the Embassy which was refurbished in time for the Lord of the Rings Premiere. Its interior is a joy to behold and its seats luxurious.

Opposite the cinema is a WETA designed statue that is striking and befitting its location with the Paramount and Reading cinemas literally just a short walk from its location.