Travel Scene: Cuba Street in Wellington, New Zealand

For me, New Zealand is where it all began. It's where this whole love for (okay, obsession with) travel really was kickstarted, and I think it will always hold a very special place in my heart because of that. Plus, it's a pretty damn awesome country.

And within that awesome country, Wellington is my favorite city. I lived there for 5 months in 2008, and it will always hold a special place in my heart.

So today I decided to do a little on-the-ground look at Cube Street in Wellington, a spot spent many hours in during my time in New Zealand!

You may know that Wellington is my favorite city in New Zealand, but what you might not know is that my favorite part of Wellington is the little stretch of shops, cafes, and bars along a brick road known as Cuba Street (or Cuba Mall for the pedestrian-only part).

Cuba Street is full of LIFE. It's full of character. And, most of all, it's full of all the people who make up the great city of Wellington. From the businessmen to the buskers, Cuba Street shows all shades of this city's colors.

Instead of telling you about it, though, I'd much rather show you.

Here, then, is colorful Cuba Street:

One end of Cuba Mall.

I could sit here for hours and never get bored.

A guy doing chalk paintings.

A tai chi demonstration promoting peace.

One of the most amazing guitar players I've ever heard. He stars in the video at the end of this post.

The Bucket Fountain and a balloon busker.

There's even a small playground.

And, because photos aren't enough, here's a video, too! I played around with time lapse in the middle of this, so let me know what you think!

Have you ever been to Cuba Street? Or, is there a spot in your favorite city that you just never tire of?