Concerning Hobbits

Since arriving in New Zealand we have wanted to watch Lord of the Rings, but have struggled to find it playing anywhere (apparently the natives are bored of it). On a rainy day in Wellington whilst we continued to wait for our Chinese visas we stumbled upon the New Zealand film archives where you can watch locally made documentaries and things that have been donated. Having gone in with the facade of being arty and documentary types, when we got downstairs we cheekily asked the librarian if they had Lord of the Rings. Unfortunately for us the copies of the first two films had been stolen, but they had Return of the King and they invited us upstairs to their more comfy area to watch it. When we got back upstairs the manager asked what we'd found of interest in the collection (busted!) when we told her she burst out laughing, but settled us in the dark room all the same and they even brought us coffee! (LOVE this place). What a great way to while away a rainy afternoon. [sidebar: whilst archive 'documentary' viewings are free, they had a pay for evening showing of a documentary on living in Antarctica which we went back to watch the following night, really good viewing, we're tempted...]
The road map that we inherited with Gerty usefully marks out the LOTRs filming locations, so we have also seen a few of those (an experience enhanced by ensuring the soundtrack was playing through our super duper speaker system at the time). By chance the other day we found and stopped at Rivendell (minus the set), which had some useful info boards and the like, where we confirmed that Alistair is indeed taller than a hobbit (despite picture at the bottom....)
A half hour cycle round the bay from Wellington is the Weta workshop where the folk who created the special effects, props etc for the films are. Here you can take a tour of the workshop (no photos allowed sadly) and we were able to learn the secrets of the trade and to hold the weapons and armour from the film. It is pretty amazing the lengths they go to to create the films eg:

• Hand made plastic chain mail so it is light enough for the actors
• Plastic weapons that are painted so they genuinely (from a matter of inches away) look real wooden/steel etc
• Teeny tiny sets where each leaf is crafted onto trees

All of this however pales into insignificance in terms of excitement, as today we visited the Shire and Hobbiton. Unlike with Lord of the Rings, apparently Peter Jackson decided to make the set for The Hobbit out of more permanent material, hence it is still there and being tended by gardeners etc to keep it realistic. You take a tour from the Shires Rest cafe to Hobbiton on a bus, where a knowledgable and boundlessly enthusiastic guide walks you round to see hobbit holes aplenty crafted into the rolling hillside:

 

 

You even see Bilbo's house:

 

Samwise Gamgee's house:

 

And even get to stop for a pint in the Green Dragon! Here they serve you up specially brewed concoctions such as cider made from the Sackville-Baggins' orchard apples....apparently.

 

 

Today was the first time we've seen the sun in a week or so and it brought out the lush green of the hillside, the perfect day to potter round the Shire.
And yes, we did feel tall :)