The South Island Journey: Christchurch

This was my first view of the South Island from the plane. Up until that point, we had been flying through clouds. The woman next to me, a native, nudged me, and pointed out the window. Have I told you how much I love Air New Zealand? If all airlines were like them, I'd enjoy traveling. It wouldn't be like taking terrible medicine. While they are always great (legroom, shoulder room, food,) for some unknown reason, we got bumped up to business class for the Auckland-Christchurch flight. It. Was. Wonderful.

Anyway, the image is of the New Zealand Alps. We expect to see a lot more of them as we tour around. But! Our first two nights were scheduled in Christchurch, where we had booked an Airbnb in Bishopsdale, a neighborhood (suburb? town?) about 10 minutes from center city, Christchurch.

Christchurch building facade only

I had read a good bit about the lingering effects of the 2010-2011 earthquakes and all of their various tremors, but I was still unprepared for the evidence of that devastation all these years later. Some older buildings only had their facades left, with vast rubble areas where they clearly intend to rebuild.

Museum Encouragement

The Art Museum had a neon sign installed that read "Everything is going to be alright". Large lots of rubble are spread throughout the downtown district.

Christchurch cleanup ongoing

Mural, downtown Christchurch

Christchurch building support

Mural 2, downtown Christchurch

I don't want to sound too negative, though. The longer we stayed, the more we saw that was encouraging. Painting murals on the sides of building walls in cities is, of course, not unique, but I thought two of these murals were absolutely beautiful.  I find that in general, New Zealand's botanical and feminist aesthetic is very much in keeping with my own.

We also had a lovely chance meeting and engaging conversation with a couple over breakfast at Black Betty's Cafe.  They suggested that we check out The Cardboard Cathedral, which was a couple of blocks from our cafe. It is officially called "The Transitional Cathedral", and was built as a grass roots endeavor when the city's Anglican Cathedral was once and for all destroyed by the 2011 earthquake. It is heartbreaking.  I've included an image of the original structure prior to it's destruction. It reminds me of the National Cathedral in DC, though on a smaller scale. The transitional cathedral actually does have cardboard in it's construction. . .those tubes running along the inside of the roof are those cardboard concrete molds.

Anglican Cathedral, Christchurch, 2006

Transitional Cathedral sign

The Transitional (Cardboard) Cathedral

Anglican Cathedral wall 2018

 When we returned to the city the following day, we decided to walk through the Botanical Gardens. It was late afternoon, and raining on and off, but what a find those gardens are. You all know that I've been doing tours of Botanical Garden throughout Oceania, and these are the absolute best so far. I can't wait to go back to them. They are well maintained, have a conservatory from the last century (how that made it through earthquakes is a mystery to me), well labeled plants, and this fountain. . .the only image I have of the gardens so far. I'll show you more as it all unfolds.