After the long, scenic, but sedentary ride from Picton to Christchurch (see previous New Zealand posts), we spent most of the next day on foot, exploring the city.
Christchurch is the largest city on the South Island; and one that’s had more than its share of heartbreak in recent years. It’s in a lovely location, just inland from the Pacific, on an outwash plain nestled against the hills of ancient, extinct volcanoes.
I always like to begin exploring a new area with a high view, so we started the day at the Christchurch gondola, on a hill just southeast of the city.
The views are very nice. More pix: https://photos.app.goo.gl/TyBYD61ZoCXz1xcz9
We then walked around the downtown. The city is still rebuilding from two major earthquakes (2010 and 2011) that devastated the area.
Much of the immediate downtown has been rebuilt with gleaming new structures designed to withstand a magnitude 8.5 earthquake, but some older, damaged structures are still in the process of being being razed; and others are temporarily shored up with exterior steel bracing, awaiting funds for rebuilding.
The city has tried to spruce up empty lots, where building once stood, by spray-painting the rocky ground green. It’s sad and sobering to realize how much of the city is still gone, a decade later.
But much of the city is quite lovely, as we discovered as we walked the Christchurch Botanic Gardens, visited the Canterbury Museum and its outstanding Antarctic Gallery, had a pleasant lunch, rode the antique electric tram in a long loop around the city center, and then walked some more.
A few scenic highlights from our day in and around Christchurch:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/Cvz4TjRVtnYPrEYN7
It was a pleasant day in a resilient little city.
Tomorrow: The Tranzalpine train across the spine of the south Island, to Greymouth on the Tasman Sea.
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