Christchurch

Categories: holidays

Date: 14 June 2008 06:19:33

Christchurch is a stunningly beautiful, and interesting, city. I found it a pure delight to walk around, with everything from beautiful buildings to interesting cultural facilities to the River Avon which runs through it and to the atmosphere of the place: friendly, down-to-earth and fun.

All I knew about Christchurch was that it had a cathedral and the River Avon ran through it,

and while these are stunning attractions Christchurch offers, there is a great deal more.

The first place I visited, after dropping my hire car back at the airport, was the International Antarctic Centre [which is right next to the airport]. Well worth a visit for a wealth of information and exhibits on Antarctica -- as well as seeing some very cute Little Blue Penguins.

The next morning it was a slow and enjoyable breakfast at a café, before a wander around town and then to the Art Gallery: I know next to nothing about art, but I like to take a wander and see what catches my eye. I went on a tour, which was truly fascinating and interesting [and 80% populated with Australians -- I can't escape!], and then had a look around some more, including the Morris and Co. Exhibition.

The Cathedral was next, as I was meeting an internet acquaintance there after lunch. I also, proving the fact that "you can take the boy out of Anglicanism but you can't take the Anglicanism out of the boy", went to the Choral Evensong service there Tuesday night. As much as I am convinced by the claims of the Orthodox Church, Choral Evensong remains my favourite service -- there is simply something about it: the prayers, the singing, the quietness. I do so love it. Before that, on Monday, I climbed the steep tower -- going past the bells and the bell-ringers room -- for nice views of the city and surrounding mountains and plains.

The internet acquaintance and I managed to discover each other at the front of the Cathedral and we headed down to the Botanic Gardens for a wander. It was wonderful to meet her, and she was a wonderful representative of Christchurch, regaling me with all manner of information and history. Truly fascinating. We spent a great deal of time wandering around the Gardens -- they are truly beautiful: and though they are in the city, you feel a million miles from anywhere.

The next day, my final day, I headed out by bus to the Christchurch Gondola, after a delicious fritatta breakfast at another café, where glorious views await. There is also an interesting "Time Tunnel" ride, which you ride on through in a vehicle that runs along some hidden tracks somehow, seeing in a number of exhibits and rooms the history of the area from volcanoes to fauna & flora to Maori settlement to the coming of the Europeans.

My afternoon was spent doing more wandering around Christchurch, including a visit to the Catholic Cathedral and the fascinating and informative Canterbury Museum. A nice quiet afternoon on my, sadly, final day.

Looking forward to heading back and seeing more of NZ one day soon, God willing. Truly a beautiful place.