More Pictures From Christchurch

More pictures taken from around Christchurch.  Such a pretty city - a really wonderful place to live and visit!

Flowers in bloom all across Christchurch.  Most every home I saw had flowers, a cherry tree, or (like this house), both!

A group of us went downtown to see was had become of the city center.  The February 23rd earthquake struck the day after many of my co-workers had returned to Christchurch following their summer deployment in Antarctica.  A number of them were staying in the Grand Chancellor Hotel, the tall building in the background on the left.  The building had to be evacuted (if you look closely, you can see it tilting to the right) and their bags still remain in the building to this day.  We learned when we left Christchurch earlier this week, that recovery crews had just only entered the building for the first time since the quake.  Next to the Grand Chancellor was the Christchurch TV building, where most of the fatalities had occured.  I read that search and rescue efforts in the the CTV building were called off over concerns of the Grand Chancellor might collapse into the street.  All of downtown remained fenced off, with the only few gates allowing access being manned by guards from the New Zealand Armed Forces.

Another view downtown.  The tan building to the left and the glass building across the street to the right are both leaning to the right.

Close-up, you can get a better perspective.  Many of these buildings are to be demolished.

Sadly, the old, stone churches seemed to suffer the most.  Most every stone or brick church I saw had significant, or complete, damage.

The previous pictures were taken from the Bridge of Rememberance, built in memory of the New Zealand soldiers killed during World War II.  Seeing the view downtown from the bridge and the posters placed in memory of those lost in the earthquake gave a greater sense of significance to the memorial.

  

A home.  The only in its neighborhood to have suffered this fate - much as a tornado may completely destroy one house, and leave the neighbor's untouched.

Just down the block was this magnolia tree - with the largest blooms any of us had ever seen.  They were the size of dinner plates!

Oddly enough, they smelled like warm corn tortillas!

I couldn't figure out what would have caused the damage to this spire.  It was the tallest point of any of the neighboring buildings.  I wonder if the earthquake shook the building so suddenly, if it acted as a sort of whiplash.

Another damaged church.  Most every church had lost its steeple, or had it removed.

Leaving the city center, we came to the Botanical Gardens.  There are parks all throughout Christchurch, in most every neighborhood it seemed.  This was by far the largest and dominated the central part of Christchurch.  I thought these weeping willows near the entrance were fantastic.

Just outside the Garden gates was Mr. Whippy!  It didn't serve popcicles and novelty ice cream that we're used to with our ice cream trucks.  It was soft-serve made to order with whatever toppings you cared to add.

Entrance to the Botanical Gardens.  With the onset of spring in New Zealand, the flowers were all just coming into bloom.  When we return to Christchurch in February, they said this park will be overrun with flowers!

I was surprised to see the Gardens had every tree you could imagine.  From the weeping willows, to cypress trees, palm trees, and even this giant sequoia!

A big cypress tree.  An apple tree, I think, behind it to the right.

An ornamental gate leading out to a rugby field.

Back towards our hotel on the northwest side of town was this pasture.  We passed it every day walking to/from the airport and the International Antarctic Center.  Was so pretty.  In the background, to the east, were low mountains beyond which is the Pacific Ocean.

Taken from the airport, looking southwest, are these mountains which New Zealand is more known for.  These are called the Alps and were still heavy with snow.  Would loved to have had more time to go out and see them - maybe even get in a dip at one of their hot springs, or a few runs at the ski resorts!

Dinner at a pub.  This was an assortment of wild game (boar, ostrich, venison, and kangaroo).  It came on a 400 degree stone, on which you would cook the meat to your own liking.  Was really good!  (My favorite was probably the boar meat.)

Another dinner at another pub, this being their seafood chowder.  New Zealand food, whatever it may be, was always slightly less flavorful than what you'd expect it to be.  If they were chips (french fries), the were just less salty than what you would anticipate.  Chocolate and desserts were less sweet.  It was really interesting.  Made me wonder if their food was just a bit bland, or if ours is over seasoned...  This chowder, however, was fantastic and I made the 20 minute walk back to the same place the following night to order another bowl!

Another cherry tree in blossom.  The picture turned out completely blurred, but in a really neat way I thought.  Really liked how this picture turned out!!

And one of my favorites from Christchurch.  This is Brinkley.  He lived at our hotel and each day before class I would go say hi.  At the end of my day, I'd love on him and tell him goodnight.  He was a great dog!  Really made me miss Bailey a lot!