New Zealand Photography travel

Christchurch, New Zealand

Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial
Opened in February 2017 the Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial pays respects to the 185 people who died in the 2011 earthquake.
Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial
The memorial wall for victims of the 2011 earthquake is located on the river in the centre of Christchurch.

We took a couple of days to explore the centre of Christchurch. It is certainly a unique city in that due to the devastating earthquakes it experienced between 2010 and 2012, this 162 year old city has a very modern feel. It is the oldest city in New Zealand, however due to the earthquakes, the central business district is full of new buildings, buildings under construction, and parking lots and parks  where construction has not started yet.

Neil Dawson's 'Chalice' in Cathedral Square
The ‘Chalice’ was erected in 2001 beside the Christchurch Cathedral. It now stands in stark contrast beside the damaged church.
Government Services Building
The City planners have seized the opportunity to improve many of the services they provide to the public. This new building complex brings together Courts, Corrections, Police, EMS, Fire, and Civil Defence.
New Public Library
The new City bird should be the crane. They are everywhere in the City. This new municipal library is going up beside Cathedral Square.
Gelato Anyone?
One of the most reassuring sights as we walked around the city centre was the small businesses still at work. The people were very friendly and seemed to take the risk of another quake in stride.
Tram Tour
It was great to hear the sounds of the tram running along the roads of the downtown. A great idea for a tour of the rebuilding.
Bridge of Remembrance
It was not all earthquake and reconstruction. It was great to see many of the old memorials and statues survived. The Bridge of Remembrance is a beautiful feature along the Avon River.
Air Force Museum of New Zealand
Another great site to visit was the Air Force Museum. They have done an excellent job of highlighting the Air Force’s history and the people behind it.
MASH
For you fans of the TV series MASH it is worth doing the behind the scenes tour and seeing one of the helicopters used to transport injured troops in the Korean War.
Sopwith Camel
I just loved the way this Sopwith Camel had been displayed.

We were in New Zealand when the big quake struck in February, 2011. Fortunately we were safely on the north island and were able to view the response via local television. The take away for me was how well organized their civil defence was and how well the public reacted and worked together. 7 years later that positive can do attitude is still very much in evidence. These are good people and should be remembered for that reason. On that note I will leave you with a couple of shots from the beautiful Christchurch Botanic Gardens and a poignant public art work commemorating those who died in 2011.

Christchurch Botanic Gardens

Christchurch Botanic Gardens

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Welcome to our travel blog. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to say, "I'm out of here?" Well we did, and in 2013 we made it a reality. We sold or gave away all of our possessions other than what fit in our luggage and we set off on an endless adventure. Part of our goal is to share our experiences with others and hopefully provide some information, motivation, or just a moments escape. The general idea was to look for a place that would be ideal to settle down in. However in the meantime it is about experiencing life in different countries amongst different cultures and learning how to understand and appreciate each other. A large part of our time is spent housesitting which provides an excellent opportunity to experience more of the "normal" neighbourhoods as opposed to the tourist locales. Though we make sure to enjoy those as well. So through plenty of photographs and a running commentary come and share with us our life on the road.

4 comments on “Christchurch, New Zealand

  1. Dorothy Pecksen

    Amazing

  2. Bryce Sherman

    Mate, Excellent story and great post! Really. Damn your getting good

    Cheers and kind regards,

    Bryce Sherman

    On Tue, Feb 6, 2018 at 3:49 PM, Peter & Karen Pecksen wrote:

    > peterpecksen posted: ” We took a couple of days to explore the centre of > Christchurch. It is certainly a unique city in that due to the devastating > earthquakes it experienced between 2010 and 2012, this 162 year old city > has a very modern feel. It is the oldest city in New ” >

  3. Paul Reshetylo

    Very cool…

    Paul Reshetylo

    GFID

    Four things you can’t recover: The stone…after the throw. The word…after it’s said. The occasion…after it’s missed. The time…after it’s gone.

  4. I shall visit New Zealand, sometime within the next five years- quakes or no quakes.

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