Buzzy--Bee

I've got an afternoon to myself in Christchurch tomorrow. I haven't been there since before the February earthquake, but I used to live there so I am familiar with the tourist things.

I was thinking I should go and have a look at the damage to the cathedral, etc, can anyone tell me whether this is accessible? And does anyone have any other ideas of what I could do while I'm there?

Thanks

BB

BEVS

Yes. I believe you can go see from what folks around me here tell me. Several seem to have done this.

cappuccino

They were doing controlled walks around the CBD during December, not sure if they are still doing it (think not). It was a very sad and sobering experience for us.

We thoroughly enjoyed a few hours at the museum (www.canterburymuseum.com), and a day out in Akaroa.

Jan n Neil

no the cathedral is closed off again. The walkway was closed Dec 19th and then Dec 23rd happened...........

But you should go to Cashel Mall, the container Restart shops and Ballantynes there is a parking lot on Lichfield, well signposted

Jan

Buzzy--Bee

Thanks. I get off my bus to Chch at Tuam street - are the restart shops near there?

BB

Jan n Neil

They are on Cashel Street starting from the War Memorial end

J

derab

The Restart Mall is from Colombo to Oxford on Cashel, Ballantynes to the old strip. The Tap room pub on the corner of Oxford Tce and Cashel St is quite sobering to look at (if you pardon the pun) the tables are still as they were in February.
the Worcester St/Durham St bridge is closed, but thats probably the best view of the Cathedral if you are not a celebrity.

Buzzy--Bee

Well I spent the afternoon as follows: I started with the container mall which I though was fantastic, it would have looked great in any modern trendy location, never mind the earthquake. I then had lunch at a place opposite the old arts centre where I shared a table with a Christchurch resident who told me they were upping and leaving as soon as they had rebuilt their house and sold, they asked me a lot of questions about life in Melbourne! I then walked the perimeter of the CBD red zone. I watched some of the demolition, those guys are like surgeons, daintily picking apart one multi-storey to avoid damaging the neighbouring one. No matter how much news I have watched and how many video clips and photos I've seen there were a few things that I really wasn't ready for:

- The whole post-apocolyptic feel. The deserted, silent, eerie streets with just the sounds of demolition.
- Mother nature reclaiming the city. Weeds and plants growing through pavements and roads unchecked.
- Buildings are supposed to be vertical! It makes you feel uneasy to see them at an angle.
- The spray paint from the search and rescue mission: "CLEAR - TAIWAN - 26/2", "CLEAR - UK - 25/2" etc etc. I found those really moving.
- The huge size of the cordoned off area. It's much bigger than I imagined.

After my circumnavigation of the cordon I had a trip to the museum, and arrived there in time for an organised tour. Now I'm sure that every Christchurch business and organisation has had a lot to deal with in the last year, but I did feel that there were a couple of things that could have been updated in the museum, namely -

- Christchurch's last earthquake was not in 1973. Let's have a photo display of the incredible devastation from 2010 - 11 and some text and photos of the immense rescue effort.
- New Zealand's last Rugby World Cup win was not in 1987. An entire room dedicated to the All Blacks and have no mention of the win in 2011???

Hopefully the museum will be able to update these exhibits soon.

I'm really glad I came to see the red zone for myself. It was a very moving experience.

BB

derab

Glad you liked it BB.
there are a lot of people like that Resident, forcibly kept here for financial reasons and hard at work getting themselves into a portable position.
hopefully we will be able to use your services soon

chippy64

For anyone that hasn't seen it yet - I took these the other day. It's a lovely space, with entertainment and a buzzy atmosphere. However, if you walk to the end you come to part of the cordoned off area and the Cathedral is in the distance. Two very contrasting images - what was and what is.

Stormer999

Says it all really... excellent resilience...