This is not a paid post.
The sweet sounds of a Polynesian song were in the air as I began my tram tour of Christchurch, New Zealand’s “Garden City”. I turned round and saw a group of women, whom I found out were on holiday from Tahiti. It was if I had walked into a scene from the film South Pacific. The women had captured the spirit of the people of the Garden City.
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| River Avon, Christchurch |
Christchurch was still reeling from the effects of the 2011 earthquake when a magnitude 5.7 tremor
struck almost five years later.
And as if
earthquakes were not enough to contend with, last February hundreds of homes
had to be evacuated as a huge wildfire raged on the city’s outskirts.
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| Botanical Gardens |
New Zealand has thousands of quakes every year but,
thankfully, not all are felt. As a precaution the hotel staff is eager to give
you the “drop, cover, and hold on” drill. Luckily, I did not need it.
Yet, despite all the people of Christchurch have gone
through, Mother Nature has not dampened their courage and optimism for the
future. The city may have been broken but the people are not. There is a sense
here of community and people coming together with boundless energy and
creativity to build the Christchurch of the future.
This was evident as I whizzed round its centre on one of the
restored heritage trams and saw Christchurch shaking off the signs of a city
devastated to one having a grand rebirth.
From out of the ashes an exciting and very special place has
started to form. New buildings are springing up. Construction is everywhere.
Bars and restaurants are starting to line the River Avon once more. Public art
displays fill many empty gaps.
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| Re:Start mall |
One ingenious idea was The Re:START mall. Built out of
shipping containers, it ensured businesses reopened in the Central Business
District (CBD) as soon as possible. This quirky and clever temporary solution
became the iconic symbol of post-quake Christchurch turning the area from drab
to fab. It drew in tourists from all over the world who flocked to shop in the
brightly-coloured container-stores, see interesting artwork and watch street
performers. The Re:START name has gone, but you may still see some of the
containers as they are supposed to be living on until work on the new Farmers
Market construction commences.
Shoppers will not want to miss the Tannery, a complex built
on an old 19th-century industrial precinct. The Victorian edifice is
now bursting with boutiques stocking everything from fashion to books.
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| Regent Street |
The beautiful New Regent Street lined with pastel Spanish
Mission–styled shops is also a great place to while away an hour. There are
some cute galleries to mooch around as well as gift shops. You will also find
plenty of cafés and restaurants here.
Another building to suffer the effects of the 2011 quake was
the Christchurch Cathedral by Cathedral Square. One of the most important
structures that represented Christchurch’s post-colonial history, it is now
almost a shell. A symbol that the city is moving on is the near-by Cardboard
Cathedral, opened in August 2013, designed by Shigeru Ban, it gets its
name from the cardboard tubes used to make it.
While the city is looking forward to a brighter tomorrow it
is not forgetting the past. The 185 Empty White Chairs, an art installation
created by local artist Pete Majendie, is a poignant reminder of the lives lost
in the devastating 2011 quake. Each unique chair represents a person who died.
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| Street in Christchurch |
You do not have to be a history buff to enjoy a visit to
Canterbury Museum. Here you can get an insight into the history of the country
and regions. Particularly, fascinating is the collection of Māori art and the
Antarctic Gallery.
Also worth seeing is the 19-century Isaac Theatre Royal
which survived the earthquakes thanks to restoration work being carried out in
the late 1990s.
After experiencing the city’s colonial past take a stroll
through the picturesque Hagley Park where you will find the Botanic Gardens. For
a different take on the city let a punter, in traditional Edwardian dress, take
you along the River Avon that flows through the centre.
Christchurch is the
largest city in the Canterbury region. With touches of England resonating
through, it was my first taste of New Zealand. It is a place that I will never
forget not just because it is so lovely and green but because of its people who
have showed great courage and determination. When you are destroyed, you get
back on your feet and start again. A lesson to us all.
By Daralyn Danns
Getting there
Fly with Quantas (qantas.com/gb). Had
a great flight with this airline. Food and service was impeccable. Booked
through Trailfinders (trailfinders.com)
Stay at The George (thegeorge.com)
a charming luxurious boutique hotel overlooking Hagley Park and the River Avon.
Friendly and attentive staff. Thoroughly
recommended. Arranged by Grand Pacific Tours booked through
Trailfinders (trailfinders.com)
