A day in Christchurch

It's our second day on the south island and after riding the transalpine train yesterday, today we wanted to walk around in Christchurch and soak up the city sights and sounds. This is a lovely city.

The first people settled here around 1200, but Christchurch was founded in 1856 when the Four Ships brought 792 settlers here. It is the oldest city in New Zealand, modeled on Christ Church College and Cathedral in Oxford. The river is named the Avon, after the Scottish river Avon.



One of the bridges over the Avon is the Bridge of Remembrance. First opened in 1924 on Armistice Day, it has changed over the years to honor men and women who died in World Wars I and II, Korea, Malaya, Borneo, and Vietnam. 42% of NZ men (including Maori) fought in World War I. They had a casualty rate of 58%. (Have you seen the film Gallipoli?) New Zealand fought in all but the first few days of World War II. One out of every 150 New Zealanders died in that war, the highest death rate in the British commonwealth. New Zealand contributed medical, communications and peacekeeping teams, but did not send combat troops to Iraq.

School children in uniform walk along the Avon, past the Bridge of Remembrance...

On to a giant chess game in Cathedral Square.

And naturally, a grand Anglican cathedral.

Christchurch is known as the City of Gardens. Even in autumn, the Botanical Gardens were gorgeous. (May means spring in the northern hemisphere and fall in the southern.)

Interesting sculpture



The hydrangea and maple garden

Time for lunch at the Viaduct... yum. If you're ever in Christchurch, you must eat in an Oxford Terrace sidewalk cafe.

After lunch we were ready for another walk and so, we ended a really nice day with a few hours in the Christchurch Art Gallery.