New Zealand, The Land Of The Kiwi

New Zealand doesn’t have an Independence Day but received permission to “self govern” from England in 1852.

The peoples’ nick name “Kiwi” refers to the indigenous bird that is about the size of a chicken, has nostrils at the end of its beak and doesn’t fly. I have to confess that I thought they called themselves a fruit. LOL.Leaving Fiji and flying almost directly south for 4 hours took me to Christchurch. I stayed in a little air bnb apartment for two nights that was located around the corner from the Anglican Transitional Cathedral where I went to mass on Sunday. It is called “the cardboard ” cathedral since the large tubes that make up the ceiling are rolls of cardboard.

This church was build as a temporary place of worship after the 2011 earthquake that pretty much destroyed the large stone church and 65 percent of the city. There has been controversy surrounding reconstruction vs destruction. It was only recently determined to repair this beautiful landmark. The cost is estimated at 140 million and is expected to take at least 10 years.

The are multiple sites through out the city that still show the devastation from earthquakes in 2010 and 2011. 180 people died in 2011 and memorials are scattered about the city.

The Central Business District (downtown) is very walkable but if you are young and agile you could rent a Lime (scooter) for 38 cents per minute. These are standing all along the sidewalks.Christchurch is nicked named “The Garden City” because when the English settled here they built it to remind them of home. There is a great Botanical Garden. Since it is spring in this half of the world the rose gardens have not bloomed but have 250 varieties– this picture from the brochure. Use your imagination.

I took the lovely trolley ride around the city and stopped for a delicious meal that started with duck liver pate and ended with scallops and a yummy New Zealand white pinot noir. I didn’t eat the flower.

A stop for a mint chocolate chip gelato finished off a lovely day.

Christchurch has street art everywhere and sculptures are scattered about the city. I made a visit to the museum that tells the story of this young county and I attended a musical at the city concert hall.I started my tour of the South Island with a train ride over the “southern Alps” to Franz Joseph. The views were outstanding and we passed vast hills covered with blooming ground cover.

This city is on the west coast and has snow covered mountains on one side and a rainforest with palm trees on the Tasmanian Sea side.

The next leg of the trip was south to Queenstown–we crossed the 45th parallel along the way. This city is in the central region at the end of a long wide delta where pinot noir grapes love to grow. It has sunny days, cold nights and rocky ground. This area is an outdoor paradise offering jet boats that skim glacier rivers, only needing 4 inches of water. The driver gave us some thrilling “whirling” turns.

There are a couple “ski field” near Queenstown and I was very tempted to catch a day of spring sliding.

I have to admit I settled on a tame walk about the town, a picnic of cheese, fruit and Squealing Pig and a dinner cruise on the TSS Earnslaw.

I wish I could spend more time in Queenstown. The next day I found Eric’s monk fish and chips takeaway and ate it on the top deck of Perky’s boat bar With a nice cold lager. I passed on the submarine jet ski ride.Walking back up to my hotel the sidewalk sign for a “hot buttered rum” caught my attention–you dip the stick into the mug and stir. It was offered in a wine boutique that has 104 wines on tap.I also had to purchase a New Zealand wool hat that will remind me of these beautiful bushes that are everywhere. I’ll bet there is a place like this in heaven. Tomorrow, I leave this “Lord of the Rings” wonderland and start traveling back up to Christchurch along the east side of this lower island.