A quick visit to Post-Quake Christchurch

On May 22^ndI rolled into Christchurch.  Coincidently, it was the day of the predicted rapture and exactly three months to the day after this city was rocked by a huge quake. Though I paid no heed to the rapture talk, I was a little nervous to see what state Christchurch was in after two big quakes in less than six months. (If you remember, I was here in October and had expected to see rubble and mayhem then.  Luckily, for the most part, that was not the case.)

Once again, I was delightfully surprised that things weren’t as bad as I’d imagined. Don’t get me wrong, things aren’t great;  Big chunks of the central part of the city are still inaccessible, many buildings bear “Do not enter” signs, and heaps of businesses have yet to reopen. Hundreds of people lost their lives, and thousands others are still living with the effects of that quake, so I’m not diminishing the level of destruction or suffering that Christchurch has seen. I was just happy to see that life is indeed going on, most buildings are still standing and many businesses are up and running.  It was good to see.

I didn’t get up to much, other than wander the streets and take pictures of some of the hardest-hit areas (the ones I could get to, anyway).  I also delighted in visiting different supermarkets (I know, I know, Loser) and other shops, since Wanaka isn’t exactly teeming with stores.  Of course, the Botanical Gardens are as gorgeous as ever, so I spent a happy hour revisiting some of my favourite trees and watching the ducks play in the river.  When you’re broke and in a broken (but on the mend!) city, you make your fun where you can find it.

Christchurch has/had a lot of churches, and they seemed to be the buildings that suffered the worst damage.

Broken glass was still on the ground outside this office building.  No idea if it was from vandals or the quake.

As close as I could get to the heart of downtown. Cathedral Square is just beyond that white building, if I'm not mistaken.

I was glad to see that this archway is still standing.  It was one of the first things I photographed when I first got to NZ back in 2004.

Random destroyed apartment building.

Many areas downtown are cordonned off by chainlink fences, and of course many of these have become memorials.  Interestingly, this was the most colourful, elaborate and extensive one I saw.  It's outside the Arts Centre where the Dux Delux microbrewery and pub once stood.  They've left a bunch of duck-shaped papers with handy ties in a folder on the fence so people can add their own notes.  Inki had brought me to this pub back in October, and it was quite good, so I left a note myself (not picture here though).

The sidewalks were pretty bumpy in places.  You could see where it had likely roiled and waved up during the quake.  This is one of the most dramatic examples I saw.

Another shell of a church.

The pretty fountain in the Botanical Gardens was working just fine though. :)

Damn you ground under Christchurch, stop moving

I feel sick. 

I’m writing this on the evening of February 22, some nine hours after the Earth did anything but stand still in Christchurch.  Since I'm staying at a place without Internet access, by the time I post this it’ll be likely days later.  (one day later, it turns out)

I’m glad I was able to send out a message yesterday letting people know where I am so they know I’m not anywhere near the earthquake or the devastation it has caused.

Thank goodness for that, cause it’s absolutely awful down there right now. 

I’ve been watching news coverage for about three hours now, and I’ve been physically affected by it all – my stomach is in knots; my heart is in my throat; my arms and legs are riddled with goose bumps; tears have threatened more than once. 

As far as I know, nobody I know is down there at the moment, but the images are still haunting:  buildings reduced to rubble, cars crushed beneath countless kilos of concrete, sobbing bloodied people stumbling around streets I’ve visited not so long ago (and marvelled at how well the city looked post-quake). 

I nearly cried when I saw what remains of the Cathedral and the Arts Building – two of my favourite in the entire country.  What a loss.

I know it may mean little, but Christchurch, my heart and prayers are with you.

Christchurch in the spring

Christchurch holds a special place in my heart.  It’s where I was first introduced to New Zealand six years ago, and was my last port of call when I was here in 2009. 

It boasts an absolutely amazing botanical garden, some pretty nice architecture, and a pretty well-developed arts scene.

It’s NZ’s second biggest city with a mere 386,100 residents (Auckland has about a million, while Wellington, the capital, has very slightly less people than Christchurch at 386,000).

It was also the site of a pretty huge earthquake at the beginning of Septembe – it measured 7.1 on the Richter scale. I didn’t know what to expect coming back – crumbled buildings, closed businesses, whatever.  I’m very happy to report that other than the odd broken window, a few tarped-up roofs, most houses -- and the landmarks -- seem to be in tiptop shape.

In fact, had I not known about the quake, I wouldn’t have believed that one took place.  That’s not to say there isn’t any damage at all – there are a few buildings that have had to be completely razed, and some evidence of fire damage elsewhere. But all in all, I was relieved to see that for the most part, the Christchurch I remembered remains.

Among the worst damage I've seen.

We decided to splurge on our accommodation Friday night, as Christina had come down with a nasty cold, and some hotels were offering some decent deals.  We stayed at the Ibis, which is right off of Cathedral Square – the main centre of the city.  It was decent.  Most importantly, it was warm.

We just took a walk around part of the botanical gardens, and through the downtown before retiring for the night.  We were all pretty wiped, so we struggled through some truly bad TV, did some laundry (which did not dry – you read it here, don’t use the laundry facility at the the Ibis hotel in Christchurch.  It’s a gyp.) and went to sleep.

Swing tree

Today was a sad day.  It was grey, dreary, a little rainy, and it was my last day with Christina and Nick.  They’re off to the amazing West Coast via Arthurs Pass, while I’m staying here in Christchurch for a few more days before heading South to Dunedin to do my interview for Otago University on Wednesday.

I was a little emotional when I bid them farewell.  It’s been a great week and I’ve especially enjoyed their company.  I’ve known Chrissy for at least 23 years – we grew up on the same street, I used to babysit her and her sisters, and our families still get together at least three times a year – but I’ve never really spent much time with her as an adult.  Nick’s been a part of her life for some 10+ years, so I’ve been aware of him, have likely talked to him a few times, but I’ve never really gotten to know him.  I’m so glad I’ve had this opportunity to know them better.  They’re great people, and so right for each other.

So fare thee well Chrissy and Nick. I hope you had a great time with me, cause I sure did with you.  And Jean and Wilf, I’m sorry I won’t be able to give you updates on their movements anymore. You’ll have to rely on them J

Chrissy and Nick do their impression of Japanese tourists.

So what’s next?  As I said, I have that interview next week.  After that, my next obligation is in mid-November when I’m expected in Wellington for an assessment exercise at Victoria University.  Between next Thursday and then, my life is an open slate.  I hope to find a place near Dunedin or Wanaka to do some WWOOFING (volunteering on organic farms in exchange for room and board).  I also wouldn’t mind finding a bit of paying work for a week or two, though I’m not sure if that’s realistic.

In any case, I do plan on continuing to write, so keep visiting!  And please feel free to comment.  I want to make sure I’m not just writing into the ether (thanks for commenting mom and zoobabe!)