Christchurch after the quake
Patches of Christchurch in New Zealand look as though they had been subjected to a severe thrashing before being gouged out. What's left, post the February 2011 earthquake, in parts of the city centre with its once-magnificent Gothic architecture, is cannibalised chaos. But like a divorce that comes as a shock after what you thought was a particularly beautiful marriage, you move on, you re-build, sometimes better than before, and the pain does eventually go away.
And Christchurch is doing just that - rebuilding. While parts of the city remain cordoned off, most visitor services, from the airport accommodation to the tourist attractions, continue to remain open. Exploration, for those who've been here before, feels like an extended state of rediscovery. For instance, the half-an-hour boat punt down the Avon river, which runs like a parting in a thick head of hair through a section of the 30 hectares of Botanical Gardens planted with over 10,000 specimens of indigenous and imported plants, is a surreal experience.
There's the sound of birds and peace to be found in the reflection of the willow trees in the water, but there's also the faint but jarring noise of earthquake-hit buildings being pulled down. The boatman says philosophically, "What goes up must come down." As we approach the photogenic, green-and-white Antigua Boatshed to dock, I find myself grateful for the blissful boat ride, and the sounds of the buildings being demolished feel like a poetic if tragic reminder of the transience of life.
But no matter what mood I'm in, the place I'm told I simply can't miss is She Chocolat. A 20-minute drive from the city centre, it offers, in addition to its gourmet menu, locally- produced, handcrafted chocolates and truffles. The aficionados just can't seem to get enough of the produce of this veritable Hansel 'n Gretel house — Mayan bars, chocolates with beetroot centres, hot coffee bombs, and delectable treats like Mocha from Marz made from layers of walnuts, coffee ganache, and marzipan.
As I sip my Mayan hot chocolate, feeling warm and comforted, the waitress tells me that when the earthquakes struck, the café sent out, in its large 'chocolate' bus, free mugs of hot chocolate to all affected victims. She says, "The police woman to whom I offered a mug told me that this was the first moment in the whole day that she had a chance to stop and rest. Chocolate was, in a way, doing what it does best — nourishing every soul."
The 45-minute hot air balloon ride with "Up, Up and Away" puts things further in perspective. From up there, with a view of the sun rising out of the Pacific Ocean to the east and the snow-covered Southern Alps to the west, high above the lush farmlands of the Canterbury plains, things are put into context. I'm reminded yet again that no matter what's gone down, Christchurch is still the gateway to several marvelous experiences on offer in the wider South Island. That this is the starting point for many Antarctic expeditions. That within a few hours drive from here, I could be iceberg-cruising in Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, or swimming with the world's rarest dolphins in Akaroa harbour.
There were several other things I relished about the trip to Christchurch. A visit to the Antarctic centre with its little penguins, 4-D theatre, and simulation rooms recreating the Antarctic experience. Shopping at Untouched World, known for its merino and natural fiber clothing. Dinner at the vastly popular Italian restaurant Tutto Bene. But really it was just being present as the town was recovering from the quake that moved me the most.
In the voice of every taxi driver I spoke to, there were undertones of hope — that the 'new' Christchurch would be an improvement on the old, that this was a chance to re-design and recreate the city. In the casino, which opened in May 2011, just 3 months after the 6.3 magnitude earthquake, I saw signs of resilience. In the people who went beyond the call of duty to see that their neighbours were doing all right, I saw empathy, and a living, breathing manifestation of hope over history.
Patches of Christchurch in New Zealand look as though they had been subjected to a severe thrashing before being gouged out. What's left, post the February 2011 earthquake, in parts of the city centre with its once-magnificent Gothic architecture, is cannibalised chaos. But like a divorce that comes as a shock after what you thought was a particularly beautiful marriage, you move on, you re-build, sometimes better than before, and the pain does eventually go away.
And Christchurch is doing just that - rebuilding. While parts of the city remain cordoned off, most visitor services, from the airport accommodation to the tourist attractions, continue to remain open. Exploration, for those who've been here before, feels like an extended state of rediscovery. For instance, the half-an-hour boat punt down the Avon river, which runs like a parting in a thick head of hair through a section of the 30 hectares of Botanical Gardens planted with over 10,000 specimens of indigenous and imported plants, is a surreal experience.
There's the sound of birds and peace to be found in the reflection of the willow trees in the water, but there's also the faint but jarring noise of earthquake-hit buildings being pulled down. The boatman says philosophically, "What goes up must come down." As we approach the photogenic, green-and-white Antigua Boatshed to dock, I find myself grateful for the blissful boat ride, and the sounds of the buildings being demolished feel like a poetic if tragic reminder of the transience of life.
But no matter what mood I'm in, the place I'm told I simply can't miss is She Chocolat. A 20-minute drive from the city centre, it offers, in addition to its gourmet menu, locally- produced, handcrafted chocolates and truffles. The aficionados just can't seem to get enough of the produce of this veritable Hansel 'n Gretel house — Mayan bars, chocolates with beetroot centres, hot coffee bombs, and delectable treats like Mocha from Marz made from layers of walnuts, coffee ganache, and marzipan.
As I sip my Mayan hot chocolate, feeling warm and comforted, the waitress tells me that when the earthquakes struck, the café sent out, in its large 'chocolate' bus, free mugs of hot chocolate to all affected victims. She says, "The police woman to whom I offered a mug told me that this was the first moment in the whole day that she had a chance to stop and rest. Chocolate was, in a way, doing what it does best — nourishing every soul."
The 45-minute hot air balloon ride with "Up, Up and Away" puts things further in perspective. From up there, with a view of the sun rising out of the Pacific Ocean to the east and the snow-covered Southern Alps to the west, high above the lush farmlands of the Canterbury plains, things are put into context. I'm reminded yet again that no matter what's gone down, Christchurch is still the gateway to several marvelous experiences on offer in the wider South Island. That this is the starting point for many Antarctic expeditions. That within a few hours drive from here, I could be iceberg-cruising in Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, or swimming with the world's rarest dolphins in Akaroa harbour.
There were several other things I relished about the trip to Christchurch. A visit to the Antarctic centre with its little penguins, 4-D theatre, and simulation rooms recreating the Antarctic experience. Shopping at Untouched World, known for its merino and natural fiber clothing. Dinner at the vastly popular Italian restaurant Tutto Bene. But really it was just being present as the town was recovering from the quake that moved me the most.
In the voice of every taxi driver I spoke to, there were undertones of hope — that the 'new' Christchurch would be an improvement on the old, that this was a chance to re-design and recreate the city. In the casino, which opened in May 2011, just 3 months after the 6.3 magnitude earthquake, I saw signs of resilience. In the people who went beyond the call of duty to see that their neighbours were doing all right, I saw empathy, and a living, breathing manifestation of hope over history.
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