It's usually windy here, the brochures say, and my Saturday was sure windy. It was also sunny and warm, however, reaching into the 20's (70's Fahrenheit). It's a small city by my standards, but therefore easy to walk around in. There's a free shuttle through the central district, a tram, and good bus service. I did not see all of the tourist sites, like the gondola southwest of town. I may take advantage of that when I end up here in December after the Magic Bus tour (I have to end up where I started).
I am also thinking about a Lord of the Rings tour to the site where Edoras was constructed. It's just a rocky hill, but the tour is supposed to be very interesting, and the views are fantastic.
The famous Christchurch Cathedral, at one end of Cathedral Square.
The sculpture in the Square.
A walk east from Cathedral Square brings you to the market, which is open every weekend, rain or shine. That's saying something, because New Zealand, and especially the South Island, is noted for being wet. What a contrast to Australia.
The Avon flows through the city, and offers paved walkways for strolling and gondola for cruising. Pushing this boat back upstream is a slow and strenuous process for the punter. (Punters are gondoliers who don't sing to you.)
This is a nice example of the care some people take in the appearance of their property. The city is known for its gardens, after all.
But nice landscaping takes vigilance and effort.
This was in contrast to the streets around Cathedral Square. Litter was prevalent, and even the shopkeepers apparently don't sweep up the broken beer and liquor bottles. There are lots of youngin's on the streets at night, but that's no different than the 16th Street Mall or downtown Colorado Springs. It just struck me as too bad, because a little bit of effort could result in a much more attractive walking / shopping area. Do you have to be loud and obnoxious as a youth in order to travel safely and successfully around the world? ("No, but it helps.")
There are a lot of cafes but also a lot of pubs. In fact, today (Sunday for me) an Irish pub called The Bog offered an incentive to come watch the World Cup Finals in Rugby, in which England lost to South Africa. The broadcast here began at 7:30 am. The Bog offered a breakfast consisting of eggs, rashers (bacon to you), hash browns (potato cakes = like fried mashed potatoes = bleah), toast, and a pint! All for $10NZ (less than $9US). The kiwi and I enjoyed that.
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