Around the World in 8000 days: Christchurch and Akaroa

Saturday, August 27, 2016

Christchurch and Akaroa

Christchurch

The earthquake obviously had a huge impact on Christchurch, but that isn't all I'm going to tell you about here. Whilst the city was badly damaged, there are a few aspects that remain.

Christchurch

New Regent Street, Christchurch

One place worth a wander down is New Regent Street, with its forty colourful painted shops in the Spanish Mission Revival Style, which were built by H Francis Willis in 1930-2, as a new concept in speciality shops.

And if you’re wondering, no, I don’t know why there were three wizards sitting outside one café, except that I assume that they were thirsty.

Bridge of Remembrance, Christchurch

The city has a lovely old tram system, which is back up and running. It will take you past the Bridge of Remembrance, built in 1924, originally to commemorate those fallen in WWI, but now remembering those who died in all wars.

Christchurch

Akaroa

We also took a drive out of the city, through pretty countryside and along some very wind roads in places, to nearby Akaroa. The village is on the Banks Peninsula and sits in a bay on the remnants of an old volcano. Its name means Long Harbour.

Akaroa

It is a pretty little village of only about 700 people, and has a heavy French influence, that can be seen in its buildings. It is best to try to time your visit to avoid the arrival of a cruise ship, as it can get pretty busy then.

Akaroa

We took a little boat tour out into the bay, largely for a bit of wildlife spotting. We saw a few New Zealand fur seals along the rocks, and we were able to brave the swell of the mouth of the bay to catch a view of the little Hectors dolphins.

We were also very pleased to spot what we were reliably informed was not just a Little Blue Penguin, but rather their close relation, the White Flippered Penguin, which in endemic to this area and is only distinguished from the Little Blues only by the larger band of white along the front edge and back edge of their flippers. Penguin type number eleven.