Christchurch, name comes from its founders, the Christ Church College the Oxford, is the second largest city in New Zealand after Auckland, and most important of the South Island. Famous for its agriculture industry, especially archifamoso products derived from merino lamb Canterbury plains, is also known for being one of the steps required of almost every traveler who is directed to Antarctica, the fourth largest continent in the World.
The first thing you do is to get to go to Christchurch Cathedral Square, where he quickly gets a sense of place, and then wander around the huge park Hagley, which is one of the most beautiful botanical gardens in the world. These two visits and Walker realize the basic lines of the city: English aesthetic, trated cordial, low density, Japanese restaurants, Chinese, Australian, Italian, all, much merino wool, much mention to Antarctica and nature sneaking, and throughout New Zealand, in each slit can of civilization.
You must indicate that my visit to Christchurch earlier fue al earthquake 2011 and that the city was living pretty carefree looking, a mountain neighborhoods and other neighborhoods sea.
Youth divine treasure
New Zealand is a young country, very young – Fue founded in Christchurch 1850 – and has the enthusiasm of teenagers nations, also, much space given to a grateful and above nature and financial weather blowing in favor.
Yes, no problem, said, and between sushi, maki y trago of wine, we declare ourselves in love with the freshness of New Zealand, its white wine and youth.
A Christchurch Fui Tuiolo con mi Amiga, the mother of Tatupu, Manono's baby, to participate in a reunion. I imagine that for those who have not read the story on Manono this sequence of references must sound like semantic sleight, but do not worry because in the vast Pacific literary references uninteresting relationship.
The interesting thing is that both Tuiolo as I traveled all over our years and our whole job responsibility to Christchurch, from our residence Samoan, but it was coming to this fresh and prosperous civilization caught us early youth. How I remember. Upon arrival we bought a bottle of white wine impossible to find in the Polynesian and we went to a Japanese restaurant, unimaginable beyond New Caledonia let alone in secluded islands of the South Pacific. Once inside the restaurant said Mr.: hello, can we have diner here and drink this bottle of wine?, and teach, with all our face, the bottle you just bought at the supermarket. Yes, no problem, said, and between sushi, maki y trago of wine, we declare ourselves in love with the freshness of New Zealand, its white wine and youth.
The next day, Hotel after breakfast, buffet which was several laps of a living room with black square tables, we went to the botanical garden, I think in an exercise in adaptation, gradually balancing the levels of excessive vegetation and fauna of the islands, with cement and roads of western world. Tuiolo remember sitting on the grass of the park as they sit Samoans, with legs stretched open like scissors, ducks surrounded by those who gave a pure rootlets pulled the Lawn.
From its port, Lyttelton, leave daily ferries to the frozen continent and the first tourist attraction in the city is the International Antarctic Centre, from which hosts most of the expeditions.
Ducks also traveled the streets, es need tinting, and interacted with citizens bravely, herbs like trickled between the cobbles of Cathedral Square, subtle evidence of nature slide southern cities.
Buying merino wool that we are going to Antarctica
Besides wine and parks headquarters, Christchurch City is the wool of the merino sheep and, especially, the door to Antarctica. From its port, Lyttelton, leave daily ferries to the frozen continent and the first tourist attraction in the city is the International Antarctic Centre, from which hosts most of the expeditions.
If to go to the Antarctic Center must leave the city, to buy some merino wool simply enter any of the shops around the Cathedral Square or take a walk downtown. If something can be done with wool, Merino sheep is made and sold in Christchurch: socks, caps, scarves, sweaters and gloves of course, stuffed animals, bags, covers all, Baby booties, earmuffs, pompons, Carpet, Several types of cotton, etc..
I remember we bought socks and gloves, clear, never use in Samoa but during our stay in New Zealand and our nights of wine and sushi indeed harbored our hands and our feet.
I also remember, as remote, that did not happen in New Zealand but at some remote time, and indeed, it was, playing the first Antarctic scientific stations we saw in the museum. I remember the food cans, beds, the statues of the adventurers with dogs, metal saucepans, and motorbikes and precarious sleds before there merino wool carpets and sushi restaurants used those brave men who went to explore Antarctica, some of which did not return after.
Christchurch is a city homage finally. A brave explorers, the everlasting youth, Canterbury's sheep and tenacity of its residents to recover from earthquakes and unconditionally loving nature and over again.
