5mcintyres: Christchurch

Stunning views from the train on the way to Christchurch from Kaikoura. We had gorgeous weather and really enjoyed the scenic ride. Very relaxing (apart from one toddler and 2 kids climbing all over the seats) and a great way to travel and see much of the countryside.

I...just...need...a...little...nap....

"Emergency Signal. To Stop Train in Extreme Emergency Turn Lever Down.

Penalty for improper use $20"

Really? $20? In the states they'd throw you in the slammer for improper use of the emergency signal! :)

After waiting in Kaikoura most of the day, the kids were pooped. There is only one train a day that runs the Picton to Christchurch stretch so you take it when you get it. The train stops in Kaikoura at 3:30pm so we had all morning and most of the afternoon to kill before boarding the last leg.

Sweet Caroline...quick power nap and she's good as new!

Christchurch is the 2nd largest city in NZ. We arrived via train about 7pm on Monday. Thankfully we had enough time to get to our downtown hotel, the Hotel Chancellor, and take a walk to Cathedral Square before grabbing some dinner. What a beautiful city, rich in history. It was a quick stop but we are so happy we were able to see this great place.

Christchurch Railway Station - our last whistle stop!

Fun Facts from www.wikipedia.org

*Cathedral Square, locally known simply as the 'Square', is the geographical centre and heart of Christchurch, NZ, where the city's Anglican cathedral, ChristChurch Cathedral is located. The square stands at the theoretical crossing of the city's two main orthogonal streets, Colombo Street and Worcester Street, though in practice both have been either blocked off or detoured around the square itself.

*Christchurch is one of a group of only four cities in the world, that have been carefully planned following the same layout of a central city square, four complimenting city squares surrounding it and a parklands area that embrace the city centre. The first city built with this pattern was Philadelphia, later came Savannah and Adelaide. The fourth city using this pattern was Christchurch. As such Christchurch holds an important legacy and a strong platform for future development.

*Gateway to the Antarctic - Christchurch has a history of involvement in Antarctic exploration - both Robert Falcon Scott and Ernest Shackleton used the port of Lyttelton as a departure point for expeditions, and there is a statue of Scott, sculpted by his widow, Kathleen Scott, in the central city.

*2010 Earthquake - An earthquake with magnitude 7.1 occurred in the South Island, New Zealand at Saturday 04:35 AM local time, 4 September 2010. The earthquake occurred at a depth of 10 kilometers (6.0 miles). The epicentre was located 40 kilometres (25 mi) west of Christchurch.

The earthquake was reported to have caused widespread damage and power outages. 63 aftershocks were also reported in the first 48 hours with three registering 5.2 magnitude. Christchurch residents reported chimneys falling in through roofs, cracked ceilings and collapsed brick walls. Total Earthquake Commission, insurance and individual costs may reach as high as NZ$4 billion according to the New Zealand Treasury.

Cab ride # ...oh I've lost count by this point.

Wolfgang's Iphone worked in NZ! Here they are trying to find a place to eat. It's amazing what those things can do!

"Since the year 2000, The Chalice, a large piece of modern sculpture in the form of an inverted cone, has stood in the square subverting the shape of the spire that rises above the cathedral. The Chalice, designed by prominent New Zealand artist Neil Dawson, is made up of forty-two leaf patterns featuring different native plants." www.wikipedia.org

Christchurch Cathedral

"Christchurch is a city built around a cathedral with a spire that once commanded the skyline. It is the best-known and most visited church building in New Zealand and is an iconic representation of the city of Christchurch." www.christchurchcathedral.co.nz

Calvin, MaeMae and Caroline had a blast chasing and feeding the birds. After a long day of touring, train-ing and riding they enjoyed every minute of the wide open spaces of Cathedral Square.

Egyptian demonstrators.

For tea (dinner) we found a wonderful Japanese/Korean restaurant. Ben said his meal was awesome...like top 3 ever! Mom would've been proud...see below. :)

Missy and Wolfgang had a beautiful sushi plate.

Ben's Octopus BBQ. Mom would've been so proud that he he ordered this AND thought it was the best meal ever!

I'll never forget one of the first times Ben ever ate Korean food with us. We were at one of the Korean restaurants on Decker Blvd and Ben and I hadn't been dating all that long. It was a brave move to take him to eat Korean, for several reasons. 1. it's different 2. we like to eat it and we like to eat ALOT of it and we like to, for lack of better words, stuff our faces and 3. it's like eating ribs on a first date, you save that one til you know they're gonna stick around a while. :) Anyway, Ben ate everything my mom ordered (including octopus, squid, etc...) and that is the day he won my mom's heart. She told me if a man will eat what he did and enjoy it, he's a good man. :) Mom, you were right!