Sunday, July 10, 2011

took a wander

through Christchurch yesterday

because I realised I was
being a bit of a sook
avoiding going into town
after I took the Hawaiian kids
around to take a look.

Becky and I had a chat about viewing
natural disasters.
I feel like a voyeur*
Becky, however reckons she would be taking a look
at the heart of things as soon as.
She lives on the Big Island in Hawaii
so chances are that she gets a front row seat for a tsunami
is likely.

Bet she doesn't go down to the heart of the disaster immediately.

We were on a schedule
so there was not stopping
but if we did this would have been the first stop.


The Catholic Basilica on Barbados Street.
Well except that Barbados Street is a one way street
and we were going in the opposite direction on Moorhouse.

Unlike old guy was driving in the wrong direction
on Barbados St today!
Hair raising!



Makes you want to cry really.
The building not the old guy driving.


This window makes me frown sadly.
I'm not Catholic but have had some very peaceful and
pleasant experiences when visiting with friends who are
and since it's me of course those friends are about as extreme Catholics as you can get.

Terri is a Carmalite nun,
the ones who take a vow of silence and
stay locked away from the world.
She is pretty chatty for a silent nun.
Just joking,
 it's not a 24/7 vow,
it's a away from the world vow
and lots of silent prayer and contemplation vow.

I always thought that would quite a good life
cause Terri certainly knew what the All Blacks were up to
and they were in her prayers often.

Anyway my point...
visiting her was always in rooms that this room would have been like.

Silent but humming with peace,
sparsely furnished but comfortable,
stark but decorated beautifully.

Now it isn't.



I'm not sure if retaining walls are getting creative or not
but I'm liking the usage of the hay bales
to soften any damage from the next round of earthquakes
cause you know they are coming**.

Sorry that's a wee bit blurry
but I got a new camera
since someone who shall remain nameless
took off with my batteries and didn't return them
before he went back to Hawaii.
Actually that's not the reason at all.
I've looking for ages.

So all this damage happened on Feb 22.
Yes four months ago
and they (may be CERA) have only
got around to pulling down/fixing up buildings.

To be fair there are 900 commercial buildings
that have to come down
Already there are huge gaps all over town.

Ah Christchurch, what is to become of you?



* I mean voyeur in a lazy English way not in it's true meaning!
** Have decided to embrace earthquakes using the theory of Murphy's Law.  You should see my emergency kit, very organised.

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