Lest we forget

22nd February and unbelievably it is 6 years since the fateful earthquake which changed lives here in Christchurch for ever. As thousands of us stood together near the new earthquake memorial marble wall, with the names of the 185 people who died that day, we all shared the sadness of the past, the concerns of the present with the fires on the hills, and most importantly the hope and the togetherness for the future.

How sad to think that Adam, Mark and David's school friend and soccer teammate, could not be there to share this moment with his family and friends. One of the so few people who were so unlucky to be in the wrong place at the time of the quake.

As we stood and listened to this marvelous young Lyttleton singer giving such a brilliant rendering of the beautiful , originally Maori song, Now is the Hour, the tears flowed and total strangers comforted one another, sharing in each other's grief and giving each other strength without a word.  After all, that is what life is about, isn't it ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utlNPdnkcDc

As the river was strewn with flowers, a single rose floated past me. What a wonderful ceremony to remind us of those we lost, the people who were injured, those who came from all over the world to assist us, and those who are continuing to rebuild this fantastic city.

It was great to walk through the city after the service and to see the traffic cones looking so pretty with their sunflowers in them for this commemoration day. Last time I was here, every single cone in the city had at least one flower in it, but now there are fewer than before, but it is still lovely to see.

My weekend jaunt to the Farmers' market at Riccarton House, still remains a highlight most weekends. Such a lot of wonderful tasters, a brilliant atmosphere, fresh produce and a magnificent setting all contribute to this frequent experience. Funnily enough, the lovely first Airbnb ers who stayed with me till today very kindly bought me a lovely chutney from Grannies Goodies!!!

Yes, Airbnb is now part of my new retired life!! I thought I would never get my first guest, but since I got a review as a guest, I have had people here. If they are all like my first guests, it is going to be a fabulous thing to do!! Sam and James, from Cwmbran in Wales, were my very first guests and we got on so well. They came to the first rugby match of the season between the Crusaders and the Brumbies. Bit close for comfort, but thankfully the very new Crusaders team snuck in!!

This was an exhausting experience for Sam and James, so an early morning spa was needed to relax ready for their trip around the South Island!

Now I have Zoe from Northern England here for 5 days. I am really looking forward to sharing the house, meals, spas, etc, with her. Then Peter is back for the weekend. Wow. It is great.

Next week I have a couple of afternoons of excursions with Japanese groups from the Polytechnic, Ara Institute (new name). Should be fun going to a primary school again and also to some sightseeing places.

I am thrilled to say that my tennis lessons continue. I have thought about playing some real games, but am keen to ensure that my knees do not get twisted and damaged again. I will have to be patient about joining a club, looking forward to October and tennis nearly every day hopefully.

Ballet, winery concert and old favourites

What a sad week for our lovely Port Hills, which amazingly featured in my last blog still intact only days before the fires broke out there. We had commented on how dry it looked and with the strong norwest wind fanning the flames they quickly engulfed hundreds of hectares of grassland, bush and forests, along with a dozen or so houses on the way. We were in the hills the day the fires started, having dinner with friends,  but just around the corner from the fires.  We hardly noticed them apart from the wisps of smoke rising over the peaks. In fact , it was an idyllic evening with a great meal and spectacular sunset. Hard to imagine that only a short distance away the fire crews were battling to save our lovely recreational area and the very expensive homes there.

 

After a busy week working on Zuoz ,  my continuing house and garden improvements and fun evenings out (including my introduction to ukelele playing), , it was weekend and the first big event was a ballet, Carmen. I had only ever been to one ballet before, and this rendering of Carmen, with its exciting music and colourful costume was very different, modern and exciting. What admiration I have for those lightfooted people who danced and spun around the stage making everything look so easy. It was great to be back in Christchurch's oldest theatre as well. 

Saturday Peter and I left Christchurch in the first heavy rain for months. Good news for the firefighters I thought, but actually it impaired vision and made it harder to find hot spots. I am pleased, though, to read that they have got the fire more or less under control but unfortunately are not allowing people home again. There is a huge risk of more fires.  I even joined Facebook, which I have always avoided, in order to be a volunteer for housing of evacuees. There were thousands of offers so I was not required. At least I am prepared now if I ever have the chance to help out somewhere. For those who know I am on Facebook, I will probably rarely use it so please continue to write emails.

We were on the way to a Winery tour concert at Waipara, with the prospect of rain, which would have been a pity, but we were well prepared. In fact, as it happened, we had a wonderfully dry evening with very pleasant temperatures and no wind. It was a brilliant setting

 

And the massive crowd with their deckchairs and picnics were treated to three hours of fabulous music from Benny Tipene, a cute young singer, Brooke Fraser with her strong, fine voice, and the little lady I particularly wanted to hear, Bic Runga, who has been delighting audiences for decades with her soft melodic sounds and relaxed manner.

 

It was a beautiful evening with delicious Waipara Springs wine and wonderful pizza leftovers from lunch! We had airbnbs. Mine was in a modern home with family and Peter stayed with a very chatty lady in an older typical wooden home of the sixties. Both very welcoming. I sadly had a rather disturbed start to the night due to a rather large white tailed spider just above the bed. The family was asleep and I had nothing with me to kill the spider.  I tried to sleep with the light on, hoping it would stay where it was, as they are nocturnal. Of course, I didn't sleep, nor did the spider. As it started to head downwards towards my bed, I found some mosquito repellent, sprayed it and then poured boiling water on it to kill it. A bit mean I guess, but the infections they cause can be fatal!

Next stop Kaikoura, one of our favourite local places to visit, and the poor town so badly hit by the massive November earthquakes. I must admit to being surprised at how intact most of the town looked, but of course know how much they have suffered. First views of the coast made me feel so happy and so grateful that road workers did such an incredible job to fix the road so quickly to give people access again. So much road and bridge repair, clearing of landslips, all of which were evident but which allowed access to this special and spectacular coast. 

 

Lunch spot with views towards Kaikoura. So good to be back!

We had a fabulous afternoon around the stunning coastline. The limestone rocks thrust up , not only by the last quake, which lifted the sea floor more than a metre, but over millions of years, were fantastic.

 

And nestled in amongst the rocks were the many fur seals, seemingly oblivious to and bored by all the tourist attention!

 

Unusually we also found a very cute, but sadly probably sick crested penguin. Not sure exactly of the species. It was really lethargic, but then so were the seals! 

 

We found a brilliant place for drinks, the Pier Hotel, with just breathtaking views over the beach,  sea and mountains in the distance.

 

Really tasty Sauvignon too! So we went back for a scrumptious meal and more sauvignon in the evening, with window seats! The hotel even had a free shuttle service so this meant Peter could enjoy a little more wine! Perfect.

Next day the sea mist had rolled in, but nevertheless we thoroughly enjoyed walking out on the rocks again,  admiring the little rockpools and the lazy old seals. A couple did make the effort to sit up at least

 

But generally,  they were rather sleepy, but usually with one eye open checking that we didn't get too close

 

It was then time to tackle the inland road to Hanmer. This road was the first to open only 3 or 4 weeks after the quakes, thanks to workers working round the clock in pretty dangerous conditions, as the quakes and subsequent landslides continued. Wow, what a massive job. They have managed to get the road open in both directions, but they are still very busy working on it, so much of the road was a 30kph speed limit. No problem because it gave us a chance to enjoy the breathtaking scenery all around us. I did feel very sorry for the crews working in what were certainly temperatures over 30.

Some parts of the road  were  just dead straight without a soul ahead of us, but care needed all the time as there were some quite deep potholes along the way

 

Just out of Hanmer we stopped to let Peter experience the thrill of jetboating. Luckily, the owner was happy for me to go along for the ride. I am hopeless going fast in cars, but somehow jetboats feel safer! Probably the most hair-raising part of it was the drive down to the river on the back of an off road bike. I will have to put a photo of this in the next blog cos Peter has it. My fear is certainly not captured on camera. My knuckles were white from hanging on so tightly! . It was an almost vertical shingle pathway so I felt the whole bike would somersault forewards. At the end of the trip I did it again, but this time the driver reversed up the hill. Unbelievable and very thrilling. I was pleased that it was only at the top he told me that the path scared him too!

 

What an awesome ride down the Waiau river in perfect conditions. It was a very personal trip with very few passengers and a driver, who after 20 years of jet boat driving, still clearly loved every moment of it and the truly stunning scenery. 

 

Definitely beats an office job!

It was simply fantastic from start to finish.

 

It was great to actually go up to the bungy jumping bridge and see it from below. It isn't used so much I feel, but must be spectacular. I hasten to say that a bungy jump is NOT on my bucket list.

 

Here the view of the bridge and looking towards Hanmer and its forest from along the road

 

It is really gorgeous, isn't it?

We stayed at a campsite out of town, in the forest. What a great choice, as it was so quiet apart from the sound of cicadas, birds and occasional livestock. As I write this I am being distracted by one of  the local residents!   

 

I am sitting in the shade of a huge pine tree, surrounded by forest and looking out over the forest clad hills. Heavenly sound, scent of pine,and fresh gentle breeze. In the sun it must be over 30, but here perfect.

 

We had so many highlights in Hanmer yesterday, starting of course with the jetboat, followed by several hours relaxing in the thermal pools. What a wonderful place this is now. They have landscaped the area beautifully with native bush and trees and you still have expansive views of the hills around.

The highlight of highlights was yet to come as we returned to our studio flats after fish and chips followed by drinks in a lively bar area, to experience the most sensational sky I have ever seen, or can remember. With no street lights around and with only one or two lights in the camp, there is virtually nil light polution, allowing you the chance to see more stars than ever before. The Milky Way and Orion stood out but it was hard to tell the planets because so many of the billions of stars seemed so bright. Sitting there under the stars in the silence of the night, enjoying the still very pleasant temperatures and of course a tea 😀, was certainly one of the most memorable moments of my many trips over the past years. 

Breakfast in the sun wasn't bad either! 

 

I think that I will be doing a lot more road trips in the future. What a wealth of glorious experiences.

 

 How very true! 😀

Visitors - human and canine

I was lucky enough to have a visitor for a long weekend, Annie, my neighbour's cute collie. She s rather demanding, knowing how to make you feel bad for not throwing theball! Good company though and great walking every evening after dinner.

 

Dare I say, even cuter! Grandkitten Stormy who endeared herself/himself to me by her love of tea! Actually Stormy was thought to be female but now turns out to be male! Still gorgeous! I am sure he will be a regular visitor to my blog.

 

As in previous weeks I really enjoyed yet another glorious afternoon of music in the shade of the huge trees around the archery lawn of the Botanical Gardens on a very sunny afternoon. Singer this time was an Icelandic lady, Hera,  who grew up in Nz, and has such a melodic voice and relaxed style. I shut my eyes on a couple of occasions and felt as if I was floating along with this captivating sound. Singing seemed utterly effortless to her.

 

Then, an arrival from Pfaeffikon - Peter. It was great to catch up again and we have had a fabulous week looking around the Christchurch area. Hot day today, so instead of the concert in the park, we are sitting in my private park enjoying a very lazy day.

First stop is nearly always Riccarton Bush, so fantastic after a long flight and a great introduction to New Zealand. The forest is a haven on a blustery norwest day with its warm, drying winds. It is a magnificent remnant of ancient forest and with  the massive trees towering overhead , the roots of the trees spreading out wide. We were treated to a marvelous flying display of the many fantails , who were fluttering and twittering around us as they twisted and turned collecting insects. Peter was certainly given a wonderful first impression of this lovely country.

 

Brilliant shapes of the roots.

 

A trip to Christchurch is not complete without a visit to its beautiful, fragrant rose garden, which is at its very best now. The colours are so intense.

 

And of course, the city centre is of huge interest and every week I visit, I enjoy seeing the progress of new structures. This one in the background in front of our poor , fast disintegrating cathedral, is the library. What a fascinating way of building. 

A dream come true for me too, as a couple had put money into a washing machine which has been adapted to work as a music system, and were dancing on one of the city's amazing gapfillers. I have always wanted to dance there and so here I was surrounded by my beloved city , which has lost so much and yet remains a fascinating place to visit. It was great to forget all the demolition and damage all around and to just dance , as if no-one was watching!

 

Just beside the dance floor was the gorgeous street art painting of the young girl with fern, painted onto a brick wall when the buildong next door was removed. This is certainly one of my favourites. I hope she stays. She certainly enhances the parking lots which are there now in place of what used to be a fabulous bar.

 

This is my favourite cafe, previously called The Coffee House, with only the yellow building, but now the Villas, with two colourful houses with cafes inside with the most delicious food and coffee in a very relaxed and friendly environment.

 

Lyttleton is another place I have mentioned before and always visit with guests. The cute wee wooden cottages survived the quakes and make this place really special. Of course, the incredible weather helps to accentuate the colours of rooves, walls and flowers.

 

I loved this sign. Couldn't help thinking that Annie would be thinking of a tennis ball rather than a bone!

 

We had lunch at Governor's Bay one of the many pretty little bays overlooking this marvelous harbour area, previously the crater of Lyttleton volcano and epicentre of our most destructive earthquakes.  Looks too idyllic for that, doesn't it! Wish we had taken our swimming togs. The water looked so inviting. 

 

From the bay we wound our way up Dyers Pass to the Sign of the Kiwi where the views from the Crater Rim walkway were breathtakingly beautiful. Just over the hills in the distance is Akaroa, to be visited in a few days. How lucky we are to have all this so close to the city.

 

That evening we enjoyed a Summertimes theatre in the grounds of Riccarton Bush. There are dozens of wonderful events going on in summer around Christchurch, mostly free and usually excellent. So with a picnic, chairs and rugs, we set off and enjoyed a modern twist on the tale of Robin Hood, played by very talented and energetic young actors amongst the magnificent old trees of the first home settled in Canterbury. The trees were imported by the owner of the home because she was so homesick for Britain! It was a gorgeous setting.

 

Another seaside area I love is Brighton with its pier. Not as exciting as England's Brighton pier but still great to walk out on and enjoy the views. We had the most incredibly huge bowls of soup at a cafe  there to warm us up - it was a surprisingly chilly day.

The next day with perfect weather, no wind, pleasantly warm temperatures, we set off to Akaroa for a perfect day. 

A parking place under theshade of a  very colourful 'New Zealand Christmas tree', a pohutukawa. What a blaze of colour. 

 

Having done a harbour cruise recently I very nearly didn't go, but I am so pleased I did. The weather and sea conditions were perfect, which meant we could go past the Akaroa Heads and out to sea. This gave us the chance to visit a bay with dozens of fur seals with their pups. It was lovely to see them moving so gracefully in water and struggling on the rocks. It was also a beautiful part of the coastline where one could clearly see the lava flows and sediment. You might spot a couple of seals on closer inspection.

 

I have never seen so many of the world's smallest and rarest dolphin, Hector's dolphin. Very cute and very keen to be around the boat. It was a real treat. 

We had missed out on the Giant's House on my last visit, so I was thrilled we could visit it this time. I think it is one of the most beautiful manmade places I have ever visited. Actually it is the garden rather than the house which is the main attraction, though I am sure that staying there in the b and b must be extraordinary. 

 

Imagine  breakfast on the patio with these fabulous flowers everywhere and being serenaded by Edith Piaf's music playing from the grand piano!

 

What a magical place this is created by the owner, a landscape gardener and artist. She has transformed the garden into a masterpiece of colour, shape and beauty, made even more spectacular thanks to the views all around of the harbour, hills and native bush. Accompanied by the dulcet sounds of the bellbirds and the flapping of the wings of the massive wood pigeons, one wanders up and down stairs, inset with ceramic tiles and pieces woven into intricate designs

 

The different creations are all extraordinary and the number of hours spent on each design from start to finish must be amazing. She has kiwis

 

And fantastic seating areas, rivalling Park Guell in Barcelona!

 

The family area she has created has so much detail. It is incredible.

 
Believe it or not, the best is still to come. Afternoon tea in a beautiful shady spot overlooking the garden.

 

The fragrances, the music, the scenery, the intense colours and then a tray of tea made so beautiful by the simplest decoration of flowers in the tea and coffee spouts. 

 

It was a magical few hours before we set off back over the hills and winding road to Christchurch and a brief rest in my garden, which looked beautiful but rather plain in comparison, before heading out to a delicious Asian meal at a Noodle festival followed by the annual classical concert in the park. 

We were not alone! About 8000 were there wrapped in blankets as temperatures plummeted and the cold easterly wind started to blow. Our neighbour was very special. His face was just captivating with so many expressions!

 

a gorgeous, very well behaved creature who evidently enjoyed the music as he sat calmly throughout the evening. 

As night fell, the stage lights came on and the full moon came up (sadly not captured on camera).

 

then the Grand Finale to a very busy yet enjoyable week. Fireworks synchronised to music. It was exceptionally beautiful.

 

Now a quietish week before we set off for a short trip together and Peter will continue on around the north of the South Island whilst I come back to Christchurch.