Witness Destruction

Christchurch is the most interesting city in New Zealand.  The havoc wreaked by the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes is still plainly visible today, especially in the CBD.  Cars park in dirt lots where buildings once stood. Skyscrapers eerily stand abandoned and thrashed, while others were reduced to nothing more than a hole in the earth now filled with a mess of rebar and rainwater.  The famous gothic revival cathedral once towering over the city square now belongs to the birds who nest in it's gaping innards.  Over a third of all the buildings downtown were destroyed in the quakes, and a full recovery is a long ways off.  

A statue base with no statue

The Christchurch Cathedral - you HAVE TO google what it looked like before :o

Wreckage

Even still, Christchurch seems to have retained a certain character and vitality despite this tremendous hardship.  There are some creative building techniques being used to inject some life back into the empty city center.  An outdoor restaurant/venue made from wood pallets is a surprisingly lively and hip respite from the wreckage lying just beyond the walls.  Or how about a bright and colorful shopping center made entirely of recycled shipping containers set amidst the now ruined shopping district of the city (not to mention the amazing food carts)?  The optimism and resilience of the locals is inspiring.

The future holds a tremendous potential for the quickly changing city, as it boasts some of the sunniest and warmest weather in all of New Zealand and is located within close proximity to some of the countries famous mountain destinations.  The charm and elegance that exudes from some of the buildings and neighborhoods still intact is intoxicating.  It seamlessly blends the lifestyle amenities of Auckland with the artsy and alternative angst of Wellington.  In the coming decade I'm sure it will give both cities a run for their money.

The city from Summit Road