Rosario – Third stop Christchurch

Each of the destinations that I am visiting are different, but this is different because I know this town through the stories of people who live here some time ago. They deeply love Christchurch and who daily work with the creation of this new city, which suffered extensive damage after the earthquakes in September 2010 and February 2011.

Even though much of its old buildings were damaged, people in Christchurch meet and join forces to try and rebuild this city. Not sure what I would find and let me tell you it really surprised me: in contrast to construction sites, you are met with great parks and English-style buildings throughout the city. 

I was very excited to check this place out because I knew that I would meet Hailey, a London blogger who chose to live in Christchurch a couple of months ago. With a vintage bicycle we rode along the main sights of Christchurch: New Regent Street , with its European architecture, the iconic Christchurch Cathedral (which is currently half demolished due to a dispute between one who will bear the costs of their reconstruction) and Cashel Street where  they had the brilliant idea of using containers of buildings such as restaurants and businesses. As we travel we find paintings and messages on various walls of the city. Many of them work as a message of strength after the earthquake. 

That afternoon we visited my favorite place, the Christchurch Botanic Gardens. Through a trip known as Punting on the Avon , a person dressed in old English style takes you on a kind of canoe on the river of the city where you can enjoy a great time of peace.  The trees with yellow autumn leaves and old bridges in the middle of the gardens are a great scenario, ideal to observe it from a boat, covered by a blanket. 

Christchurch could not have known otherwise. The stories of Brindi, who lives here 7 years ago and was present in the earthquake, showed me a place where predominates the effort and perseverance. It is not easy to move on after something like that, however, the love of every one of the citizens of this city it shows in every corner of Christchurch.