-- FromTimaru to Christchurc

The road tracklog 
From Timaru to Christchurch
from 2010/10/18 to 2010/10/19 

On Monday October 18 I arrived in Akaroa located in Banks Peninsula of volcanic origin, it owes its name after the naturalist Joseph Banks of James Cook's expedition in 1770. It was then occupied by Moari of the tribe of Ngai Tahu. In 1838 captain Jean Langlois bought it from Maori then returned to France to create a trading company. He came back in 1840 but meanwhile English had planted the Union Jack under the terms of the treaty of Waitangi. The English settlers arrived in mass in 1850. The village preserves some street names and a French cemetery. The bay is stunning.

I left with regret the French Bay under a beautiful spring sun, I arrived in Christchurch at the end of the morning where after having reserved a room in Stonehurst I returned the car to Omega and I began the discovery of the city. As always the first contact was not idyllic. It seemed dead, little of passers by and tourists. Some streets were under work of tram installation, others were prohibited due to destruction of a building in danger. Around 1am all the office workers were in streets due to power cut following an earthquake!

The city was created in 1850 pennies the aegis of the Church Anglican. The plain around, -Canterbury Plain- was then granted to gentry. There were more churches than pubs. Second economic city in NZ it remained very British little opened with the multiculturalism. It was built along Avon River which always curves in its centre.

I visited three museums which did not present anything exceptional. I must recall that the NZ counts only 4.5 million inhabitants, financial means are limited. The Arts Centre and The Canterbury Museum are housed in the old university built in 1876. The Arts Centre was under work to lodge private Galleries, Cafes and Restaurants.

On the other side of the street the Canterbury Museum exhibits some interesting parts concerning the city and its history. A room is devoted to Antarctic expeditions.

The Christchurch Art Gallery is a modern building of glass and steel presenting works by local artists of whom some travelled to Europe.

My air flight being scheduled in the afternoon I spent the morning of the next day at the International Antarctic Centre near to the international airport. It is very didactic. I explored it for about three hours, one day would not be enough to read all the panels.

Robert Merle in his Madrapour book defines the air-hostess as a candy which the airline company offers to passengers to calm the anguish of takeoff. Alas that does not have any more an effect on my psychic. In despair of cause I had bought a book by a renowned NZer author, -Mister Pip- by Lloyd Jones.

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