Exploratory Committee in Christchurch

Large-scale chess game in Cathedral Square.


A river runs through it.

Have been in Christchurch the past 2 days; it's been quite nice (after having a harrowing time finding the rental car place). The above picture is of the Avon River, which meanders through the city as well as the Botanical Gardens. The gardens are part of a much larger park, right in the center of the city, which is edged with museums, a university, and an art center.

Yesterday morning we walked through the gardens, and the scenery was simply magnificent -- autumn at it's best. Leaves fluttering off the trees (one of which landed in my hair), willow leaves floating down the river, huge trees and bright blooming flowers.



Dad and I split up for the afternoon -- I ended up wandering around the park a bit more, then into the Cantebury Museum, which is a history museum. Most of it was typical history museum stuff (relics of the ancient people, displays of old breakable things, accounts of dead white men's voyages), but there was one out-of-the-ordinary exhibit (to me) regarding environmentally themed problems. Some of these were natural but most of them were human based (surprise surprise). I find the Kiwi take on environmentalism refreshing -- not at all perfect but much more realistic than that in the states, where we seem to embrace the extremes.

While on the topic of museums, I went to the Centre (their spelling, not mine) of Contemporary Art this morning -- I love going to modern art museums when in new places. It seems to give a representation of how life and art differ across geographical and cultural place and space.

As you may be able to tell, I've been getting a bit more philosphical lately (which is good, since Dad left this morning and I'm going to be spending a lot of time with my mind and my journal from here on out). Check out the picture of my contemplative-ness:



As you may or may not be able to tell, there is a spaceship in the background of the shot (just above my head). Aliens have not invaded -- it's a playground for kids. The playgrounds here are much more imaginative than those in the states (at least of the ones I've seen) -- there was a slide shaped like a stegosaurus in Wanaka.

I have a few hours left in Christchurch before I head to Napier for my first farmstay. That's pretty much it.

Until the future.