Cashel Street

I realise that I haven't really said very much about Christchurch yet, even though we're living here, so I'd better rectify that.

Christchurch is pretty small by international city standards - about 350,000 people, I think, although I'm too lazy to look it up - but it's big by New Zealand standards. It's also the perfect size for my own taste - big enough to explore and have plenty to do in, but not so big that I'm liable to get lost! Where we're living is about a ten minute walk to the city centre, so it's very convenient for getting in and out, and even more so now that I've got a bike. In contrast to Belfast, I don't feel like my bike is liable to be vandalised or stolen if I let it out of my sight for half an hour, so I'm happy to take it in and lock it to a lamppost or bike stand while I dander around the shops. Without any income at the moment, obviously I can't buy much, but there's nothing to stop me looking!

There are plenty of streets with shops on them, but today I'll just tell you about what I see as I walk along Cashel Street, which is the street (actually a long road) that we're living on. Reaching Fitzgerald Avenue, I can see some hills in the distance, and once across the road I'm officially in the Four Avenues area of the city. The downtown area is surrounded by four avenues and this is one of them. This side of downtown is home to light industry, cash-and-carry stores, and car showrooms. Not hugely exciting until you get into the city centre proper. The start of the pedestrian area also marks the location of our favoured internet cafe, where we have wasted many hours over the last couple of weeks keeping in touch with our friends and family, and looking things up. I really miss having internet access at home, but at least this place is only $3/hour.

Further on down, on a stretch called City Mall, there are some shops that are familiar to me from home (although I don't know whose bright idea it was to put the Body Shop and Lush right beside each other), and other sellers that are definitely new. I can't remember regularly seeing fresh cherries for sale on the street anywhere in Ireland! There are lots of street- and road-side fruit sellers here, although out of town the stalls are unattended. It's just a stack of fruit or vegetables, an honesty box for money, and the trust that nobody is going to make off with the lot. It's hard to believe that people are that trusting still, but I'm really glad to see it and I hope that kind of thing isn't on the way out.

At the end of the pedestrian area of this street is the Bridge of Remembrance. This commemorates the soldiers lost in both World Wars, and in other battles as well I think. The bridge spans the Avon river, which is home to many ducks and a favourite lounging spot for office workers on their lunch breaks. It's also popular with punts and kayaks, although I didn't see any today. Cashel Street terminates at the edge of Hagley Park and the Botanical Gardens. This isn't somewhere I have been yet, but I'll get there at some point. Expect more photos and an update then!