Christchurch

Docked in Lyttelton for Christchurch,the most English city in NZ.The Canterbury Assoc.was formed in 1849 to found a Church of England colony in NZ.Space was limited by the sea and Mountain in Lyttelton so the settlers went over the Mountain and built Christchurch on the Canterbury Plain.It is a lovely city with the Avon river running through it.The river was not named for the well known river in England but for the one in Scotland.
Punters are common on the river.There is a beautiful botanical garden,in which I had spent hours some years ago,so I took en excursion to the Intl.Antarctic Ctr.
We saw injured penguins being cared for and rode on a Hagglund All-Terrain Snowmobile,a tracked 16 person vehicle used in the Antarctic by both the US and NZ
We went up and down hill simulating craters and finally through water.Quite a hairraising ride!
We were driven through the city again on our way back to the ship.
Many buildings were damaged by the Sept.eartquake. the magnificent cathedral with its impressive spire had scaffolding around it and was considered unsafe to visit.

Christchurch, New Zealand