Dec. 28-31/15: Christchurch, last 4 days

Well it's Dec. 31, the end of 2015, and also the end of my time in Christchurch, for now. I've spent the last  four days doing more  hiking/walking, and returning to the City Centre, which  is like a magnet, despite  the devastation.

I think the best way to describe what I've seen is with pictures, so here they are:

View of Diamond Harbour

(ferry ride from Lyttleton)

View from Victoria Park

(hiked there with airbnb hosts)

Sumner beach (above)

and clock tower (below)

Many homes on these hills were

 badly damaged in the quake

Shots taken in the city's gardens

- Mona Vale (above)

-Edmonds Factory Gardens (below)

I'll end with a few more shots of the City Centre

So many vacant lots  like this,

and containers used  to support 

facades they hope to retain

One of many abandoned buildings

Sign reads: For sale, as is, where is!

But things are happening!

Below  is  the new Bus

Terminal, which  is state of the art

And the Art Gallery  has  reopened,

just a week before I arrived

So Christchurch, which once had the feel of a 19th century English  city, is going to emerge as something quite different.

The shot below  gives you a sense  of the spirit here. It's on the side of the art gallery  and says: Everything's going to be alright.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!