Tuesday 27 May 2014

Where we stayed in Christchurch, the first night of our holiday, had been Red Zoned the last time I'd visited.

We asked the taxi driver where we could get dinner in town. He paused and said, "Nowhere. It's all wasteland now."

The ruins of the Christchurch Cathedral.

Progress had been made on the Cathedral.

The Christchurch Cathedral, and a shipping container.

The sculpture was up in the square.

The sculpture in Cathedral Square, Christchurch.

There were flowers on the fences.

Plastic thingies stuck into hurricane fencing in the shape of flowers.

Plastic thingies stuck into hurricane fencing in the shape of flowers.

Plastic thingies stuck into hurricane fencing in the shape of flowers in front of a boarded up building.


A big, depressing boarded up building in Christchurch.

A big empty hole in the middle of Christchurch.

The Avon was as beautiful as ever. 

The Avon River, Christchurch, almost recovered.

The Avon River, Christchurch, with diggers and hurricane fence.

"This is so much better," I said. 
Jesse looked at me funny. He'd never been to Christchurch before. "This is awful," he said, "the whole city is devastated, still."

There's been change, but not enough. It's pretty clear that we as a country have failed Christchurch, and we won't see real change until we see a change of government. We deserve better than this.

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