The line on Christchurch, pop not quite 500k: Founded by stern, humorless Anglicans, Christchurch is now mellow, laid-back, artsy. Its Anglicisms -- stone-walled colleges, a beach district called New Brighton, punters on the small and placid river -- are all quotations now, with no desire to repress.
Christchurch has long had that serenity that comes from being a couple of plane connections away from history. Now that it's on the map, if it is, Chrstichurch wants to register its presence as a good citizen of the Lonely Planet globe. With its application, it has obediently submitted a photo of (a) its history and (b) its modernity, posed side by side in the main square.
Well, actually, I took the photo. (Their postcards show slightly better resolution and omit that little red structure which probably sells those very postcards.) Normally, I don't photograph postcard-ready moments, but this was one of those spots where I thought: "Nice, but not as nice as its photo would be." And sure enough.
That is mindblowing I MUST see that in person! Happy to hear from you again....I've been missing you!
Posted by: Miss Bliss | 2005.03.29 at 12:40
Neato. My boss was botrn in Christchurch (spent no time there, just born there :) )
Posted by: Brian Miller | 2005.03.29 at 20:00
(An update! Huzzah!)
Posted by: the_bone | 2005.03.30 at 12:13
Any city that calls itself christchurch goddamn well better have a Christian church prominently displayed. But it looks like they forgot to put flowers in their vase - or do they save that for special occasions? Giant plastic Easter lilies would look rather nice right now, I should think.
Posted by: Dave | 2005.03.30 at 17:02
Giant plastic easter lilies! That's what it's missing! I was thinking goldfish, but no, you nailed it. Thanks, Dave.
Posted by: Jarrett | 2005.04.02 at 10:11