The last stop: Christchurch - Garden City of New Zealand

So here we are, at the last point of our journey through New Zealand - in Christchurch. Christchurch has earned the nickname “Garden City” with its well-kept and extensive parks. The Botanical Gardens and the 160-hectare Hagley Park particularly stand out here.

With around 320,000 inhabitants, Christchurch is the largest city on the South Island and in the overall ranking it takes second place after Auckland. In 2011, the city lost around 70,000 residents due to migration. This was due to two severe earthquakes in September 2010 and February 2011. While the first quake with a magnitude of 7.1 Mw caused comparatively little damage, the second quake in February 2011 with a magnitude of 6.3 Mw was devastating for Christchurch. According to official information, 186 people were killed, 10,000 houses had to be demolished and around 100,000 houses were in need of repair. Among the damaged buildings is a city landmark, Christchurch Cathedral, whose tower collapsed in the earthquake. It was only in 2017 that it was decided to rebuild the badly damaged cathedral.

Also worth seeing is the Arts Centre, the former Canterbury College and now an arts centre. The Great Hall, a UNESCO-listed building, is impressive. The huge window in the Great Hall consists of more than 4,000 individual panes of glass and is dedicated to the students and staff who served in the First World War.

Botanical Garden: I have explained and classified every single plant in the astonishing family according to department, class, order, family, genus and finally the species. They were impressed! Child now calls me Botany-Pitti in awe.

Get on the plane tomorrow!

Windshield wiper instead of indicator counter: 103

Maybe again tomorrow...

PIDISI