Day 13: Aoraki/Mt. Cook - Christchurch
It was a treat to wake this morning with fresh snow on Mt. Cook. It was also 24F/-4C which is my coldest morning so far. We stopped by 2 glacier lakes on the way to Christchurch. Lake Pukaki and Lake Tekapo are recognizable for their spectacular turquoise blue color caused by finely ground glacial rock that’s fed into the lakes via rivers from the Southern Alps. Lake Tekapo is New Zealand’s highest lake at 710m/2,329 feet.
Christchurch is small enough for me to walk a good portion of it during my afternoon and evening here. I found it to be quite a quirky city. The February 2011 earthquake, at magnitude 6.3, caused severe damage in Christchurch killing 185 people and injuring several thousand. The earthquake’s epicenter was just 10 km southeast of Christchurch’s central business district and occurred at lunchtime. After suffering an earthquake just six months earlier, many of the buildings were already compromised.
The city hasn’t recovered from that time and there is still evidence of destruction around the city. The central district felt a bit like a ghost town by early evening. I was told that there was a mass exodus of people who moved from the city to the burbs after the quake. There is loads of street art to discover so that was fun.
Gatherings
I found the most amazing vegetarian based restaurant, Gatherings, which serves a menu based on seasonal and sustainable produce and is a wine bar with a focus on living and natural wines. YUM!! There are only 3 people who work here, there are seats for a maximum of 30, and Alex Davies is the Chef/Owner. Between him, his assistant in the kitchen, and 1 person at the front of house, I was able to meet and speak with everyone. They take amazing pride with every single detail, it was literally the best meal I had in my entire month in New Zealand.
