A Wander Through The City...

I met a friend in the city to go to the movies.
We went to see 'Amour' a French movie with English sub-titles.
I had read a review with five stars so wanted to see it.
It is an excellent movie, portrays an elderly
couple and how they managed after one of them had a stroke.
As realistically told as the movie 'Iris' about the  author Iris Murdoch
who developed Alzheimers and how her husband cared for her.

 After the movies we walked through the city
to go to Spagalimis for Pizza... Yum!

These photos are random shots I took as we walked...

 
This is the corner of Cashel St and Oxford Terrace.
There were cafes and pubs along here...
It was known as 'The Strip'.


This is the corner of Hereford St and Oxford Tce
looking east towards Colombo St.


This is Oxford Tce looking towards the corner of Worcester Boulevard.
The old Clarendon Hotel on the corner.
Some years ago it was pulled down but the facade was kept
and offices built there.
The white curved building is Rydes Hotel...
Used to be Noah's.


Closer up... through the barricade.


In a few weeks all these baracades will be removed
 the red zoned CBD will be open again to the public.


This is the Hereford Street bridge across the Avon River.
We walked over here...


Then around the Avon River.
It is a beautiful sight after all the destruction and empty lots.


This is the Worcester Boulevard bridge,
the broken Cathedral in the distance.
The front building is 'Our City Otautahi'
badly damaged as you can see.
The insured value of $5.8 million is unlikely to cover the
repair options of this historic Queen Anne building.

Closer up... Looking at the Cathedral...
The repairs or re-build of this historic Gothic
building is causing great controversy...
Likely to cost many millions of dollars
and take up to 20 years.

We continued to walk round Cambridge Terrace...
This is the corner of Gloucester St and Cambridge.
There used to be a lovely cafe here and the
old Horticultural Hall.


The same building as the previous photo
Cranes litter the skyline.

 
The opposite corner, Gloucester & Durham Streets.
Amuri Motors used to be here...
And a new office block.
I worked on the top floor for a few years
when I lived here.


Just desolate empty lots where offices and people used to be.


The same corner...


Looking at the Canterbury Provincial Chambers.



It sustained severe damage and significant
portions need to be rebuilt.
These two buildings are amongst the 58 earthquake
damaged facilities the council have identified
as top priority for repair or replacement.



Walking along Victoria Street.
 It was difficult to find our way there
as so many streets are still cordoned off.

 
More empty lots along Victoria St...
  Which sustained a lot of damage to many of the
old quaint historic buildings.
Such a shame so much of Christchurch's
heritage has disappeared.

Well... this is the last of my earthquake blogs.
I'm off to Sydney tomorrow...
So next post when I get there.