Christchurch is just like a good coffee - flat and white - and it's a city worth getting to know! Wheresmyfreakinsandwich Christchurch correspondent, Ginga gives us the lowdown of what's been happening in New Zealand's hippest city this week.
Well many of you may know that my fascination with ChCh began in France, when I was teaching in a small town called Sarlat. One day a fellow kiwi - Hamish from Christchurch - gave me a buzz and said and was working in my area. So here in this rural, wine-making French town famous for it's cuisine, we searched high and low for a good English pub (he wasn't a fan of "European food") and we sat down for a chat over a Speights or two. I was instantly smitten. The son of a farmer, he had learned to make knives at age two and had developed his craft until it had become, "a hobby that pays for itself". I wanted to know all about him, his city, and finally when I got a job as a travel writer for ChCh I thought I had struck gold!
Packed brimful with English culture, oozing with monotone character, and piled medium height with style, I arrived in this city and thought wow, I feel like I am in England! Now that's world class! Carefully planned by city forefathers with an anglo-saxon, anally-retentive penchant for neatness, the grid-like streets of ChCh radiate from a bustling urban heart (12pm-2pm Fri-Sat) where heritage buildings stand side by side with soviet era Romanian orphanages.
The CBD is retail central, so put on your walking shoes and hit the shops!
As I touch down in the city I find that the Santa Parade is going full steam. I had earlier been injured whilst accidentally wandering into a crowd of men in kilts having a bagpipe-off so I knew to keep my wits about me! But I also knew that I didn't really need to worry as the garden city has been pretty safe due to a patrolling, vigilante group of bald men who wear regallia (I believe their motifs are Buddhist symbols) who walk around the streets looking out for any signs of trouble. They're top blokes. No wonder this is known as the 'friendly city'.
As the Santa Parade continues, the mayor of Christchurch proudly announces that the city can now boast having over 14 different nationalities and they are all represented by each different float. Thais, Russians, Japanese, Dutch, Koreans, Chinese...all proudly displaying their costumes, dances and vibrant colours. One of the balding men in his cut-off leather jacket with Buddhist symbols (perhaps they are white monks??) begins to look very agitated and he jumps out in front of the Chinese float and tackles one of the Chinese dragon dancers to the ground. Wow, what a top bloke. Good to know we have people in the community helping to keep the peace. He'd probably spotted an illegal immigrant or something.
Another day in the garden city. I'll keep you updated with all the events as they happen.
Bye for now. I'm going to try and find Hamish!
Ginga
Christchurch Correspondent
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