A True 145;Blue146; Experience

Day one and we were walking. Not that Christchurch is a small town but staying close to the City Centre that also houses the every-visitor- must-click-and-visit Cathe-dral Square was a big boon. Built in the neo-Gothic period, the Cathe-dral is a testament to the city8217;s early English settlers. Speaking of which, Christchurch, with its brick-tiled sloping roofs, well-manicured gar-dens, old Victorian architecture, and a meandering Avon river where punting is the norm, is as English as it can get.

Housed in and around the Cathedral Square are some of the best souvenir stores and restaurants of the city. And while you are there, do hop on the old tram that will take you on a paid tour of the city8217;s popu-lar tourist spots. With time not a constraint, we preferred to trail the tram instead.

This brought us to our first halt8212;the Christchurch Arts Centre. Venue for a wide range of native art and crafts, the centre houses around 40 specialty shops, art gal-leries, art house cinemas and a bustling weekend art, craft and pro-duce market this is a must-see.

But with the NZ Dollar choosing to be at its all-time best vis-agrave;-vis our Indian Rupee, it was a tad difficult to splurge. Right across the road is the Canterbury Museum that of-fered more than just a glimpse of the country8217;s culture and history. The place we spent the most time, as did a bunch of visiting school kids, was the early settlers8217; section.

And why not? The section show-cases an almost-real slideshow of the Maoris, the first ones to reach this landmass some 1,000 years ago. Even today, Maori culture they form 14 per cent of the country8217;s popula-tion is an integral part of New Zealanders8217; life8212;be it their greeting norms, art and cultural forms or love for all things wild and natural. Sadly, traditionally dressed Maoris are now found only in staged shows and spe-cial functions.

The closest we got to understand-ing Maori culture apart from the nose-pressed-to-nose greeting and the war dance my nephew so eagerly performed was through the won-derfully carved jade pendants that all Christchurch souvenir stores sell. The beauty of New Zealand jade is unsurpassed with its semi-translu-cent look and swirls of green that seem to float deep within the stone.

But reading the price tag Jade pen-dants are priced an average 35 up-wards, I resisted temptation. What I did settle for was a Hei-Matau hook-shaped pendant made of Paua shell another specialty. Most carvings are based on Maori legends while some are modern designs inspired by ancient Maori styles. The shells are liberally used in everything from jewellery to soaps to curios. The other two major attractions of Christchurch are the New Brighton beach and pier and the In-ternational Antarctic Centre. I grew fond of the former as days went by.

Here8217;s why: A 15-minute drive from the city centre, New Brighton houses the beach and the famed pier where many people go to see the first sunrise of the New Year. Not only does it offer a spectacular view of the ocean, it also has seagulls for noisy company. New Brighton beach is family holiday place with surfing, swimming, gliding and cre-ative escapades. If the wind is too strong, cosy up in the city council li-brary that offers a perfect read as well as view. Christchurch is quite different from busy tourist destinations.

Here, the pleasure of holidaying is in being busy with your own self. While we did a whole lot of that8212;explor-ing open meadows, walking through streets and counting sheep in the countryside, it was at the fag end of our stay that someone sug-gested a visit to the International Antarctica Centre.

Christchurch has been the base for USA8217;s Antarctic programs since the 1950s, and this is also where the New Zealand and Italian operations are administered. Most of us will never get to the Antarctic, but the center gives us an idea of what it is like there. Visitors will also enjoy a visit to Lyttelton harbour, walking sprees at the Hagley Park, sniffing lillies at botanical gardens, going uphill on a gondola and a trip to Willowbank Wildlife Reserve that offered me my first view of a real Kiwi, the national bird of the country. Told you, Christchurch can pack it all.