First Glance of Christchurch

I recently discovered that Singapore shares the title "Garden City" with Christchurch, a town on the South Island of New Zealand.

My immediate impression of the town was that of Perth, Australia - quiet, laid back, pleasant. Ironically, on first day, the cover page of the newspaper reported that Christchurch is the most unsafe city in New Zealand.

I'm sure there is more to Christchurch than the superficial we experienced, but for now, here's the little of what we saw.



Cathedral Square, the heart of Christchurch where the victorian ChristChurch Cathedral stands (note how creative they were with naming places). We were fortunate to be put up in the hotel directly opposite the cathedral, making the town extremely accessible by foot.



Taken right outside the hotel with the Christ Church Cathedral in the background. The church took 40 years to be completed. Buildings made from stones and quality bricks are really something to admire. It brings a lot of character to the building. None of those cheap-brick-cement-covered buildings for me.

Now for the yummy stuff.

The Honey Pot Cafe on Lichfield Street stood out amidst the other shops and eateries that were closed at 5:45pm. The unique cafe was dimly lit with candles and was decorated with contemporary art pieces, which were hung up for sale. It felt like an ideal location for a Friends-type of sitcom to be shot.

That's a plate of nachos and a Magic Mushroom sandwich. No, there were no real magic mushrooms in there, just a name for the dish.

Dessert at french restaurant Le Bon Bolli near the Botanic Gardens. Clockwise from the top is a Bon Bolli Hot Chocolate, Chocolate Mouse, Brandy Glazed Bananas in Dark Chocolate Sauce (that was mine) and a Chocolate Cheesecake. Noted the theme? What's better to line your tummy with before bedtime than with chocolate.