Christchurch, New Zealand

Christchurch is the largest city on the South Island of New Zealand. It is known as the most English of cities outside of England as well as the garden city of New Zealand. The flowers are beautiful and residents compete with each other to see who has the best gardens.

Many of Christchurch's original buildings still stand, including the cathedral pictured on the left.

The Christchurch tram makes a circuit around the inner city. Beginning at Cathedral Square, one can view the Arts Centre, Hagley Park, the downtown shopping area, and many of Christchurch's public buildings. The only drawback is that the tram is not air-conditioned, which made it quite uncomfortable on a warm December day.

If you're interested in any type of art, from paintings to wood carvings to watercolors, the Arts Centre is the place to visit. The weekends are especially interesting as artists come to Marketplace Square to sell their artwork.

The Canterbury Museum, located across the street from the Arts Centre, has a variety of exhibits of interest to people of all ages. The dinosaur exhibit was especially interesting. The museum is located in Hagley Park, surrounded by beautiful gardens.

Lyttleton Harbour is where Christchurch really began. After the settlers found they were running out of space, especially for growing crops, they crossed the mountains and found the beautiful Canterbury Plains on the other side. Therefore, the permanent city of Christchurch is located on the western side of the mountains with a seaport at Lyttleton Harbour.

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