Living in New Zealand: I Wish Lyttelton Had a Fishmonger
When we lived in Hondarribia, there was a small fishing fleet there and there were 5 fishmongers. Admittedly, it was a larger place than Lyttelton, but considering the size, there should be at least ONE fishmonger.
We buy fish from the market most Saturdays, so that's something. But I don't know if it comes off one of these little boats. I'll have to ask.
Click the image if you want to use it
Living in New Zealand: Dog-Friendly Oxford Forest Walk to Ryde Falls
Previously, Billie and I had hiked in Herbert Forest and it was very dull.
Driving there in the Honda Okay
I'll be writing about our mini-tramp in my Illustrated Epistle. Meanwhile, click through the galleries to see more of the scenery.
The inviting Ryde Falls in Oxford Forest
Heading home
Living in New Zealand: Christchurch Rebuild Post Earthquake
Most buildings were damaged in the 2011 earthquake that was centred around Lyttelton, near Christchurch. Many of these buildings were beyond repair and were demolished (including the old part of London Street, which my other half had run as a restaurant only a year before the quake struck).
Unfortunately, the worst affected buildings were the old ones, with the most character. This included the cathedral. I've never been a huge fan of Christchurch Cathedral. I preferred some of the other religious buildings around the city (most of which were demolished). There was a lot of discussion about whether it should be saved and I was firmly in the camp of "let's move on". The earthquake was a chance for the city to reinvent itself as one that looked forward, not back. But there are a lot of people who don't want to let that English heritage go, so it looks like it is going to be rebuilt, at huge cost.
Living in New Zealand: The Wilson Plastic Postbox
Unlike in the UK, post isn't delivered through the letterbox in your door here. It is more like the American system of a mailbox on the street. Now my parents don't have a letterbox in the door and postman always used to leave the post under a rock in the porch.
Mum and Dad decided that a New Zealand plastic postbox would look great in front of the house. This is despite the fact they live in a thatched cottage in a beautiful valley in Dorset. But I guess there are a lot of plastic postboxes in beautiful places in New Zealand too.