We woke up this morning at The Hermitage Hotel to something we hadn’t seen in two days—sun☀️! And just like that, there it was…Aoraki / Mount Cook, finally showing off after being completely hidden behind rain and clouds. Worth every bit of the wait.
Good morning, Aoraki / Mount Cook (view from The Hermitage Hotel).
We took our time leaving (hard not to), then hit the road to Christchurch. What should’ve been a shorter drive turned into 5½ hours with all the stops. And honestly, that’s the only way to do it.
Back along Lake Pukaki, the water was still that signature glacial blue—but without full sun, it wasn’t as turquoise.
Taking a picture of Brendan, who is taking a picture of Lake Pukaki. Aoraki Mount Cook breaks through the clouds.
We continued on to Lake Tekapo, where the same thing held true—those unreal blues, just a touch softer under the clouds.
Lake Tekapo is another glacial lake on the South Island. This area is part of a Dark Sky Reserve. I wish we could have hung around for stargazing 🔭 as they say it’s one of the best spots in the world.The Church of the Good Shepherd was build in 1935 as a tribute to the early settlers of the Mackenzie Basin and named after the sheepdogs that helped these early farmers survive the harsh winters. It was designed to blend into the landscape as it sits on the edge of Lake Tekapo with the Southern Alps in the background. While no pictures are allowed inside, there is a large window that frames the lake and mountains instead of a traditional altar. The church is still in use today, with two weddings coming up (according to the tour guide). The one guide sang Amazing Grace for us and then she and her husband sang a Māori blessing song.The walking bridge with Lake Tepako. Behind where I am standing is one of the most interesting public restrooms I have ever been to. The door slides open and then locks by pressing a button. And, the toilet doesn’t flush until the water turns on to wash your hands.This is how blue the water is when the sun is out ☀️!
Continuing on our day trip, we made the essential stop at Fairlie Bakehouse—famous for their pies. I even had a gluten free one!
We made it to Christchurch around 4:30 pm (16:30), checked into our hotel, and then went out walking. We ended up on New Regent Street to start.
Brendan standing on New Regent Street Precinct, which was built in the 1930s with a Spanish Mission architecture. The pastel-colored street is lined with bars, restaurants and shops. A tram runs down the street. It’s said this is the most beautiful street in all of New Zealand 🩵💛💜💚
Dinner at Gin Gin was small plates of tapas. And we desserted at another gelato 🍧 shop called Rollickin’ Gelato, because apparently this is now a nightly ritual that needs to end soon or I may turn into Hokey Pokey ice cream!
A raspberry mojito mocktail and a coffee martini at Gin Gin
We tried to walk it off by taking in some of the city’s landmarks and sights—ChristChurch Cathedral, The Bridge of Remembrance, the Chalice Sculpture, Cathedral Square, Avon River, the City Tram, Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial, Riverside Market, etc. I will write more about the city itself after I spend more time here tomorrow.
The Cathedral (under re-construction after the 2011 earthquake)The Bridge of Remembrance – A War Memorial in 1923 to honor the sacrifice of the servicemen and women of two World Wars, plus conflicts in Korea, Malaya, Borneo, and Vietnam.By sculptor, Neil Dawson, the Chalice celebrated the new millennium as well as the 150th Anniversary of the founding of Christchurch and Canterbury. It was officially lit on September 10, 2001, has been lit ever since at night.Love this mural!💙🩵Chief Post Office
We had another amazing New Zealand day that started with finally seeing Aoraki and ended under the lights of Christchurch…with a lot of scenic stops (and sheep 🐑 ) in between.
Christina’s Journey Journal 