Before and after shots around the Square in Christchurch.

Just before the big Earthquake that destroyed Christchurch we visited and I took many photos of monuments and buildings, now I have something to compare the after view.
The Challis Statue and the vibrant building behind it. both still partly standing, but the building is wrecked and abandoned just awaiting specialist demolishers because there is a lot of asbestos within it. The Challis is just fine.
Note the lack of people in all the after photos; there were almost none. But plenty of beautifications bright and colourful to lighten the sad depressing feel of the area,

The old Post Office Building before and after - still standing for now, but not in use.

Christchurch Cathedral before and after just before the Spire fell, and now 4 years later. How sad is this.

The Old ANZ Bank Building Before and after. A gracious old building  gone.

Before and after shots. Warners Hotel a historical building, now gone! In its place and for most other buildings, there is a car park!
The RSA memorial is still standing but the big top Angel is heavily staped into position.

Many more old buildings and beautiful Churches have come down or had to be demolished because of structural damage. Heartbreaking to see it all.

Cardboard Cathedral

While in Christchurch we visited the Cardboard Cathedral, built to replace the damaged Cathedral, while it was being repaired. This building really is all made of cardboard, big round rolls of it rather like the inside of a toilet roll but very much bigger and stranger, I thought it was very well done and had a nice feel to it, probably because of the singing and the crowd around the building.

 I was not allowed inside because TV was recording a group singing songs for the program Praise Be. So have only a quick picture through the glass door.

Christchurch 4 years after the Earthquake.

Our trip to Christchurch, firstly we visited the Cathedral Square,once the hub of Christchurch City..... not any more. The Square is like a ghost town most buildings have been demolished or will be very soon. the is a depressing feel about the place, it is nearly deserted only people we spoke to were people from out of town there like we were for a first look at the mess left by the devastating earthquake.

 Much has been done to create a cheery colourful atmosphere; the pretty flower planted Maori Whare (house) used as an entry to the completely broken ruined Cathedral.

Our beautiful Cathedral is no more.

 Fences are painted very jauntily and colourful fags hang all around, but still the square is empty and sad.
As we walked around I suddenly became completely overwhelmed by the devastation and felt compelled to stop with Erle and Pray for the restoration of Christchurch; not to its former glory, but to a new more wonderful glory, the way Christ wants His city to be. Amen.

 The RSA memorial still stands but requires heavy straps to hold up the big Angel. From this angle the Cathedral looks ok but don't be fooled the walls are crumbling away almost all window have fallen out.

Help save these young Nigerian Girls.

This is so terrible the world should be up in arms over such treatment of innocent young girls.

"I abducted your girls, I will sell them." This is part of a statement by the leader of Boko Haram Every woman in the world who can should speak up now in solidarity! Every girl deserves an education and what some girls have to endure to get that education is unthinkable! Now this! The mass kidnapping of 276 schoolgirls just trying to get an education and threatened with the unthinkable... being sold in one of the most grotesque examples of human trafficking ! Everyone please blog, repost, tweet, shout from the highest hill... We stand in solidarity, Mothers , Daughters, we are all ALL SISTERS! In fact we are all Brothers and Sister and we can and MUST all show our outrage right now by posting this  anyway you can.