NZ Day 6 - Fire and Ice (Mostly Ice)

Today was an eventful one. We started off by walking clear across Christchurch to pick up a rental car, which actually only took about half an hour (it's not a big city). Then it took them an hour to get our car ready :/ But it was worth it, because they let me drive (only have to be 18 in NZ), and not only was it a rental car, but it was on the wrong side of the road. There is a pretty steep learning curve, but eventually is feels natural. Except for traffic circles. I fucking hate those.

We drove out to the International Antarctic Center (which touts itself as the world's best Antarctic museum) by the airport where the US (and Italian and New Zealand, etc) Antarctic Programs are based. The museum didn't have much to offer in way of interesting things, but they did have a room with simulated blizzard conditions (awesome) and a giant tractor (like the ones they use in Antarctica) ride (double awesome). If you ever find yourself with a 4 hour layover in Christchurch (but I have no idea why you would), go across the street to the IAC (they even have luggage lockers).

From the IOC we drove out to Akaroa, a little French settlement on a bay on the other side of foothills from Christchurch. I'm sure it's normally a lovely place, but with crappy weather and it being Christmas Eve, everything was closed. When we got back to Christchurch, we stopped at a grocery store (to stock up for our mini roadtrip tomorrow) and an Aussie expat got to talking to my dad and came under the impression that he (my dad) had just returned from the American McMurdo Antarctic Base. No, I'm not making that up.

We had dinner reservations at Cook'n with Gas, whose rather hokey name doesn't do justice to the amazing food. I had the lamb (exquisite) and the crepes (richer than anything I've ever eaten). Their style is apparently New Zealand Bistro, which is very similar to American Bistro, but with great hospitality. We spent more than an hour talking after desert and they hadn't offered us the check once. I absolutely love the hospitality at New Zealand restaurants, they are great to their customers.

Giant Chess. Oh no, it's not the first time I've seen it.




I'm driving on the wrong side of the road!




The headquarters of the US Antarctic Program




It's cold. But I still want to beat kal.

SE Asian restaurants: 3.5
Page in ASHONE: Done
I bought Blink by Malcolm Gladwell to have something to read.

NZ Day 3, 4, 5 - It's a fast day(s)

These last 3 days have been much faster than the first day in Christchurch.

On Sunday we took a tour of Christchurch's Cathedral (history's good, I approve of it) followed by a search (successful) for a sweater because it was about 50 outside and I was freezing. When we left the store we happened upon a busker whose cape proclaimed him to be Basketball Man. He was quite amusing (while trying to get people into it: "Alright everybody, give me the clap"), although he possessed the most grating, annoying (hopefully fake) voice I have ever had the misfortune of hearing. It was like a fake Jamaican sucking on helium while trying to accent all his vowels. It was terrible. After that we had a bike tour through the city (mostly the suburbs actually) with our guide Ben (or as he pronounced it Beeen (rhymes with Ian). Aren't subtle verbal differences grand?).

Monday we took an Alpine Safari, which consisted of a long bus ride out to the boonies (boring), wild life 4WD tour (at times exciting, mostly boring), jet boat tour up the Waimakariri River (fuckin' awesome), another bus ride (I slept through) and Scenic Train ride (actually pretty nice). The scenery was beautiful, but a lot drier than I was expecting. I was expecting completely damp dark (like Lord of the Rings), but it was actually very green and lively (although we did get some LOTR setting on the jet boat ride). Oh, and jet boats are very popular in New Zealand, but I don't think they are common in America. What they are is basically a jetski blown up to the size of a boat and they are amazingly fun. By the way, the town in the boonies was Springfield, NZ, who's claim to fame was being one of the places the Simpsons Movie premiered and the town received a giant pink donut for participating. 

When we returned to Christchurch we went to Flying Burrito Brothers, which I think is supposed to be their attempt at Mexican food. It was a good try (what being thousands of miles away and everything), but it couldn't hold a candle to real Mexican food. The only way to get spiciness at that restaurant was to use one of the (thoughtfully many) bottles of hot sauce, including tapatio.

Tuesday was another day in town. We started off with a bone carving lesson with the Bone Dude, who is this really cool 1-armed Maori guy running a gallery who also does carving lessons. We all made pendants with maori designs and they turned out really nice. We had a lot of fun, he was really welcoming and I whole-heartedly recommend the Bone Dude if you're ever in Christchurch. After that we walked back to the City Center and had a cheese fondue lunch a Swiss restaurant (it wasn't nearly as good as real Swiss fondue) and toured the Arts Centre (slightly fancy clothing/specialty goods, similar to University or the Stanford Mall). I saw "The Pot Shop" on the directory and I had to check it out based on name alone (and my mom was destined to spent an hour looking at yarn). I got some strange looks as I entered the homemade pottery store (being twice the size and a quarter the age of the woman working the counter), but that subsided when I bought a nice big mug. After that we strolled over to the Cantebury Museum, where we perused many mildly interesting (and one utterly awesome, that you can see in the photos) exhibits. For dinner we went to Bohdi Tree, which is apparently really hard to get a table at. The cuisine was Burmese (and very, very good), so I will revise my Thai restaurant count to SE Asian restaurant count. After dinner I went to do a little shopping and what should come on, but More than...  Words. I laughed as other tourists thought I'd lost it.

Sheep are fuckin' everywhere. On farms that is.




I wasn't kidding about the Simpson's donut




Keas. They're a giant, alpine parrot. They aren't afraid of taking food from people, I mean actually taking




A Penny farthing! That works! And that they'd let me ride! I'm excited!




Ducks are also not intimidated by me. I don't know what it is about New Zealand birds.




A better front view of the Christchurch Arts Gallery. I love the design of this building.

SE Asian restaurants: 3.5
Page in ASHONE: 270

NZ Day 2 - It's a slow day

We are all exhausted from traveling so we are (thankfully) took it slow today. We wake up at the crack of noon and it's absolutely pouring rain in Christchurch. Then the wind kicks up and rain starts raining sideways occasionally. After watching this for about an hour we finally get up the gumption to go out and walk about the city. 

Walk, it turns out, is a relative term. We actually walked to the stop for the tram, which we then rode around the city, looking a sights and figuring out what we actually wanted to do. We eventually got off at Cathedral Square, which is a giant, open-air, European-style square. We walked into one of the stores to do a little shopping. As we were walking out I saw a guy in a Stanford Rowing sweatshirt walk in with (who I assume was) his girlfriend. Wanting not to be a jack-ass, I didn't accost him, to the later chagrin of my father.

From the square we walk to the Christchurch Art Gallery, which (shockingly) is full of art. Of the dozen or so exhibits, I can only appreciate one, the White on White exhibit, partially because it was the first one we visited, but also because it had a participatory art piece. That's right everybody, my art hung in a museum. After the gallery, the rain got even worse, so we decided it was time for dinner. When the first place we went was booked solid, we decided to head back to the hotel. On that way we passed a Thai restaurant with a humorous name, that it turns out my dad wanted to eat at, and got take out, and it was good.

Pictures:

The view from the hotel room. A lot of the buildings in the city center look like this one. I rather like the style, definitely old English style.




Look! I'm part of art! Dan, as usual, has his eyes closed.




Deep in thought. I really like the design of the gallery.




Where we had dinner. The jokes write themselves (but the food is quite good).

Thai Restaurant Count: 2.5

Page in ASHONE: 187