The Quaintness of New Zealand

Today we venture to the other side of the earth from our earlier posts. New Zealand is a land of striking natural beauty. It has the strong imprint of the British Empire, yet also has Maori traditions of its indigenous peoples.

The first photo shows "punting on the Avon" in Christchurch. The Avon River meanders through Christchurch and its banks include beautiful gardens and parks.

Above is one of the floor tile arrangements in the cathedral in downtown Christchurch.
The cathedral is the most prominent building in Christchurch. Built from 1864 - 1904, it has classic Anglican architectural features that would make anyone from Britain feel right at home.
Perhaps the Anglican tile work in the cathedral was trying to imitate the more elaborate tiles of the Arab world, Spain, Portugal and Italy.
Queenstown is a resort area in the interior of the South Island. This photo from the top of the 450 meter (1,476 ft) tram above town shows its beautiful location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu. There is bungee jumping from this spot, as well as many other adventure opportunities for thrill-seeking tourists. The jet boat rides on the Shotover River near Queenstown are popular.
Wildflowers in a field near the Milford Sound. Our photos of the Milford Sound, unfortunately, do not show the classic mountain peaks reflected in still waters. Our photos show driving rain and lots of cascading waterfalls in the clouds, mist and rain.
The former caretakers cottage in the Botanic Gardens near the Canterbury Museum is now a restaurant.
The lily pond, lily pads and flowers provide a respite from the city.
At a food booth at a fair, a person buying food reveals the traditional Maori design of his tattoo.
Christchurch has a remarkable civic asset. Canterbury University, with classic Anglican Gothic revival architecture in the center of the city, moved its location to newer, modern buildings. The city made a great re-use of these buildings by turning the former college campus into an arts center. There are artists studios and workshops in most of the buildings, shops that sell the artists' creations, some restaurants and cafes, a performing arts center, a small movie theater, and more. On weekends there is an arts and crafts fair and musicians perform in the outdoor quadrangles.

New Zealanders are proud of their agricultural traditions, and cows and sheep are the mainstays of their agricultural economy.